Senior Office Manager

ALink Recruitment are working with a prestigious engineering consultancy, which are looking for an experienced Office Manager (Senior Business Support and HR Lead). The role will be fully office based. The role will be to take ownership of the administrative and people-support function at our Stratford HQ. You will lead the administration team, own office operations, manage HR for the business support function, implement structure and controls, and ensure the business runs smoothly day-to-day. The role requires a high degree of autonomy — you will be trusted to manage priorities, improve processes, and drive standards without constant supervision. This is not a support-only position. You will run the office and HR function. This is a fully office-based position and requires daily presence at the Stratford headquarters. Key Responsibilities Leadership & Accountability • Lead, manage, and develop the business administration team. • Recruit, performance-manage, and where necessary exit administrative staff, maintaining accountability and standards. • Set workloads, standards, and expectations across the admin function. • Provide updates to Directors and the Board on administrative and HR performance. • Take ownership of office operations, identifying improvements and implementing change. Business & Office Operations • Oversee daily office management including facilities, supplies, and professional working environment. • Establish, maintain, and improve administrative systems, workflows, and controls. • Act as senior point of contact for internal business support matters. HR & People Management • Lead recruitment for the administration function including interviewing, onboarding, and probation management. • Manage performance reviews, disciplinary processes, and staff exits when required. • Act as first point of contact for HR matters within the office, escalating complex issues appropriately. • Maintain personnel records, oversee absence management, and support compliance with HR policies. • Support Directors with people-related reporting and workforce planning. Communication & Coordination • Act as first point of contact for internal and external communications. • Coordinate meetings, training sessions, and business events. • Support operational teams with documentation, reporting, version control, and general project administration. Financial & Commercial Support • Support finance processes including invoice handling, transaction reports, budget tracking, and supplier liaison. Skills & Experience Required • Proven experience in an Office Manager, Senior Administrator, or Business Support Leadership role. • Demonstrable experience managing an administrative team. • Proven experience recruiting, performance-managing, and exiting staff when required. • Experience operating with senior leadership oversight and board-level accountability. • Demonstrated ability to work with autonomy, taking ownership and making sound decisions without day-to-day direction. • Strong organisational skills with excellent attention to detail. • Confident communicator, comfortable dealing with senior stakeholders. • Strong Microsoft Office capability (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook). • Professional, reliable, discreet, and commercially aware. • Comfortable in a fast-growing, performance-driven environment. Desirable • Experience operating in a growing SME or scale-up business. • Familiarity with finance processes or workflow/project management systems