Office manager

Diffractive Labs; London; On-site; NOK 444,000 - 609,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Premium benefits

Generous paid time off

Job summary

Diffractive Labs in London seeks an Office Manager to run day-to-day operations, payroll, HR admin, onboarding, and vendor management so the research team can stay focused on breakthrough work.

You'll handle contracts, expenses, events, travel, and external partnerships with discretion and strong organisation. This is a hands-on role in a growing startup, offering meaningful ownership and a collaborative environment.

Qualifications

• 1–3 years in office management or HR admin roles.
• Organised with multi-workstream/vendor management.
• Discreet handling of salaries and contracts.
• Strong written and verbal communication.
• Proactive, solution-focused mindset.

Responsibilities

• Payroll, pensions & benefits administration.
• HR records, contracts, and onboarding paperwork.
• Onboarding and recruiting support from scheduling to offers.
• Invoice processing and expense reimbursements.
• Office procurement and vendor accounts management.
• Organise team events and travel.
• Vendor liaison with external specialists.

Skills

Office management

HR administration

Executive support

Operations coordination

Strong communication

Discretion

Proactive problem-solving

Tools

Rippling

Xero

Job description

Diffractive Labs

Office manager

London

What We're Looking For

Diffractive Labs is an AI-driven materials discovery start-up, aiming to move beyond the bottleneck of human-driven scientific experiments. We combine frontier AI with a purpose-built high-throughput wet lab to run a closed-loop discovery process.

We target materials critical for the energy transition. As we grow, we need someone to own the day-to-day running of the company so our team can stay focused on the research.

As our Office Manager, you will be the engine behind our operations. You'll run the back office and ensure smooth operations and processes, such as payroll, benefits, events, accounting, making sure every process runs on time and every detail is handled correctly. This role suits someone highly organised, discreet with sensitive information, and comfortable being the person who keeps things moving without needing to be chased.

What You'll Do

• Payroll, pensions & benefits: act as the main point of contact for payroll, pension and benefits, ensuring the right information gets updated and each cycle runs smoothly

• HR & employment admin: manage employment contracts, HR records, and onboarding paperwork.

• Onboarding & recruiting support: run new hire onboarding end to end and provide administrative support through the recruiting pipeline, from scheduling to offer paperwork.

• Tax, Invoices & expenses: process and pay invoices, manage ad-hoc expense reimbursements, coordinate with our accountants and keep our financial admin accurate and up to date.

• Office procurement: manage supplies, vendor accounts, and subscriptions so the team always has what it needs to work well.

• Events & travel: organise team dinners and off-sites, and book ad-hoc travel for the team.

• Vendor liaison: be the reliable interface between the company and our external specialists, making sure nothing falls through the cracks.

Skills & Qualifications

• 1–3 years of experience in office management, HR administration, executive assistance, or operations coordination, ideally at a small or fast-growing company.

• Highly organised, with a track record of managing several workstreams and vendors at once without dropping details.

• Comfortable handling sensitive information, including salaries, personal data, and contracts, with discretion.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, and confidence liaising directly with external providers such as accountants, lawyers, and payroll bureaus.

• Proactive and resourceful: you follow up without being asked twice and bring solutions, not just problems.

Nice to Have

• Experience working in a startup or scale-up environment.

• Familiarity with UK payroll, pension, and core employment law basics.

• Experience with HR, accounting, or expense tools (e.g. Rippling, Xero).

Why Join Us

• Direct impact: you'll be the person who keeps the company running smoothly day to day, freeing up the team to focus on research breakthroughs.

• Deep collaboration: we operate as a tightly knit, interdisciplinary team where everyone shares context and works together.

• Meaningful ownership: You'll have a real stake in how the company runs and grows.

• Competitive package: we offer competitive compensation, generous paid time off, and premium benefits

Diffractive is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities.

If you require any adjustments or accommodations at any point during the interview process please let us know - we will be happy to help.