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Office manager resume example

A resume for an office manager in a small to mid-sized professional firm. Partners and owners hiring an office manager want someone who takes a whole category of problems off their plate, so the resume shows the budget, vendors, facilities and people processes this person owns outright.

Office manager resume example, page 1 of 1Gretchen AlbrechtOffice Managergretchen.albrecht@example.com · (414) 555-0152 · Milwaukee, WI · linkedin.com/in/gretchen-albrechtSummaryOffice manager with 11 years in office roles, the last five running the office of a 55-person engineering firm. Iown the office budget, vendors and facilities, handle payroll and benefits administration with our outsideproviders, and make sure new hires have a desk, a laptop and a friendly face on day one.ExperienceOffice ManagerFeb 2021 – PresentBrewers Hill Engineering Group · Milwaukee, WI•Run office operations for 55 employees in 2 locations, managing a $680,000 annual budget for rent, supplies,services and events.•Renegotiated 9 vendor contracts (cleaning, copiers, internet, coffee), saving $38,000 a year.•Managed the move to a new 14,000 square foot office: furniture, IT cutover and movers, completed on aweekend with no lost workdays.•Process biweekly payroll inputs in ADP Workforce Now and run open enrollment for benefits, with zeropayroll corrections in 2025.•Built a 30-day onboarding checklist with IT and HR; new hires rated their first week 4.7 out of 5.Office CoordinatorApr 2017 – Jan 2021Third Ward Dental Partners · Milwaukee, WI•Coordinated office operations for a 4-location dental group with 40 staff; managed supply ordering andequipment service.•Cut supply costs 14% by moving to a single distributor and tracking par levels in a shared spreadsheet.•Kept OSHA and state dental board compliance records up to date for annual inspections.ReceptionistJun 2015 – Mar 2017Lakefront Insurance Agency · Milwaukee, WI•Greeted clients, answered phones and processed policy paperwork for a 10-agent office.EducationB.A. in Communication2011 – 2015University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WISkillsOffice budget management · Vendor negotiation · Facilities and office moves · ADP Workforce Now ·QuickBooks Online · Benefits administration · Onboarding and offboarding · Microsoft 365 · Event planning ·Health and safety records · Purchasing · Space planningCertificationsFacility Management Professional (FMP)2024IFMAOSHA 10-Hour General Industry2022OSHA Outreach Training Program
Office managerUse this example

What recruiters look for

  • What you own outright: budget, vendors, facilities, supplies, onboarding, payroll inputs, events. Make the list clear.
  • Money: the budget you manage and the savings you found. Owners notice office managers who save real dollars.
  • Projects: office moves, renovations, new systems. They show you can run something with a deadline.
  • People processes: onboarding, benefits enrollment, HR paperwork, often in partnership with an outside HR or payroll provider.
  • Size of the office: headcount and number of locations set the scale of everything else.

Writing the summary

State the size and type of office, how long you have run offices, and what you own. If your role includes HR, payroll or bookkeeping, say so; many smaller employers want a combined office and HR manager.

The summary in this example

Office manager with 11 years in office roles, the last five running the office of a 55-person engineering firm. I own the office budget, vendors and facilities, handle payroll and benefits administration with our outside providers, and make sure new hires have a desk, a laptop and a friendly face on day one.

Office manager in a medical or dental practice

Practice office manager with seven years in a 3-physician family medicine clinic, responsible for front desk staff, scheduling, billing follow-up and compliance records. I cut claim denials by a third and keep the clinic ready for any inspection.

Administrative assistant stepping up to office manager

Senior administrative assistant with five years in a 30-person architecture firm, where I already handle supply ordering, vendor contracts and new hire setup. Ready to own the office budget and facilities as office manager.

Bullet points that work

Strong lines for this role, beyond the ones in the example. Borrow the shape and put in your own numbers.

  • Cut the office supply budget by 22% ($9,000 a year) with a single online ordering account and monthly usage reports.
  • Coordinated a 6-week office renovation for 40 staff while keeping the office open and working.
  • Moved paper personnel files for 70 employees into the HR system, with a retention schedule agreed with counsel.
  • Planned 12 company events a year, including a holiday party for 150 guests, within a $45,000 events budget.
  • Managed IT asset tracking for 90 laptops and phones with the managed service provider, recovering every device from leavers.
  • Set up a visitor management system and badge access for 3 floors after a security review.
  • Reduced the time to get a new hire fully set up from 5 days to 1 with a shared checklist across HR, IT and facilities.
  • Reconciled company credit cards for 25 cardholders each month in QuickBooks, closing on time for 36 months straight.
  • Wrote the office handbook covering 40 policies and procedures, now part of every new hire’s onboarding.

Skills to list

Hard skills

  • Office budget and purchasing
  • Vendor and contract management
  • Facilities and space planning
  • Payroll and benefits administration (ADP, Paychex, Gusto)
  • Bookkeeping basics (QuickBooks, Xero)
  • Onboarding and HR paperwork
  • Health and safety compliance
  • Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace
  • Event planning

Soft skills

  • Ownership
  • Calm problem solving
  • Discretion
  • Negotiation
  • Making people feel welcome

Certifications and licenses worth listing

  • Facility Management Professional (FMP) from IFMA: a good fit if facilities, leases and moves are a large part of the job.
  • Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) from IAAP: recognized across administrative roles.
  • OSHA 10-Hour General Industry: useful in offices with labs, workshops or warehouses attached.
  • SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP): worth considering if your role is half HR.

Length and format

One page for most office managers; two only if you have ten or more years and a multi-site role. Lead with your current office: size, budget and what you own, then four or five results. Certifications fit in a short section at the end.

Common mistakes

  • Describing the job as a long list of tasks (“ordered supplies”, “answered phones”) instead of areas you own and improved.
  • No budget figure. Owners want to know you have handled real money responsibly.
  • Leaving out an office move or renovation. These are some of the strongest projects an office manager can show.
  • Hiding HR and payroll work. Many employers hiring an office manager need exactly that.
  • Calling yourself “the glue of the office” without a single example. Show it with a result.

Questions and answers

What should an office manager put on a resume?

The size of the office, the budget you manage, the vendors and facilities you handle, people processes like onboarding and payroll, and two or three projects with results. Add software such as QuickBooks and your payroll system.

Is office manager a management role?

It can be. If you supervise receptionists or assistants, say how many. If you do not manage people, show management of budgets, vendors and projects instead.

How do I move from office manager to operations manager?

Emphasize budget ownership, process improvement and any multi-site or project work. Compare the operations manager example to see which results to bring forward.

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