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Office Manager

Lancaster, UK

full time

on-site

Salary£28,000 - £32,000

About the Role

We’re looking for an Office Manager who will play a key role in keeping our offices running smoothly and making sure the team has everything they need to do their best work. This is a hands-on, varied role, perfect for someone who enjoys being at the heart of things and takes pride in creating a welcoming, well-organised environment. This role will be based in our Lancaster office & labs at Lancaster University, with occasional travel to our London Office (Shoreditch). You will be responsible for:

Team Events

• Plan and organise away days, team-building activities, and company events.
• Coordinate venues, catering, logistics, and budgets to create great experiences for the team
• Be the one that makes sure everyone’s birthday is remembered, and celebrated.

VIP Visits

• Welcome clients / VIPs, organise catering, ensure meeting rooms are booked.
• Co-ordinate with senior management

Administration & Compliance

• Manage joiners and leavers, in accordance with the onboarding/leavers process (laptops, logins, access etc)
• Handle general paperwork, filing, correspondence, and record-keeping
• Assist in renewals and monitor asset coverage and other managing of business insurance policies, liaise with brokers, and ensure appropriate cover is in place. 
• Arrange cost-effective travel in line with company policy and budget approvals.

Office Environment

• Coordinate cleaning schedules (directly or through contractors) and maintain a pleasant, functional workspace.
• Procure office equipment, stationery, business cards, and other supplies, managing supplier relationships and assisting with negotiating contracts. You will need to follow the company procurement policy.
• Ensure our Lancaster office is well-stocked, organised, and running efficiently.
• Ensuring our smaller London office (in a managed office building) is well supported, liaising with the office management company.

Asset Management

• Maintain and regularly audit asset registers (laptops, mobile phones, and office equipment across London and Lancaster), ensuring all assets are accounted for, operational, and appropriately allocated.
• Support the Operations Director and technical teams in tracking other company assets where required (e.g. lab equipment), but not responsible for technical asset ownership.
• Other assets (eg: lab equipment) in conjunction with Finance

Health and Safety

• Support the company’s Health & Safety framework by maintaining records, coordinating required training, and assisting with compliance administration.
• The Office Manager is responsible for office-based health & safety administration (e.g. DSE assessments, basic risk assessments, and office safety compliance).
• Laboratory health & safety is managed separately under the Head of Materials, reporting to the Chief Scientist.
• Ensure accurate record-keeping and audit-ready documentation across all administrative processes.
• Maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive company information in accordance with company policies.

Accounting

• Support the finance function with expense processing, reconciliation, and record accuracy using QuickBooks, ensuring timely and compliant reporting.
• Co-ordinating with employees to ensure timely submission of company credit card expenses and costs incurred on behalf of the company, with accurate recording and reimbursement processing in QuickBooks. 
• Providing ad-hoc support on accounting-related activities, including assistance with QuickBooks, during peak periods such as month-end close, audits, and interim reviews.

Contracts & Agreements

• Co-ordinate with management and HR function to ensure that company documents are signed by all relevant parties using DocuSign

Holiday Tracking

• Co-ordinate with management and HR function to track and report holiday/sickness

Key Experience

• Experience in office administration, facilities coordination, or a similar operational role.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Technically savvy and experienced with software (Google Workspace Apps, Gmail, Microsoft 365, DocuSign etc)
• Experience coordinating events or meetings.
• Comfortable working independently and managing your own priorities.
• Experience dealing with suppliers, contractors, and external contacts in a professional manner.
• Familiarity with basic budgeting or procurement processes.

Nice to Have Experience

• Experience with the latest AI tooling, eg: Claude Co-work, ChatGPT, Codex etc.
• Basic accounting and book keeping knowledge.
• Experience using QuickBooks or similar accounting software.
• Knowledge of business insurance requirements.
• Experience in a tech or science-based company environment.

Benefits

We're continually updating and improving our benefits. Some of our benefits include:

• 30 days annual leave (on top of public holidays)
• Flexible working arrangements, with an expectation of in-office presence to support operational needs
• Company pension scheme
• Bonus scheme
• Participation in company share scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme (government-supported salary sacrifice scheme)
• Modern company laptop

 

If you are a proactive and organised professional who enjoys keeping things running smoothly, we want to hear from you.