Office Manager

Uncommon Bridges is seeking a solution-driven and self-motivated natural problem solver to join an exciting and fast past environment to help its partners and broader staff as Office Manager. This person will keep the office organized, offer executive support and collaborate with every member of the team and several consultants to support the day-to-day operations of the company. The Office Manager is a key support player to the entire firm by ensuring that our office is ready to host clients and community members, that team members have the tools and supplies they need to deliver on project products and other deliverables, and that all employees have an office and broader work environment that support their productivity and creativity.

About Uncommon Bridges

Uncommon Bridges is a consulting firm located in downtown Seattle next to Pike Place Market. Established in 2009 (as BDS Planning & Urban Design), Uncommon Bridges specializes in building consensus and unlikely coalitions, communicating complex information, demonstrating leading ideas, and shaping organizations. We build more vibrant, just and thriving communities by braiding inclusive process, consensus leadership, impactful organizations, and meaningful places into everything we do. Key services include Strategic Planning & Visioning; Facilitation; Research & Analysis; Business Improvement District (BID) Formation, Renewal, & Expansion; Community & Stakeholder Engagement; Policy & Program Development; Government Relations & Strategy; and Cultural Placemaking. Examples of current and past client work can be found at www.uncommonbridges.com. The company has a strong culture of transparency, flexibility, equity, and open communication, and is a majority people of color- and woman-owned small business.

About the Position

The Office Manager is responsible for driving internal operations and providing support across human resources, marketing, accounting, and project management functions. Additionally, the Office Manager will offer executive support to the Managing Partner and other Partners. This role will report to the Business Manager and collaborate with all members of the firm, including several consultants.

The ideal candidate will possess strong administrative and communication skills, both written and interpersonal. Key attributes include being intuitive, quick-thinking, driven, organized, and detail oriented. The candidate should be self-motivated, adaptable, and comfortable working independently. A positive attitude toward multitasking, the ability to seamlessly transition between tasks, and a genuine appreciation for a support role are essential. Flexibility and patience are also highly valued for success in this position.

Application Process

Uncommon Bridges is an equal opportunity employer. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, age, disability or genetics. Individuals of diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

• Position open until filled.
• Apply via the Workable platform found at www.uncommonbridges.com/careers
• Only most qualified applicants will receive an interview.
• No phone calls or office visits, please.

Please see the full position description that follows. Please note that while applicants must possess all essential qualifications listed, they need not have any of the desirable qualifications to apply.

Requirements

Position Overview

The Office Manager is responsible for driving internal operations and providing support across human resources, marketing, accounting, and project management functions. Additionally, the Office Manager will offer executive support to the Managing Partner and other Partners. This role will report to the Business Manager and collaborate with all members of the firm, including several consultants.

The ideal candidate will possess strong administrative and communication skills, both written and interpersonal. Key attributes include being intuitive, quick-thinking, driven, organized, and detail oriented. The candidate should be self-motivated, adaptable, and comfortable working independently. A positive attitude toward multitasking, the ability to seamlessly transition between tasks, and a genuine appreciation for a support role are essential. Flexibility and patience are also highly valued for success in this position.

Key Responsibilities

• Operations — Performs and oversees various administrative functions and processes and acts as the organization's point person for outside vendors and service providers (i.e. coordinate with information technology [IT] consultant to maintain related equipment, manage printer service contract); Performs company database and system administration support tasks (i.e. data input and user support for technology upgrades and systems implementation); Troubleshoots basic technology issues for all team members (i.e. Zoom, printer, other commonly used software); Monitors inventory and places orders for office equipment, supplies, and provisions; Keeps the office organized, presentable and ready for employees and guests (i.e. water plants, touch-up cleaning of common areas between routine housekeeping, coordinating regular deeper cleaning of personal work spaces and broader office, ordering food for gatherings and preparing regular comfort items like coffee, etc.); Plans and coordinates office-wide facilities maintenance (in coordination with property manager), space planning, moves, equipment installations, and other events or projects with internal and external stakeholders; Develops, maintains and executes company operations systems and protocols (i.e. periodically update company operations manual, maintain company administrative calendar, maintain company phone system, create instruction guides) and supports development of other operations systems; Supports HR activities or initiatives with employee onboarding and interview coordination, and employee training and retreats; Support project, marketing and other departments with various administrative tasks (i.e. booking and facilitating travel, arranging facilities for events, etc.); Administers accounting processes, including company credit card and expense reconciliation and receipt tracking, and partner timesheets; Supports organizational development by planning and executing regular company events (i.e. social hours, team building activities, holiday party); Acts as the first point of contact for all visitors to the office and general inquiries to the company (i.e. answers front door call box, answers calls to main office phone line; answers/manages main company email account); Resolves day-to-day problems and coordinates with stakeholders to obtain solutions.

• Executive Support — Provides multi-faceted administrative support and assistance to Managing and other Partners to ensure effective use of partners’ time and productive interactions with staff and the public; proactively handling various tasks, such as arranging and delivering meals, and providing support in resolving internal and external issues); Manages partners’ schedules and travel arrangements; Manages meeting preparations and follow-up tasks (particularly for meetings that are not client-facing); Conducts research and information gathering on behalf of the partners and prepares summaries and reports; Develops positive and strategic relationships at all levels of the organization; Uses discretion, judgment, and knowledge of the organization to facilitate the partners’ activities and maintain confidentiality.

• Professional Development — Participate in professional development activities, including seminars, conferences, work groups, certifications, and so forth. The firm may support some of these activities with paid time and/or payment of dues or fees.

Key Skills

• Organization — Systems-oriented thinker who can simplify complex challenges into smaller, manageable pieces and organize them into easy-to-understand protocols.
• Problem-Solving — Creative and solutions-oriented. Can diagnose problems and identify potential solutions, both near- and long-term (in consultation with experts).
• Communication — Skilled communicator able to work in a multi-disciplinary setting and possesses strong oral communication skills.
• Analysis — Strong analytical and data management skills.
• Quality Control — Strong attention to detail, able to review one’s own work, as well as provide review of final products for colleagues.
• Writing — Strong writing skills are essential. Ability to write professional memoranda and emails for internal, and sometimes external, audiences.
• Technology — Nimble and open to continued learning on essential software and hardware, as well as utilizing evolving technological tools.
• Collaboration — Building strong working relationships with colleagues and fostering a collaborative and creative team environment is essential.
• Equity Analysis — Commitment to racial equity, and the ability to apply racial equity principles to work with internal and external stakeholders.
• Empathetic Approach — Ability to work empathetically with a wide variety of people from different social and cultural backgrounds.

Essential Qualifications:

• Associate’s degree or equivalent relevant experience.
• At least two years of experience in administrative functions and processes.
• Strong skills in word processing, data management and presentation software including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Suite (Docs, Sheets, Slides).
• Experience in and/or ability to learn video conferencing software (i.e. Zoom), project management software (i.e. Trello) and Macintosh/Apple computers.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Experience in a small business setting, particularly consulting.
• Experience in event planning and management.

Working Conditions:

• Location — Work in the firm’s downtown Seattle office five days per week with very occasional options to work remotely. Remainder of team operates in a hybrid model, with a minimum of three days per week in-office, particularly on days with full team meetings (i.e. staff meeting).
• Schedule — This is an overtime exempt position. This position typically requires a standard 40-hour work week; however, additional hours may be required to address urgent company needs. Flexible scheduling is offered on an occasional basis.
• Supervision — This position reports to the Business Manager. This position could report to a Partner, or Operations staffer, in the future, as supervision structures evolve.
• Communication — Frequent communication with team members and vendors through email, chat, phone, video conferencing, and in-person meetings is essential.
• Stress Levels — This a demanding role which may involve managing multiple projects simultaneously, handling tight timelines and deadlines, and resolving complex issues. The ability to be mindful of one’s stress response and to self-regulate in the moment to support oneself and others, as well as maintain a solution-oriented approach toward problem solving, is important.

Benefits

Salary for this position will depend on experience but is likely $62,400-$92,100 annually. This is a full-time, overtime exempt position. The firm offers health (medical, dental, optical) insurance, 11 fixed paid holidays, three floating paid holidays, paid time off (increasing with years of service), a retirement plan with company match, Paid Family & Medical Leave and an Employee Assistance Program. For this position, we offer occasional remote work and flexible scheduling.