Office Manager

Independent Cinema Office; London; On-site; NOK 260,000 - 382,000; Part time

Job summary

The Arab British Centre in London is seeking an Office Manager to provide practical, high‑quality operational support across the organisation, including office, building, governance, finance and HR systems, while assisting the Executive Director, trustees and staff.

This part‑time, on‑site role (4 days per week) suits an experienced, highly organized administrator who can maintain compliance, coordinate facilities and front‑of‑house services, and foster a smooth, professional working environment.

Qualifications

• At least three years’ experience in office administration, operations, facilities, finance administration or a similar role.
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, maintain accurate records and follow tasks through to completion.
• Good written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Confident using Microsoft Office and shared digital systems, including Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams or SharePoint.
• Experience with finance administration, bookkeeping processes, QuickBooks or similar accounting software.
• Experience working in a charity, arts, cultural, educational or small organisation.
• Experience supporting governance, HR, health and safety, building maintenance or contractor administration.
• Interest in Arab arts, culture and the work of The Arab British Centre.

Responsibilities

• Administer office, building and facilities management tasks to keep operations running smoothly.
• Coordinate building maintenance, contractor visits and safety compliance.
• Maintain organisational records, governance docs and policy materials.
• Support HR, recruitment and staff onboarding with attention to data protection.
• Assist with finance administration, invoicing, vendor records and petty cash.
• Support Executive Director, trustees and staff with admin and coordination duties.
• Ensure front-of-house is welcoming and professional for visitors and participants.

Skills

Office administration

Operations

Facilities management

HR administration

Finance administration

Bookkeeping

Executive support

Education

Certificate in bookkeeping

HR administration qualification

Health and safety training

Facilities management qualification

Tools

Microsoft Office

Word

Excel

Outlook

Teams/SharePoint

QuickBooks

Job description

Hours: Part-time, 4 days per week on site (1 Gough Square, London)

The Arab British Centre is recruiting an Office Manager to provide practical, high-quality operational support across the organisation. This is a key role in a small charity, responsible for keeping the office, building, administration, compliance, finance and HR systems running smoothly, and supporting the Executive Director, Board, staff team, residents, suppliers and stakeholders.

This role suits an experienced, organised and proactive administrator with strong attention to detail and a willingness to learn the operational and compliance requirements of a small cultural charity.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Office, Building and Facilities Management

• Manage the day-to-day running of the Arab British Centre office and building, ensuring that staff, residents, visitors and contractors are supported effectively.
• Coordinate building maintenance, repairs, servicing, inspections and contractor visits, ensuring that works are scheduled, followed up and recorded appropriately.
• Maintain building records, certificates, service reports and compliance documentation, including health and safety, fire safety, insurance and contractor information.
• Act as a key point of contact for resident and associate resident organisations, responding to practical queries and supporting positive working relationships.
• Support the smooth running of shared spaces, meeting rooms, office equipment, supplies, post, deliveries and general office systems.
• Liaise with suppliers, contractors and service providers, obtaining quotes, scheduling works, following up on actions and ensuring value for money.
• Support building access arrangements, keys, alarms, security processes and opening or closing arrangements where required.

Governance, Compliance and Administration

• Maintain organisational records, filing systems and key documentation so that policies, contracts, certificates, governance documents and compliance records are current and easy to access.
• Support the Executive Director in maintaining and monitoring organisational policies and procedures, including health and safety, equality, data protection, grievance, sickness absence and leave procedures.
• Support compliance deadlines and reporting requirements, including Charity Commission, Companies House, insurance renewals, policy reviews and health and safety requirements.
• Maintain accurate records of Board and committee meetings, decisions, actions, trustee information and governance documentation.
• Support internal planning and reporting processes by keeping administrative trackers, action logs and shared systems up to date.

Finance Administration

• Provide day-to-day finance administration, including processing invoices, maintaining records, preparing payment information and supporting the Executive Director and external Finance team with bookkeeping processes.
• Monitor supplier invoices, purchase records, receipts and payment documentation, ensuring that records are accurate and filed appropriately.
• Support budget monitoring and financial administration by maintaining trackers and assisting with reconciliations, reporting and audit preparation where required.
• Liaise with suppliers, contractors, residents and staff on finance administration queries, ensuring that follow-up is timely and accurate.
• Demonstrate willingness to learn relevant software such as Quickbooks, to support the Finance Team in maintaining reliable financial records.

HR and Staff Administration

• Administer staff records, personnel files, leave records, sickness absence records, recruitment documentation and onboarding processes.
• Support the Executive Director with HR administration, including contracts, policy records, training records, appraisals, probation paperwork and staff documentation.
• Ensure that confidential staff, trustee and organisational information is stored securely and handled in line with data protection requirements.
• Support the Executive Director in identifying, coordinating and recording staff training, professional development and mandatory compliance training.
• Assist with recruitment administration, including vacancy materials, interview scheduling, candidate correspondence and appointment paperwork.

Executive Support and Team Coordination

• Support internal communication and coordination across a small busy team, helping to ensure deadlines, meetings and operational actions are tracked and followed up.
• Maintain clear contact lists, supplier records, resident organisation information and organisational calendars.
• Support the implementation of new systems and processes that improve efficiency, accountability and organisational resilience.
• Contribute to a positive working culture by being approachable, reliable and willing to help colleagues during busy periods.

Customer Service and Front-Facing Responsibilities

• Act as a welcoming and professional point of contact for visitors, callers, residents, contractors, course participants and general enquiries.
• Respond to general emails, phone calls and postal correspondence, escalating matters appropriately and following up as needed.
• Support meeting room bookings, visitor arrangements and occasional front-of-house requirements.
• Assist with practical support for events, courses or organisational activity when required, recognising that the Centre is a small team and occasional flexibility is needed.

Person Specification

This post would suit someone with experience in office administration, operations, facilities, finance administration or charity administration who is organised, hands-on, proactive and calm under pressure, with strong attention to detail, good judgement, and a willingness to learn the operational, legal and compliance requirements involved in running a small cultural charity and building.

• At least three years’ experience in office administration, operations, facilities, finance administration or a similar role.
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, maintain accurate records and follow tasks through to completion.
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to high administrative standards.
• Good written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Confident using Microsoft Office and shared digital systems, including Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams or SharePoint.
• A proactive, self-motivated and practical approach, with the ability to work independently and as part of a small team.
• Good judgement, discretion and the ability to handle confidential information appropriately.
• Confidence liaising professionally with suppliers, contractors, residents, trustees, staff, external stakeholders, visitors and general enquiries.
• Experience with finance administration, bookkeeping processes, QuickBooks or similar accounting software.
• Experience working in a charity, arts, cultural, educational or small organisation.
• Experience supporting governance, HR, health and safety, building maintenance or contractor administration.
• Relevant training or qualification in bookkeeping, administration, HR, health and safety or facilities management.
• Interest in Arab arts, culture and the work of The Arab British Centre.

Interviews: Week Commencing 26 October
Start date: As Soon As Possible

The Arab British Centre is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and particularly encourage applications from people who are underrepresented in the arts, culture, and charity sectors.

The closing date for this position is 14/10/2026 at 23:59