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Office manager and administrator recruitment for regional employers

Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help councils, professional practices, builders, transport and agribusiness firms and regional businesses hire office managers, business managers, administration officers, personal assistants and receptionists. We build your systems, team size and the mix of accounts, HR and reception work into the search from the first conversation.

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Illustrative image: an office manager talking with a colleague at the front desk of a regional business office.

Office hiring at a glance

Nearly a quarter of office manager ads are outside the major cities, and a third of office managers work less than full-time hours.1,2

of office manager job ads are outside the major cities
23.0%
242 of 1,051 ads a month, three months to September 2026, against 29.2% of all job ads.1
of general clerk job ads are outside the major cities
30.8%
2,776 of 9,021 ads a month, three months to September 2026.1
of employers recruiting clerical and administrative staff had difficulty filling the role
29%
National, September quarter 2026.2
of office managers work full-time hours
66%
Against 60% of general clerks, 2025 annual average. A part-time role can widen the field.3

What does an office manager or administrator do?

Office managers plan office services and set standards, allocate staff, space and equipment, assign and monitor work, and manage the office's records and accounts. They look after facilities, make sure the office meets work health and safety and other legal obligations, and often coordinate hiring, payroll and training. General clerks record, file and prepare information, handle mail and messages, prepare routine reports and may run reception.3

About 140,600 people work as office managers.3 In a small regional business the office manager may be the person who keeps payroll, accounts, HR paperwork and suppliers moving, so the brief matters more than the title.

Licences, tickets and certifications for office managers and administrators

No general occupational licence or registration is listed for office managers or general clerks. Employers ask for a business qualification and supervisory skills, and some need a first aider or a police check; tell us any requirement attached to the particular duties, industry or workplace.

Licences, certifications and checks that apply to office management and administration work, by jurisdiction. Checked 1 November 2026.

JurisdictionLicence, certification or checkWhen it applies
All states and territoriesNo occupational licence or registration is listed for office managers or general clerks4Office management and administration work itself
All states and territoriesCertificate IV in Business (BSB40120) or Diploma of Business (BSB50120)5,6The current national business qualifications for administrators and office managers
All states and territoriesDiploma of Leadership and Management (BSB50420)7Office managers who supervise a team
All states and territoriesProvide First Aid (HLTAID011)8,9Where the office manager is a workplace first aider; Safe Work Australia says first aiders should hold a nationally recognised statement of attainment
All states and territoriesNational police certificate10Employment screening; the candidate applies, with consent

What does an office manager or administrator earn?

The Clerks – Private Sector Award covers private-sector employees whose work is wholly or principally clerical, unless the employer is covered by another award with clerical classifications. Where it applies, from 1 July 2026 Level 1 (first year) is at least $1,024.70 a week, Level 3 $1,182.10 ($31.11 an hour), and Level 5, which includes supervising lower levels, reporting on accounts and staffing and administering payroll, $1,291.80 ($33.99 an hour).11

Median full-time earnings were $1,730 a week ($47 an hour) for Office Managers and $1,438 ($40 an hour) for General Clerks in May 2025, against $1,852 for all occupations.3 These are national figures; no regional pay series exists for office roles.

Where are office managers and administrators in demand?

Office Manager, General Clerk and Personal Assistant are not rated in shortage in 2026, counting a national or regional shortage rating.12 Outside the major cities, office manager ads averaged 242 a month in the three months to September 2026, against 250 a year earlier, and general clerk ads 2,776, against 3,171.1

Online job ads a month for office managers (ANZSCO 5121) by state and territory, three-month average to September 2026 and a year earlier, rounded, with each state's share of people employed as office managers.13

State or territoryOffice manager adsA year earlierShare of employed office managers
New South Wales32433528.9%3
Victoria24925225.5%3
Queensland24125520.7%3
Western Australia13812410.8%3
South Australia71627.8%3
Australian Capital Territory20252.5%3
Tasmania14172.4%3
Northern Territory19151.5%3

What should you tell us about an office role?

The team the person runs or supports, the mix of reception, accounts, payroll, HR and facilities work, the systems (accounting software, practice or job management, Microsoft 365), and the industry. Say whether the role is the only administrator on site.

Also the hours, whether part-time or school hours would work, and whether you need a first aider or a police check.

How we help you hire office managers and administrators

You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.

  1. Step 1

    Understand the role

    We talk with you about the team, the systems, the mix of work and the experience you expect.

  2. Step 2

    Source and screen

    We talk with candidates about the offices they have run or supported, the systems and software they use, the hours that suit them and whether the location works for them.

  3. Step 3

    Introduce suitable people

    We introduce the candidates who best match your brief, so you decide who to interview.

  4. Step 4

    Coordinate the hire

    We coordinate the next steps and keep both sides informed through interviews and the offer. You employ the person directly.

Can you find office staff for a small regional town?

Yes. Office roles are town-based, so we search locally first and then widen to people ready to move, or to return home. Tell us the hours, any flexibility and the relocation support, and we raise them at the start. If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.

Looking for office work in the regions?

If you are an office manager, business manager, administration officer, personal assistant or receptionist, register with Hire Australia. Tell us your systems, the hours you want and where you would like to work, and we will talk with you about roles that fit.

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Talk to us about your next office hire

Tell us the role, the team, your systems, the hours, the location and when you need the person to start.

Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment.

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A FEW PRACTICAL QUESTIONS

Good to know.

Which office roles does Hire Australia recruit?

Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We recruit office managers, business managers, administration officers, personal assistants and receptionists for regional councils, professional practices, builders, transport and agribusiness firms and other businesses. We build your systems, team size, hours and the mix of accounts, HR and reception work into the search from the first conversation.

What qualifications should an office manager have?

Common qualifications are the Certificate IV in Business, the Diploma of Business and, for supervisors, the Diploma of Leadership and Management.5,6,7 No licence or registration is listed for office managers.4 Hire Australia weighs systems experience and the mix of work alongside qualifications when we screen for your role.

What does an office manager earn?

Median full-time earnings for Office Managers were $1,730 a week in May 2025.3 Where the Clerks Award covers the role, Level 5, which includes supervising staff and administering payroll, is at least $1,291.80 a week from 1 July 2026.11 Hire Australia discusses your pay range with candidates early in the search.

Can a part-time office manager role attract good candidates?

Yes. Only 66% of office managers and 60% of general clerks work full-time hours,3 so part-time and school-hours roles suit many experienced people. Hire Australia builds the hours into the search and tells candidates about the flexibility you offer from the start.

Does Hire Australia supply labour hire or temporary staff?

No. Hire Australia recruits people you employ directly, in permanent roles. We don’t supply labour hire or temps, and candidates never work on our payroll. We search for and screen people for your vacancy, introduce the ones who fit, and you make the offer and employ them. That keeps the working relationship between you and your new employee from day one.

What does it cost to use Hire Australia?

Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment. You employ the person directly, and we agree the terms with you in writing before the search begins. The same terms apply whether Hire Australia recruits a receptionist or an office manager.

Sources (13)

  1. Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, ANZSCO 4-digit occupations by JSA remoteness and Northern Australia classification, September 2026. Released October 2026. Data: three months to September 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  2. Jobs and Skills Australia, Recruitment Experiences and Outlook Survey, September 2026 data file. Table 3.2, Sept quarter 2026: employers with difficulty filling their latest vacancy. About 1,000 employers a month, 5+ staff, many government bodies excluded, weighted. Accessed 1 Nov 2026. Back to text ↑
  3. Jobs and Skills Australia, Occupation data - February 2026. Released March 2026. Data: employed and state shares February 2026; full-time share 2025 average; earnings May 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  4. Jobs and Skills Australia, OSCA Occupation data - 2021 Census, Table 6 registration or licensing. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  5. training.gov.au, BSB40120 Certificate IV in Business. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  6. training.gov.au, BSB50120 Diploma of Business. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  7. training.gov.au, BSB50420 Diploma of Leadership and Management. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  8. training.gov.au, HLTAID011 Provide First Aid. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  9. Safe Work Australia, First aid. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  10. Australian Federal Police, National police checks. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  11. Fair Work Commission, Clerks - Private Sector Award 2020 [MA000002], clause 16.1 Table 3. Data: from 1 July 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  12. Jobs and Skills Australia, 2026 Occupation Shortage List (6-digit ANZSCO and OSCA). Files dated October 2026. Data: 2026 ratings, ANZSCO 2022 sheet. National ratings; S = shortage, R = regional shortage. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  13. Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, ANZSCO 4-digit occupations by state and territory, September 2026. Released October 2026. Data: three months to September 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑