Office Administrator

ALA Gateway; St. Louis (MO); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

The Gateway Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators is seeking a dedicated Office Administrator in St. Louis, MO, with a hybrid work environment (3 days in office after 90 days).

Reports to the Regional Director of Administration and supports multiple offices with staff oversight and operational excellence. Starting salary is projected between $110,000 and $125,000, with compensation determined by location, experience, and qualifications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, or related field preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in office administration, operations management, or legal/professional services support.
• Demonstrated experience leading administrative or legal support functions.

Responsibilities

• Support daily office operations and initiatives to improve efficiency.
• Lead legal support and office services staff, assign work and monitor deliverables.
• Provide coaching and performance feedback to staff.
• Coordinate staffing coverage and workload across departments.
• Approve time off, timecards, and manage attendance trends.
• Collaborate with HR on recruitment, onboarding, and staffing changes.
• Oversee annual performance evaluations and related processes.

Skills

Office administration

People leadership

Operations management

Budgeting & planning

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

The Gateway Chapter’s Career Center provides information on employment opportunities for legal management professionals and other legal positions in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Positions available in the St. Louis area, along with a brief description, are listed below. To look at job postings outside of St. Louis, visit https://jobs.alanet.org/

JOB TITLE: Office Administrator
FLSA STATUS: Exempt
SCHEDULE: M-F, 40 hrs./week
LOCATION: St. Louis, MO (hybrid work environment with 3 days/week in office after the first 90 days)
REPORTS TO: Regional Director of Administration

POSITION SUMMARY:
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 offices and supervising administrative and legal support staff to ensure consistent, effective delivery of support services. This role manages workflow distribution, monitors service quality, and addresses routine operational and staffing issues to maintain continuity and responsiveness.

COMPENSATION:
At Spencer Fane, we carefully consider a wide range of factors when determining compensation, including but not limited to location, skillset, experience, training, licenses, certifications and other business or organizational needs. Compensation will be determined based on the above factors along with the requirements of the position. We expect the starting salary for this position to be between $110,000 and $125,000.

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.
• Assist with onboarding and integrating new attorneys, including coordinating workspace readiness, support assignments, orientation logistics, and cross-functional follow-up.
• Oversees 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.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with attorneys, staff, office leadership, and business partners to understand support needs, respond to operational issues, and reinforce service expectations within the office.
• Serves 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.
• Collaborates 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.
• Identifies 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.

QUALIFICATION/SKILLS:

EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND:

• 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.

OPERATIONAL LEADERSHIP & OFFICE MANAGEMENT:

• 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.
• Proven ability to resolve routine operational issues and appropriately escalated more complex matters.
• Exercises sound judgment in prioritizing work and managing daily competing demands.

PEOPLE LEADERSHIP & TEAM MANAGEMENT:

• 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.
• Proven ability to coordinate staffing coverage and balance workloads to meet operational needs and maintain consistent support.
• Sound judgment in addressing routine employee relations matters, escalating more complex issues as appropriate.

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS & JUDGMENT:

• 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.

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP & STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT:

• 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.

FINANCIAL, RESOURCE & OPERATIONAL SUPPORT:

• 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 escalated concerns as appropriate.
• Proven awareness of resource usage and its impact on operational effectiveness.

COMMUNICATION, ORGANIZATION & EXECUTION:

• 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.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Primarily performed in an office environment with frequent interaction across attorneys, paralegals, and administrative teams.
• Travel to other office locations or external administrative sites required.
• Work hours are generally standard business hours; occasional evenings or weekends may be required to meet deadlines or support urgent matters.
• Fast-paced, collaborative environment requiring adaptability, strong attention to detail, and effective prioritization.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Regularly required to sit, stand, or walk for extended periods while performing administrative and supervisory duties.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 25 lbs for filing, document handling, or office materials.
• Ability to perform repetitive motions, including typing, filing, and scanning.
• Occasional bending, reaching, and handling of office equipment.
• Adequate visual and auditory ability to accurately review legal documents, read computer screens, printed materials, and communicate effectively.

DISCLAIMER:
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required of personnel so classified.

The Gateway Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators is a separate legal entity from the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA). ALA licenses the use of its name, mark, logos and other protected properties to chapters that are in good standing. ALA disclaims all liability or responsibility whatsoever for the actions, representations and liabilities of the Gateway Chapter, specifically including those of any nature whatsoever arising from or out of the content of other features related to the Gateway Chapter website. In no event shall ALA be deemed the guarantor of the Gateway Chapter.