Office Administrator

About the role

The Regional Director of Administration, the Office Administrator is responsible for overseeing day-to-day administrative operations within St. Louis, Jefferson City, Cape Girardeau and Chicago office(s) and supervising administrative and legal support staff to ensure consistent, effective delivery of support services.

Primary responsibilities

• Partner with the Regional Director of Administration and Office Managing Partner to support daily office operations and key office initiatives that enhance operational efficiency and team coordination.
• Leads legal support and office services staff, including assigning and redistributing work, monitoring daily and weekly deliverables, addressing workflow imbalances, and ensuring attorneys and practice teams receive appropriate administrative support.
• Provides full people management for legal support and office support staff, including communication of expectations related to attendance, work quality, responsiveness, workplace behavior, and service standards, providing coaching, performance feedback, corrective action, hiring support, onboarding, development, and ongoing management of employee performance and conduct.
• Manage staffing coverage and work allocation across administrative functions to maintain continuity of service and effective use of staff resources.
• Approve time off requests and schedule changes; approve timecards, review work hours and workload trends, and address discrepancies related to work hours, attendance, and staffing utilization.
• Identifies, documents, and communicates employee concerns, service issues, and operational challenges; addresses and resolves routine matters related to workflow, scheduling, staffing support, and team effectiveness.
• Partners with Human Resources on the recruitment of staff, including interview coordination, candidate logistics, onboarding support, and status changes.
• Aid in onboarding and integrating new attorneys, including coordinating workspace readiness, support assignments, orientation logistics, and cross-functional follow-up.
• Affirm the annual performance evaluation process for assigned staff in accordance with firm guidelines, including documentation and coordination with the Regional Director of Administration and Human Resources on compensation-related inputs.
• Serve as a liaison with building management and external vendors for day-to-day facilities and office service needs, ensuring issues are identified, escalated, and resolved in a timely manner.
• Collaborate with Regional Director of Administration on budget preparation and expense monitoring for the office(s).
• Plan and coordinate office meetings, events, and engagement initiatives, including attorney and staff activities, recognition efforts, and firm programs.
• Identify opportunities to improve office practices operations, streamline workflows, clarify responsibilities, and strengthen service enhance consistency across support functions.
• Work closely with the Regional Director of Administration and Office Managing Partner to align administrative resources with business priorities and support office operations impacting productivity, culture, and service delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, or a related field preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in office administration, operations management, or legal/professional services support, with significant experience in a law firm or comparable professional services environment strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing administrative or legal support functions with responsibility for staff leadership, operational execution, and office-level coordination.
• Strong operational awareness managing day-to-day office workflows, staffing coverage, and administrative support activities within a defined office environment.
• Demonstrated ability to ensure consistent execution of operational processes and maintain continuity of service.
• Prioritizes work and manages daily competing demands.
• Strong comprehensive skills overseeing day-to-day staff performance, including assigning work, monitoring completion, and reinforcing expectations within a defined team structure.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver ongoing coaching and feedback to address performance concerns and support employee development.
• Prioritizes staffing coverage and balances workloads to meet operational needs and maintain consistent support.
• Addresses routine employee relations matters, escalates more complex issues as appropriate.
• Strong employee relations practices, including performance management, conduct, and workplace expectations.
• Demonstrated ability to respond to employee concerns with appropriate judgment and within established guidelines.
• Proven ability to maintain confidentiality and professionalism when handling sensitive employee matters.
• Strong interpersonal skills building effective working relationships with attorneys, staff, and internal partners.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate operational needs, priorities, and issues clearly and effectively.
• Proven commitment to service excellence and responsiveness in supporting a well-functioning office environment.
• Strong understanding of office resource management, including supplies, vendors, and administrative processes supporting daily operations.
• Demonstrated ability to support day-to-day resource needs and escalate concerns as appropriate.
• Proven awareness of resource usage and its impact on operational effectiveness.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt to changing needs.
• Demonstrated ability to manage administrative details with accuracy and attention to detail while maintaining urgency and a high level of service responsiveness.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and common business software, supporting day-to-day operational needs and communication.