Front Office Manager

Education and Training: College degree
Average Salary: $50,000
Job Outlook: Good

Job Description

Front office managers are responsible for supervising office staff and providing administrative support for management, and generally making sure everything runs smoothly. This includes ensuring that visitors or guests are greeted in a courteous and polite manner and that any requests are dealt with efficiently.They are also responsible for organizing work schedules and purchasing supplies. They may be required to perform certain accounting duties and general administration. As they are likely to be in control of a number of staff, they must be confident about hiring, training, disciplining and possibly firing staff.

Anyone doing this needs to be extremely comfortable dealing with people and must have excellent communication and written skills. They need to be highly organized and to be able to keep calm in times of stress. Other useful attributes include good attention to detail and having the ability to solve problems. A front office manager needs to have considerable knowledge of the company they work for, and the other departments within the organization.

Front office managers can be found working in medical offices or hotels, or other types of businesses.

Education and Training Requirements

The minimum educational requirement is likely to be an associate’s degree in business studies, although some employers may require a bachelor’s degree in business management. Those choosing to work as a front office manager in the hotel business may have a degree in hospitality or management. Those choosing to work in medical offices may need degrees in health services administration or public health, and many have master’s degrees.

Getting the Job

Although some front office staff may be promoted to this position without this qualification, you will stand a far better chance of advancement by gaining a degree which is suitable for the organization you want to work for. A potential front office manager needs to first gain experience working in an office environment so that they know the job inside out, and employees are frequently promoted from this position into a managerial position from within the organization, once they have proven they are capable of doing the job.

Job Prospects, Employment Outlook and Career Development

Job prospects for a front office manager are reasonable, although they are required to have a certain amount of working experience in a front desk position. Front office managers generally start out as assistant managers before rising to this position.

Working Conditions and Environment

Front office managers may be required to work irregular hours or may be on call, depending on the type of organization worked for. Although the working environment is good, this job is likely to be quite stressful, especially for those who work in large hotels or convention centers. During the high season many front office managers may work well over 40 hours a week, although during the low season these hours may be considerably less.Front office managers who work in medical offices are likely to enjoy much more regular hours.

Salary and Benefits

The median salary for a front office manager is around $50,000, while the lowest paid may earn $30,000 and the most highly paid may make more than $85,000. Some hotel office managers make bonuses of up to 25% of the basic salary, and are also given free meals, parking, and laundry. Some organizations offer profit-sharing plans and educational assistance as well as medical insurance and paid vacations.

Where to Go for More Information

Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration
P.O. Box 400
Oxford, MD 21654
(410) 226-5527
http://www.acpha-cahm

Association of University Programs in Health Administration
2000 N14th St., Ste. 780
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 894-0940
http://www.aupha.org

The International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education
2810 N Parham Rd., Ste. 230
Richmond, Virginia 23294
(804) 346-4800
http://www.chrie.org