Administrative Assistant job description.
An administrative assistant provides day-to-day office and clerical support to keep a team or department running smoothly. Duties include scheduling, correspondence, document preparation, and general office coordination, making the role a foundational support function across nearly every industry.
The Administrative Assistant job description · $29
The full editable .docx — role summary, 8 worked responsibilities, qualifications, and skills, formatted for your letterhead. Delivered to your inbox within 24 hours — usually instantly.
Role: Administrative Assistant Reports to: Office Manager or Department Head
An administrative assistant provides day-to-day office and clerical support to keep a team or department running smoothly. Duties include scheduling, correspondence, document preparation, and general office coordination, making the role a foundational support function across nearly every industry.
- Answer phones, emails, and route inquiries to the correct staff
- Schedule meetings, appointments, and manage calendars
- Prepare, format, and proofread correspondence and reports
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
8 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
4 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
3 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
6 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
Office Manager or Department Head
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Answer phones, emails, and route inquiries to the correct staff
- Schedule meetings, appointments, and manage calendars
- Prepare, format, and proofread correspondence and reports
- Maintain physical and digital filing systems
- Order office supplies and coordinate vendor relationships
- Greet visitors and manage front-office reception duties
- Assist with data entry, expense reports, and record-keeping
- Support other departments with administrative tasks as needed
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- High school diploma or equivalent
- 1+ years of administrative or office support experience
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office or Google Workspace
- Strong organizational and time-management skills
- Associate degree in business administration
- Experience with scheduling or CRM software
- Prior experience in a fast-paced office environment
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the Administrative Assistant job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this Administrative Assistant job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The entry band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (Office Manager or Department Head) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- What software skills should an admin assistant have?
- Most employers expect proficiency in word processing, spreadsheets, and email, with some roles requiring familiarity with scheduling tools or a company-specific CRM.
- Is this role the same as an executive assistant?
- No. An administrative assistant typically supports a broader team or office, while an executive assistant supports one or more senior leaders with higher-level, often confidential, tasks.
Other documents in this neighbourhood.
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Office Administrator
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Executive Assistant
An Executive Assistant provides high-level administrative support to one or more executives.
This Administrative Assistant job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Salary varies by region, employer type, and experience. Reference BLS or current industry surveys for ranges. Full disclaimer.