Executive administrator vs executive assistant : what office managers in UK companies really need

Understanding the context in UK companies

The modern UK office landscape

In United Kingdom companies today, the line between administrative support and strategic support is much thinner than it used to be. Office management, executive support and wider administrative functions are no longer seen as purely reactive. They are expected to contribute to business continuity, risk management and even strategic planning.

For office managers, this creates a more complex environment. You may be coordinating executive assistants, an executive administrator, administrative assistants and other support roles, all while keeping office operations running smoothly. Understanding how each role fits into the wider management structure is essential if you want to allocate tasks effectively and avoid overlaps or gaps in responsibilities.

At the same time, many UK organisations are reshaping their structures. Hybrid work, shared service centres and project based teams mean that executive support is often distributed across locations and time zones. This affects how executive assistants and executive administrators interact with level executives and with office management teams on a day to day basis.

How UK companies typically structure executive support

While every organisation is different, there are some recurring patterns in how UK companies structure executive support and administrative support :

• Executive assistants usually provide high level, one to one support to senior executives, focusing on complex calendars, coordinating meetings, stakeholder communication and sensitive information.
• Executive administrators often sit slightly closer to office operations and project management, supporting several executives or a leadership team, and handling broader administrative functions and processes.
• Administrative assistants and other assistants may focus on more routine administrative tasks, documentation and day to day office work across departments.

In practice, the titles can be confusing. Some companies use assistant executive, administrator executive or assistants executive almost interchangeably. Others reserve executive assistant for the most senior, high level support to top management. This inconsistency makes it harder for office managers to benchmark roles, set expectations and design clear job descriptions.

Regulatory requirements, data protection rules and internal governance frameworks in the UK also influence how responsibilities are distributed. For example, who is allowed to approve spend, sign contracts, access confidential board papers or manage sensitive HR information will depend on the defined level of responsibility for each role.

Pressures shaping administrative roles in UK organisations

Several trends are reshaping what executives expect from their assistants and administrators in UK companies :

• Digital tools and automation have reduced some traditional administrative tasks, but increased expectations around data accuracy, reporting and coordination across systems.
• Hybrid and remote work require stronger communication skills, better coordination of virtual meetings and more structured office management processes.
• Cost control pushes organisations to consolidate roles, so one person may cover executive support, project management and general office operations at the same time.
• Risk and compliance mean that even administrative work must follow clear procedures, especially when handling financial data, contracts or personal information.

These pressures mean that executive assistants and executive administrators are increasingly involved in strategic support, not just diary management. They may help with preparing board packs, tracking project milestones, coordinating cross functional initiatives and supporting management with information flows.

For office managers, this shift requires a more deliberate approach to role design. You need to understand which responsibilities truly require a high level executive assistant, and which can be handled by an executive administrator or a broader administrative assistant team.

Why clarity matters for office managers

Without clear definitions of roles and responsibilities, UK companies risk duplication of work, gaps in coverage and frustration among executives and assistants. Office managers are often the ones who feel this most directly, because they sit at the intersection of office operations, people management and executive support.

Clarity around the executive administrator role versus the executive assistant role helps you to :

• Align expectations between executives and their support teams.
• Design realistic job descriptions and recruitment profiles.
• Plan training and development paths for administrative staff.
• Ensure that high level strategic tasks are not mixed with routine work in a way that reduces effectiveness.

It also supports better workforce planning. When you know which administrative functions are critical for business continuity, you can decide where to invest in senior executive support and where a more process focused administrator executive or administrative assistant is sufficient.

External factors can also influence how you structure these roles. For instance, when your organisation relies heavily on complex systems or international operations, understanding how specialised testing or systems support can benefit UK office managers can help you decide what kind of skills you need in your executive support team. Resources such as guides on system testing and process reliability for office managers can be useful when you are mapping responsibilities that touch finance, procurement or reporting tools.

Setting the stage for clearer role definitions

Once you understand the broader context in UK companies, it becomes easier to look at how the roles differ in practice, how much autonomy each role should have and how reporting lines affect office management. The next parts of this article will go deeper into the day to day work of executive assistants and executive administrators, the level of decision making they hold, and how you as an office manager can design structures that support both executives and the wider business effectively.

Core responsibilities : how the roles differ in practice

What an executive administrator actually does day to day

In many UK companies, the executive administrator is the person who keeps office operations and administrative functions running smoothly at a broader level. This role is less about supporting one individual and more about managing processes, systems and information flows across the business.

Typical responsibilities for an executive administrator include :

• Coordinating office operations – overseeing reception, meeting rooms, supplies, facilities issues and sometimes health and safety documentation.
• Managing administrative support – supervising administrative assistants, allocating tasks and setting basic standards for administrative work.
• Owning key processes – handling onboarding paperwork, maintaining shared drives, templates and internal procedures.
• Data and document management – preparing reports, maintaining records and ensuring compliance with internal policies.
• Basic project management – supporting small internal projects, such as office moves, system rollouts or policy updates.
• Cross departmental coordination – acting as a central point of contact between HR, finance, IT and the wider office.

This administrator executive position usually has a wider organisational lens than a classic administrative assistant. The focus is on managing the flow of work and information, rather than on the personal schedule of one or two level executives.

Some UK organisations also rely on external partners to strengthen this kind of administrative support. For example, resources such as specialist support providers for office managers in UK companies can help standardise processes and improve the quality of administrative work across multiple sites.

What an executive assistant focuses on in practice

By contrast, the executive assistant role is centred on high level executive support for one or more senior leaders. The work is more personal, more strategic and often more confidential. While an executive administrator looks after the office, an executive assistant looks after the executives.

Typical responsibilities for executive assistants in UK companies include :

• Complex diary and time management – prioritising meetings, protecting focus time and ensuring the executive is in the right place at the right time.
• Coordinating meetings and events – preparing agendas, briefing packs, minutes and follow up actions for internal and external meetings.
• Inbox and communication management – drafting responses, filtering messages and maintaining clear communication channels with stakeholders.
• Strategic support – helping the executive prepare for board meetings, presentations and key negotiations.
• Confidential administrative support – handling sensitive documents, contracts and people related information.
• Light project management – tracking actions from leadership meetings and ensuring decisions are implemented across the business.

In many UK organisations, the executive assistant is seen as an extension of the executive, not just an administrative assistant. The role often involves judgement calls, prioritisation and proactive problem solving at a high level.

Comparing the roles : scope, focus and typical tasks

From an office management perspective, it helps to look at how these roles differ across a normal working day. The table below summarises the main contrasts you are likely to see in practice.

Both roles sit within the broader family of administrative support, but the balance between operational management and executive support is very different. Understanding this distinction is essential when you design job descriptions or restructure your team.

Where responsibilities overlap in UK offices

In real life, the line between executive administrators and executive assistants is not always clear. In smaller UK companies, one person may carry a blended role, acting as both office administrator and assistant executive to a director.

Common areas of overlap include :

• Coordinating meetings – both may book rooms, manage invites and ensure the right information is available.
• Document preparation – both can draft correspondence, prepare presentations and update reports.
• Stakeholder communication – both need strong communication skills to deal with internal teams and external contacts.
• Basic project management – both may track actions and deadlines for small projects or initiatives.

For office managers, the key is to be explicit about which role owns which tasks, especially when it comes to high level responsibilities such as executive support versus general office management. Clear boundaries reduce duplication and help each person work at the right level for their role.

Implications for office managers when allocating work

When you decide how to distribute administrative work in your UK office, the practical differences between these roles should guide your choices. Executive administrators are usually better placed to :

• Standardise administrative processes across the office.
• Manage shared resources and tools used by multiple teams.
• Support business wide initiatives that affect many departments.

Executive assistants, on the other hand, are usually the right people to :

• Shield senior leaders from low value tasks and interruptions.
• Align the executive’s time with strategic business priorities.
• Act as a trusted point of contact for high level stakeholders.

Being clear about these practical responsibilities will make it easier to design roles that genuinely support your executives and your wider office, and it will also set a solid foundation for the levels of autonomy and decision making that follow in the next part of the article.

Level of responsibility, autonomy and decision‑making

How much authority do these roles really have ?

In many UK companies, the job titles executive administrator and executive assistant sound similar, but the level of responsibility and autonomy can be quite different. Understanding this difference is essential for office management, because it affects who can take decisions, who can represent senior executives, and how work flows through the business on a day to day basis.

Broadly, an executive assistant is closer to the executive, while an executive administrator is closer to the wider office operations and administrative functions. Both provide executive support, but not always at the same decision making level.

Decision making scope in daily work

Executive assistants usually operate at a higher level of autonomy than administrative assistants or general office administrators. They are often trusted to make decisions that directly affect how level executives spend their time and what the priorities are for the week or the month.

Typical examples of decision making for an executive assistant include :

• Reprioritising the executive’s diary without asking for approval every time
• Deciding which meetings to decline or delegate when time is tight
• Filtering emails and calls, and responding on behalf of the executive within agreed boundaries
• Escalating issues to the right person in management when something is blocking progress

By contrast, an executive administrator or administrator executive is often more focused on structured administrative support and repeatable tasks. They may have less freedom to change priorities on their own, and more of their work is guided by clear procedures or instructions from managers.

Typical decision making for an executive administrator includes :

• Choosing the most efficient way to complete administrative tasks that have already been assigned
• Coordinating meetings once dates and participants are agreed by others
• Managing document versions, templates and filing systems
• Following defined approval chains for purchases, travel or expenses

Both roles are essential, but the executive assistant usually has a more strategic support function, while the executive administrator focuses on reliable, consistent delivery of administrative work.

Autonomy in managing time, priorities and information

From an office management perspective, the real difference often appears in how independently each role can manage time, priorities and information flows.

Executive assistants are typically expected to :

• Act as a gatekeeper for the executive’s time and attention
• Challenge meeting requests that do not align with business priorities
• Prepare briefing notes and summaries so the executive can make faster decisions
• Coordinate project management activities around the executive, such as follow ups and action tracking

This requires strong communication skills and confidence to push back when needed. The assistant executive is not just taking notes ; they are actively shaping how the executive engages with the rest of the organisation.

Executive administrators, on the other hand, usually have autonomy in how they organise their own work, but less autonomy in setting priorities for others. They might decide how to structure a database, how to improve a form, or how to streamline a reporting process, but they are less likely to decide which projects the executive should attend or which stakeholders to prioritise.

Strategic versus operational responsibilities

Another way to look at the level of responsibility is to ask : how close is the role to strategic decisions ?

Executive assistants often sit in meetings with senior management, take part in planning sessions, and handle sensitive information. Their responsibilities can include :

• Preparing materials for board or leadership meetings
• Supporting strategic projects by coordinating stakeholders and timelines
• Following up on decisions taken at a high level and ensuring actions are completed
• Acting as a confidential sounding board for the executive on internal communication

Because of this, executive assistants are sometimes seen as part of the extended leadership support team. Their role is not only administrative ; it is also about strategic support and making sure that decisions taken at the top are translated into concrete actions.

Executive administrators usually have more operational responsibilities. They keep the office running smoothly, maintain records, support office management processes and ensure that administrative support is consistent across teams. Their work is crucial for business continuity, but they are less involved in shaping strategy.

For office managers, this distinction matters when designing roles and responsibilities. If the business needs someone to help drive strategic initiatives, an executive assistant profile is often more suitable. If the priority is to strengthen administrative functions and office operations, an executive administrator may be the better fit.

Risk, confidentiality and trust level

The level of responsibility is also visible in the type of risk each role handles. Executive assistants usually deal with highly confidential information about finances, people, and future plans. They may draft or review sensitive communication, prepare documents for negotiations, or manage access to private data.

This means the trust level placed in an executive assistant is very high. Mistakes can have reputational or financial impact, so office managers need to be careful when recruiting and onboarding for this role. Background checks, clear confidentiality agreements and strong ethical standards are essential.

Executive administrators also handle confidential information, but often at a different scale. For example, they might manage personnel files, supplier contracts or internal reports. The risk is still real, but the information is sometimes less strategic and more operational.

When defining these roles, office managers should be explicit about :

• Which documents each role can access
• Who can represent the executive in internal or external communication
• What decisions can be taken without prior approval
• How errors or breaches will be handled

Impact on career development and progression

The level of autonomy and decision making also shapes the long term career path. Executive assistants who operate at a high level often develop strong project management skills, stakeholder management and strategic thinking. Over time, this can open doors to roles in operations management, business management or even senior office management.

Executive administrators may follow a more traditional administrative assistant path, moving into senior administrative support, team coordination or specialist office operations roles. With the right development, they can also move towards more strategic positions, but it usually requires deliberate exposure to higher level projects and responsibilities.

For office managers who are planning team structures and future needs, it is useful to think about how each role can grow. Aligning responsibilities with a clear progression framework helps with retention and motivation. Resources that focus on building a rewarding career path in UK companies, such as guides on long term career development for office professionals, can support this planning.

In practice, the most effective UK offices are often those where executive administrators and executive assistants work together, with clearly defined levels of responsibility. The office manager then has a solid structure to manage workloads, protect executive time, and ensure that both strategic and administrative needs are covered.

Reporting lines and organisational impact

Who each role reports to in a UK structure

In most United Kingdom companies, the reporting line is one of the clearest ways to distinguish an executive administrator from an executive assistant. It shapes the level of responsibility, the type of work they handle day to day, and how closely they sit to strategic decisions.

Typically :

• Executive assistants report directly to one or more level executives (for example, members of the senior management team or board).
• Executive administrators are more likely to report into an office management lead, an operations manager, or a central administrative support or business support function.

This means the executive assistant role is usually embedded in the executive support structure, while the executive administrator is embedded in the wider office operations and administrative functions. Both are critical, but they influence the organisation in different ways.

How the roles influence office operations and business performance

Because of these reporting lines, the organisational impact of each role is not the same. As an office manager, it helps to think in terms of where each role creates the most value.

• Executive assistants focus on high level executive support. They protect executive time, coordinate strategic support activities, and act as a communication bridge between executives and the wider business.
• Executive administrators focus on office operations and administrative functions. They keep workflows moving, ensure processes are followed, and support multiple teams with consistent administrative support.

When executive assistants manage diaries, coordinate travel, and handle confidential communication for senior management, they are directly shaping how leadership time is used. When executive administrators standardise processes, manage documentation, and support project management tasks across departments, they are improving the reliability and efficiency of the whole office.

Span of influence and collaboration across the organisation

Another way to look at organisational impact is to consider who each role interacts with most often.

• Executive assistants work closely with a small number of executives, but their influence reaches many teams. They are often involved in coordinating meetings that bring together different departments, preparing information for high level decisions, and following up on strategic actions.
• Executive administrators interact with a broader group of colleagues at different levels. They may support administrative assistants, coordinate with HR or finance on routine tasks, and help office management keep day to day work running smoothly.

In practice, this means executive assistants are often the first point of contact when teams need access to executives, while executive administrators are the first point of contact when teams need help with processes, documentation, or general administrative tasks.

Decision making authority and escalation paths

Reporting lines also affect how much autonomy each role has in decision making and how issues are escalated.

• Executive assistants usually have delegated authority from their executives. They may decide which meetings go ahead, which requests are prioritised, and how information is filtered. This is a strategic support function, even if it looks administrative on the surface.
• Executive administrators typically have authority over how administrative work is organised and delivered. They may decide how to allocate tasks among administrative assistants, how to structure filing systems, or how to schedule shared resources.

When something needs a high level decision, executive assistants will escalate directly to the relevant executive. Executive administrators are more likely to escalate to an office manager, operations manager, or another member of the management team responsible for office operations.

Impact on office management and resource planning

For office managers in UK companies, understanding these reporting lines and organisational impacts is essential for planning resources and defining clear roles.

If executive assistants are overloaded with general administrative work, executives lose strategic support and their time is used less effectively. If executive administrators are not properly integrated into office management, routine administrative support can become fragmented and inconsistent across the business.

Aligning reporting lines with the real responsibilities of each role helps you :

• Clarify expectations for executive support versus general administrative support.
• Design realistic workloads and avoid role confusion between assistants executive and administrator executive positions.
• Ensure that project management and coordinating meetings are handled at the right level, by the right role.
• Support career development for executive administrators and executive assistants who may wish to move into broader office management or business management roles over time.

When these structures are clear, both executive administrators and executive assistants can focus on the work that matches their skills, whether that is strategic support for level executives or managing the administrative functions that keep the office running day to day.

Skills, behaviours and development paths

Key capabilities that really differentiate the roles

In many UK companies, the job titles executive assistant, executive administrator and administrative assistant are used quite loosely. What actually matters for office management is the capability behind the title. The skills and behaviours you look for will determine whether the person can handle high level executive support or mainly routine administrative functions.

At a simple level, executive assistants usually focus on strategic support for one or more level executives, while executive administrators tend to focus on broader office operations and business processes. Both roles sit within the wider administrative support structure, but the expectations are not the same.

• Executive assistants are expected to anticipate needs, filter information and act as a strategic partner in the day to day work of executives.
• Executive administrators are expected to keep office management, systems and administrative tasks running smoothly across teams.

Understanding this distinction helps you design the right role, set realistic responsibilities and avoid hiring a high level administrator for what is really an assistant executive position, or the other way round.

Core skills for executive assistants in UK companies

For executive assistants, the skill set is closer to management support than traditional admin. The role is still administrative in nature, but the level of judgement and autonomy is much higher.

Typical core skills for an effective executive assistant include :

• Advanced communication skills – clear written and verbal communication, confident with senior stakeholders, able to draft emails, reports and presentations on behalf of executives.
• Prioritisation and time management – managing complex diaries, coordinating meetings across time zones, protecting executive time and making trade offs between competing priorities.
• Information filtering – deciding what the executive really needs to see, summarising long documents, and flagging risks or opportunities.
• Confidentiality and discretion – handling sensitive business information, HR matters and commercial discussions with care.
• Stakeholder management – building relationships across the office and with external partners, often acting as the first point of contact for the executive.
• Light project management – supporting or sometimes leading small projects, tracking actions, and ensuring follow up on decisions.

In practice, an executive assistant in a UK company often works at a level where they can make decisions about the executive’s day without constant approval. They are not just coordinating meetings ; they are deciding which meetings matter most for the business at that moment.

Core skills for executive administrators and administrative assistants

Executive administrators and administrative assistants usually have a broader focus on office operations and administrative functions. Their work is essential for keeping the office running, even if it is less visible at board level.

Key skills for an executive administrator or administrator executive typically include :

• Process and systems knowledge – strong understanding of internal procedures, document management, and digital tools used for office work.
• Organisational skills – managing shared inboxes, tracking requests, maintaining records and ensuring that administrative tasks are completed on time.
• Service orientation – providing reliable support to multiple managers or teams, often handling a high volume of smaller requests in a single day.
• Accuracy and attention to detail – preparing documents, updating databases, and managing data with minimal errors.
• Basic project coordination – supporting project management activities such as scheduling, documentation and logistics.

Compared with executive assistants, executive administrators are usually less involved in strategic decision making, but they are critical for managing the flow of work and information across the office.

Behaviours that signal higher level responsibility

From an office management perspective, behaviours often tell you more than job descriptions. Two people with the same title can operate at very different levels.

Behaviours that usually indicate a higher level executive support role include :

• Proactive problem solving – spotting issues before they escalate, suggesting options, and taking ownership of solutions.
• Business awareness – understanding how the company makes money, what the strategic priorities are, and aligning daily tasks with those priorities.
• Calm under pressure – managing last minute changes, urgent requests and conflicting demands without passing stress on to others.
• Boundary management – protecting executive focus time, pushing back on low value requests, and negotiating realistic deadlines.
• Discreet influence – guiding stakeholders towards practical decisions, even without formal management authority.

By contrast, behaviours that are more typical of an administrative assistant or junior support role include strict task following, frequent escalation for small decisions, and a narrower focus on individual tasks rather than overall outcomes.

Typical development paths in UK organisations

Career paths for assistants and administrators in UK companies are more flexible than they used to be. Office managers often have to map out progression routes that reflect both business needs and individual strengths.

Common development directions include :

• From administrative assistant to executive administrator – building deeper knowledge of office operations, systems and processes, and taking on more complex administrative functions.
• From executive administrator to executive assistant – moving closer to level executives, taking on higher level responsibilities, and shifting from task based work to strategic support.
• From executive assistant to operations or project management – using experience in coordinating meetings, managing priorities and supporting projects to move into formal management or project roles.
• From assistant roles into specialist functions – for example, moving into HR, finance, marketing or compliance after gaining broad exposure through executive support work.

For many professionals, the executive assistant role is now seen as a credible stepping stone into wider business management, rather than a career dead end. The key is to make the development path explicit, with clear expectations at each level.

How office managers can support growth and upskilling

Office managers in UK companies play a central part in shaping how executive administrators and executive assistants grow. You are often the one who sees the full picture of office operations, business priorities and individual strengths.

Practical steps you can take include :

• Define skill levels clearly – document what you expect from an administrative assistant, an executive administrator and an executive assistant at each level of responsibility.
• Use stretch assignments – give promising assistants executive level tasks such as supporting a small project, preparing a briefing note, or managing a complex meeting schedule.
• Encourage structured learning – support training in communication skills, project management, digital tools and business writing.
• Provide regular feedback – short, focused feedback sessions on what is working well and where more autonomy could be given.
• Align development with business needs – if the company is growing fast, you may need more strategic support ; if processes are weak, you may need stronger administrator executive capabilities.

When you invest in the skills and behaviours of your assistants and executive administrators, you strengthen the entire office management function. Over time, this reduces pressure on senior leaders, improves coordination across teams and creates a more resilient support structure for the business.

Practical guidance for office managers in UK companies

Clarifying what your company really needs

Before deciding whether you need an executive administrator or an executive assistant, take a step back and look at how work actually flows in your office. In many UK companies, titles have evolved faster than processes, so the same job title can hide very different responsibilities.

As an office manager, start by mapping the current situation :

• List the key executives who need support and the type of executive support they expect day to day
• Identify which administrative functions are currently overloaded or under resourced
• Note where office operations slow down because decisions are waiting for someone senior
• Check which tasks are truly strategic support and which are routine administrative support

This exercise will quickly show whether you need a role focused on high level coordination and project management, which is closer to an executive administrator, or a role focused on direct support to one or two level executives, which is closer to an executive assistant.

Translating needs into a clear job description

Once you understand the gaps, turn them into a precise job description. Many problems with executive assistants and executive administrators come from vague expectations rather than poor performance.

Be explicit about :

• Primary purpose of the role – for example, “provide strategic support to the leadership team” versus “provide executive support to the managing director”
• Scope of responsibilities – coordinating meetings, diary management, travel, project management, reporting, office management, or a mix
• Decision making level – what the assistant or administrator executive can decide alone, what needs sign off, and from whom
• Interfaces – which executives, teams and external stakeholders the role will work with regularly
• Measures of success – for example, time saved for executives, quality of administrative tasks, reliability of office operations

Use language that reflects the real level of responsibility. If the person will be managing cross functional projects and influencing senior stakeholders, the title executive administrator or executive administrators may be more accurate than administrative assistant. If the focus is on one to one support, executive assistant or assistant executive may fit better.

Choosing the right profile and experience level

After clarifying the role, match it with the right profile. In UK companies, the same job title can cover very different experience levels, so be specific about what you need.

Consider :

• Experience with senior stakeholders – has the person already supported high level executives or only team managers ?
• Complexity of work – is it mainly diary and travel, or does it include project management and strategic support ?
• Autonomy – will they be managing their own workload and priorities, or following detailed instructions ?
• Exposure to confidential information – some executive assistants and administrative assistants handle highly sensitive business data every day

For a more strategic role with broad responsibilities across the business, you are likely looking for an executive administrator with proven experience in office management and administrative functions. For focused executive support to one or two leaders, an experienced executive assistant or assistants executive may be the best fit.

Setting up effective ways of working from day one

Even the best assistant or administrator will struggle without clear ways of working. As office manager, you can set the tone and structure so that the new role adds value quickly.

Agree early on :

• Daily and weekly routines – check ins with executives, review of priorities, follow up on open tasks
• Communication channels – how executives prefer to receive updates and how the assistant should escalate issues
• Boundaries – what is in scope for the role and what remains with the office manager or other teams
• Time management rules – for example, how to protect focus time in diaries and how to handle last minute changes

Make sure the executive assistant or executive administrator has access to the right tools for managing calendars, coordinating meetings and tracking work. Clear processes reduce friction and allow the role to operate at the right level, rather than firefighting all day.

Developing skills and career paths in your admin team

Office managers in UK companies often oversee a mix of administrative assistants, executive assistants and office coordinators. A structured approach to development helps you retain talent and build stronger administrative support for the business.

Practical steps :

• Create a simple skills framework that shows how responsibilities grow from administrative assistant to executive assistant to executive administrator
• Offer training in communication skills, project management and basic business understanding, not only office software
• Encourage job shadowing so assistants can see how higher level roles operate day to day
• Discuss career options regularly, including moves into office management, operations or other management roles

This approach turns administrative support into a recognised professional path, rather than a collection of isolated jobs. It also makes it easier to justify higher responsibility and pay when someone moves into a more strategic role.

Aligning the role with wider business priorities

Finally, make sure the design of any executive assistant or executive administrator role is linked to your company strategy. When these roles are aligned with business priorities, they become powerful enablers rather than just administrative support.

Ask yourself :

• Which strategic projects or office operations would move faster with better coordination and follow up ?
• Where do executives lose the most time on low value tasks that could be delegated ?
• How can the assistant or administrator help improve communication between leadership and the rest of the office ?

By answering these questions and adjusting responsibilities accordingly, you ensure that every day of work for your executive assistants and executive administrators contributes directly to the performance of the business, not just to keeping diaries under control.