5 free templates for small businesses. Download as DOCX or copy-paste.
An administrative assistant is one of the most common early hires for a small business, and the job description is where the hire either starts well or starts confused. A vague posting attracts a flood of mismatched applicants. A specific one filters for the people who actually fit the role and the company.
At FirstHR, we build for small businesses that hire without an HR department, where the owner writes the job posting between other tasks. The five templates below are designed for exactly that. Each is ready to use: fill in the bracketed fields, adjust the duties to match your business, and post. A clear job description matters because hiring is expensive. The cost of recruiting, hiring, and onboarding one employee can run as high as $240,000 when a hire goes wrong (SHRM). The description is your first and cheapest filter.
TL;DR
Five free, ready-to-use administrative assistant job description templates built for small businesses without an HR department: Standard, Small Business, First Hire, Remote, and Executive Assistant-lite. Download as DOCX, customize the bracketed fields, and post. Then bridge straight into onboarding once your new admin accepts the offer.
How to Use These Templates
Pick the template that matches your situation, then customize it. Every template has bracketed fields like [Company Name] and blank lines to fill in. Replace those with your specifics, trim any duties that do not apply, and add the ones that do. The goal is a posting that describes the actual job, not a generic role.
Standard
Any small business
The universal, all-purpose version. Covers summary, duties, skills, salary, and EEO statement. Start here if unsure.
Small Business (No HR)
Owner-led, 5-50 people
A realistic multi-function role: admin plus light bookkeeping, customer support, and basic marketing. Reports directly to the owner.
First Hire / First Admin
Founders hiring early
Entry-level generalist framing with 30-60-90 day success markers and a must-have vs nice-to-have split.
Remote / Virtual
Distributed teams
Built for remote hires: required setup, the tool stack, async communication expectations, and time-zone overlap.
Executive Assistant-lite
Founder support
Closer to an EA: executive calendar, travel, inbox triage, meeting prep, and confidentiality. Higher experience bar.
Start With Specificity
The single biggest improvement you can make to a job description is to write it for your real business. Name the tools you use, give a real salary range, and describe the actual scope. Specific postings attract candidates who fit and repel those who do not, which is exactly what you want before you spend hours screening.
Download all five as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each one is structured the same way: summary, duties, qualifications, compensation, and how to apply. Fill in the brackets before you post.
Download All 5 Job Description Templates
Standard, small business, first hire, remote, and executive assistant-lite. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Standard Administrative Assistant
The universal starting point. A complete, all-purpose job description covering summary, duties, skills, salary, and an EEO statement. Use this if you want a solid baseline you can adapt to almost any administrative role.
Standard Administrative Assistant Job Description
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __
Location: __
Reports to: __
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
Schedule: __
Salary range: $_____ to $_____ per year
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is seeking an organized and detail-oriented Administrative
Assistant to support daily operations. The Administrative Assistant handles
scheduling, communication, document management, and general office tasks that
keep the team running smoothly. This role reports to [Manager/Title] and works
closely with [department or team].
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
•Manage calendars, schedule meetings, and coordinate appointments
•Answer and route phone calls, emails, and other correspondence
•Prepare, format, and proofread documents, reports, and presentations
•Maintain physical and digital filing systems and records
•Order and track office supplies and equipment
•Greet visitors and direct them to the appropriate person
•Enter and update data in spreadsheets and company systems
•Coordinate travel arrangements and process expense reports
•Support meetings: prepare agendas, take notes, distribute follow-ups
•Assist with basic bookkeeping or invoicing tasks as needed
•Other administrative duties as assigned
REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent (associate degree a plus)
•[Number] years of administrative or office experience
•Proficiency with word processing, spreadsheets, and email tools
•Strong written and verbal communication skills
•Excellent organization and time-management abilities
•Ability to handle confidential information with discretion
•Comfortable managing multiple priorities at once
PREFERRED (NICE TO HAVE)
•Experience with [specific software your business uses]
•Familiarity with [industry] terminology or processes
To apply, send your resume and a short note about your experience to
__ by _.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and
are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
Template 2: Small Business Admin (No HR Department)
Written for owner-led companies of 5 to 50 people. This version describes the multi-function reality of a small business admin: core admin plus light bookkeeping, customer support, and basic marketing, reporting directly to the owner.
Small Business Administrative Assistant (No HR Department)
Built for founders hiring their first administrative employee. Entry-level generalist framing with 30-60-90 day success markers and a clear must-have versus nice-to-have split, so an early hire knows what good looks like from day one.
For distributed teams. This template adds the remote essentials: required home-office setup, the tool stack, async communication expectations, and time-zone overlap. Use it for any fully remote or virtual admin hire.
•Maintain digital filing systems and keep records current
•Process invoices, expenses, and basic data entry online
•Provide customer or scheduling support by email and phone
•Other remote administrative tasks as assigned
REMOTE TOOLS AND REQUIREMENTS
REQUIRED SETUP
•Reliable high-speed internet connection
•Quiet, professional home workspace
•Computer meeting these specs: _______________________
TOOLS YOU WILL USE
•Calendar and email: _______________________
•Video conferencing: [Zoom / Google Meet / Teams]
•Messaging: [Slack / Teams]
•Document sharing: [Google Workspace / Microsoft 365]
•Other: _______________________
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
•Excellent written communication (most contact is async)
•Proven ability to work independently without supervision
•Strong time management and self-discipline
•Comfort learning and using cloud-based tools
•[Number] years of administrative or remote work experience
•Available during core hours: _______________________
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Salary range: $_____ to $_____ per year
Equipment / stipend provided: __
To apply, email your resume to __ by _.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer and hires remotely in
[eligible locations].
Template 5: Executive Assistant-lite
For founders who need higher-level support without a full enterprise EA role. Closer to an executive assistant: managing the executive's calendar, travel, inbox, and meeting prep, with a stronger emphasis on confidentiality and judgment.
Executive Assistant-lite Job Description
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT (LITE) JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __
Location: __
Reports to: [Founder / CEO / Executive]
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
Salary range: $_____ to $_____ per year
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is seeking an Executive Assistant to provide high-level support
to [executive/title]. This role is more than general admin: you will manage a
busy executive's calendar, travel, and inbox, prepare them for meetings, and
handle sensitive information with discretion. The ideal candidate anticipates
needs before they are voiced and keeps the executive focused on what matters.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
CALENDAR AND TIME MANAGEMENT
•Own and protect the executive's calendar
•Prioritize meeting requests and resolve scheduling conflicts
•Build in prep and travel time around commitments
TRAVEL AND LOGISTICS
•Arrange domestic and international travel end to end
•Prepare detailed itineraries and handle changes in real time
•Process travel expenses and reimbursements
INBOX AND COMMUNICATION
•Triage the executive's inbox and flag what needs attention
•Draft and send correspondence on the executive's behalf
•Serve as a point of contact between the executive and others
MEETING AND BOARD PREP
•Prepare agendas, briefing materials, and presentations
•Take and distribute meeting notes and action items
•Coordinate board or leadership meeting logistics
CONFIDENTIALITY
•Handle confidential business and personal information discreetly
•Maintain professionalism in all internal and external contact
REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
•[Number]+ years of executive support or senior admin experience
•Exceptional organization and attention to detail
•Outstanding written and verbal communication
•Sound judgment and the ability to anticipate needs
•High level of discretion and professionalism
•Proficiency with calendar, email, and presentation tools
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Salary range: $_____ to $_____ per year
Benefits: __
To apply, send your resume and a brief cover note to __
by _.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Companies Using FirstHR Onboard 3x Faster
Join hundreds of small businesses who transformed their new hire experience.
An administrative assistant handles the clerical and organizational tasks that keep a business running day to day. The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes the role as performing routine clerical and organizational tasks, including arranging files, scheduling appointments, and supporting other staff. In practice, the scope varies widely by company size.
At a large organization, the role tends to be specialized and well-defined. At a small business, the administrative assistant is usually a generalist who covers a broad range of work. Understanding this difference matters when you write the job description, because a posting copied from a large company will not describe the role you are actually hiring for. The guide to defining job responsibilities covers how to scope a role accurately before you post it.
Administrative Assistant Job Duties and Responsibilities
The duties of an administrative assistant fall into four broad categories. A good job description picks the specific duties from each category that apply to your business, rather than listing every possible task.
Small business only, when the admin wears multiple hats.
Required Skills and Qualifications
Most administrative assistant roles require a high school diploma or equivalent and comfort with standard office software. Beyond that baseline, the skills that matter most are organization, time management, clear communication, and discretion with confidential information.
Do Not Over-Require
The most common job description mistake is listing too many requirements as mandatory. Every extra must-have shrinks your applicant pool, and capable candidates often skip postings where they meet most but not all requirements. Keep the must-have list short and move everything else to nice-to-have. For most small business admin roles, transferable organizational skills matter more than a specific number of years of experience.
Separate your requirements into two lists. Must-have skills are the ones a person genuinely cannot do the job without. Nice-to-have skills are bonuses that help you choose between strong candidates. This structure, built into every template here, widens your pool and speeds up screening. For more on running the hiring process once applications arrive, the guide to conducting interviews covers structured questions and evaluation.
Administrative Assistant Salary Range
Set your salary range using current government data as a baseline, then adjust for your location and the scope of the role. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for secretaries and administrative assistants was $47,460 in May 2024.
Administrative Assistant Pay (BLS, May 2024)
The median annual wage was $47,460. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $33,840, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $76,550. The occupation accounted for about 3.45 million jobs (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). For occupation profile detail, see O*NET.
Always publish a range. Several states now require pay transparency in job postings, and even where it is optional, listings with a salary range consistently attract more qualified applicants and reduce wasted screening time. Roles that lean toward the executive assistant end, or that require specialized software or industry knowledge, sit higher in the range.
How to Write an Administrative Assistant Job Description
A strong job description takes about 30 minutes to write if you follow a clear structure. Here is the process the templates are built around.
1
Write a clear title and summary
Use a plain, searchable title like Administrative Assistant. People search exact terms, so avoid clever titles. Open with two or three sentences covering who you are, what the role supports, and who it reports to.
2
List the real duties
Include 8 to 12 specific duties grouped by category. Write them for your actual business. If the role includes bookkeeping or social media, say so. If it does not, leave it out. Accuracy here prevents mismatched applicants.
3
Separate must-have from nice-to-have
Put required qualifications in one list and preferred ones in another. A short must-have list widens your pool. A long one filters out people who could do the job well.
4
Include a salary range and benefits
Add a real pay range based on BLS data adjusted for your market, plus the benefits you offer. Pay transparency is required in many states, and a range attracts more qualified candidates.
5
Add an EEO statement and apply instructions
Close with an equal opportunity employer statement and exact instructions for how and where to apply. Include a deadline if you have one. Clear instructions reduce back-and-forth.
Before you post, double-check that the role reports to a named person and that the duties match what the new hire will actually do. The overview of the hiring manager role explains who should own the posting and the decision in a small business.
Administrative Assistant vs Executive Assistant vs Office Manager
These three roles overlap, and small businesses sometimes combine them into one position. Knowing the difference helps you title the role correctly and set the right salary and expectations.
Responsibility
Admin Assistant
Exec Assistant
Office Manager
General clerical and scheduling
Supports a whole team or office
Supports one senior executive
Manages executive calendar and travel
Owns office operations and facilities
Handles confidential executive matters
Supervises other staff
An administrative assistant supports a team or office with general tasks. An executive assistant supports one leader at a higher level and command. An office manager owns the operations of the office itself and often supervises others. In a five-person company, one person may cover all three. The Executive Assistant-lite template above is built for that blended reality when the founder needs more than general admin support.
What Happens After You Hire: From Job Description to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same document becomes the foundation for the offer letter, the paperwork, and the onboarding plan. This is where small businesses without HR often lose momentum, and where a new hire's early experience is shaped.
Send the offer letter
Convert the job description into a formal offer with title, salary, start date, and at-will language. An offer letter template makes this a five-minute task.
Collect signed paperwork
I-9, W-4, and any agreements. The Department of Labor sets recordkeeping requirements that apply to every new hire, regardless of company size.
Run a structured first week
A new admin needs a clear Day 1 and first-week plan. Structure here turns a confused start into a productive one.
Plan the first 90 days
A 30-60-90 day plan gives your new hire clear goals and gives you a way to measure whether onboarding worked.
Good onboarding is what turns a new administrative assistant into a productive team member and keeps them past the first year. Once you have your offer ready, the offer letter template handles the next step, and the employee onboarding template covers the structured first weeks. FirstHR connects these steps, from offer letter through onboarding, in one place so a small business can manage the full process without an HR department.
For a sample plan to follow, the onboarding plan sample shows what a complete plan looks like. Employers also have recordkeeping obligations from day one, which the Department of Labor outlines for every new employee.
Key Takeaways
An administrative assistant is a common early hire for a small business, and a clear job description is your first and cheapest filter for matching candidates.
Write the description for your real business. Name the tools you use, give a real salary range, and describe the actual scope rather than copying a generic template.
Separate must-have skills from nice-to-have ones. A short list of true requirements widens your applicant pool and speeds up screening.
Use BLS data as your salary baseline: the median was $47,460 in May 2024, with most administrative assistants earning between $33,840 and $76,550.
Pick the template that fits your situation: standard, small business without HR, first hire, remote, or executive assistant-lite.
The job description is step one. Retention is won during onboarding, so plan the offer letter, paperwork, and first 90 days before the new admin starts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an administrative assistant do?
An administrative assistant handles the organizational and clerical tasks that keep a business running. Core duties include managing calendars and scheduling, answering phones and email, preparing and filing documents, ordering supplies, entering data, and supporting meetings. In a small business, the role often expands to include light bookkeeping, customer communication, and basic marketing support. The exact scope depends on the company. Larger organizations tend to have narrower, more specialized admin roles, while small businesses usually need a generalist who can handle a wide range of tasks.
What are the key duties and responsibilities of an administrative assistant?
The most common duties fall into four categories. Scheduling and coordination: managing calendars, booking meetings, and arranging travel. Communication: answering phones, handling email, and greeting visitors. Documents and records: preparing reports, proofreading, and maintaining filing systems. Office operations: ordering supplies, processing invoices, and coordinating with vendors. A strong job description lists the specific duties for your business rather than a generic list. The duties section of each template in this article gives you a starting point to customize.
What skills and qualifications should I require?
Most administrative assistant roles require a high school diploma or equivalent and proficiency with word processing, spreadsheets, and email. Beyond the basics, prioritize organization, time management, clear written and verbal communication, and the ability to handle confidential information. Separate your must-have requirements from your nice-to-have preferences. Listing too many requirements as mandatory will shrink your applicant pool, often filtering out capable candidates. For most small business admin roles, transferable organizational skills matter more than years of formal experience.
What is the salary range for an administrative assistant?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for secretaries and administrative assistants was $47,460 in May 2024. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $33,840, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $76,550. The occupation accounted for about 3.45 million jobs in 2024. Your specific range depends on location, experience required, and the scope of the role. Executive assistant roles and positions requiring specialized skills sit toward the higher end. Always include a salary range in your posting. Many states now require pay transparency, and listings with a range get more qualified applicants.
What is the difference between an administrative assistant and an executive assistant?
An administrative assistant supports a team, department, or office with general clerical and organizational tasks. An executive assistant provides high-level support to a specific senior leader, managing their calendar, travel, inbox, and meeting preparation, often handling confidential information and making decisions on the executive's behalf. Executive assistants typically need more experience and command higher salaries. In a small business, one person sometimes covers both. The Executive Assistant-lite template in this article is built for founders who need that higher-level support without a full enterprise EA role.
How long should an administrative assistant job description be?
Aim for one page. A job description should be long enough to set clear expectations but short enough that candidates actually read it. Include a brief job summary, a focused list of 8 to 12 key duties, must-have and nice-to-have qualifications, the salary range, and how to apply. Avoid padding the duties list with every conceivable task. A tight, specific description signals a well-run company and attracts candidates who match the actual role. The templates here are designed to fit on one to two pages once you fill in the details.
Do I need an HR department to hire an administrative assistant?
No. Most small businesses hire administrative assistants without any HR department, and a clear job description does much of the work an HR team would otherwise handle. The job description filters applicants, sets expectations, and forms the basis of the offer. After that, you need to handle new hire paperwork, an offer letter, and onboarding. These steps are straightforward for a small business and can be managed with simple tools. The Small Business and First Hire templates in this article are written specifically for companies without a dedicated HR function.
What happens after I hire, and how do I onboard them?
Once a candidate accepts, the job description becomes the foundation for everything that follows. You send an offer letter, collect signed paperwork (I-9, W-4, and any agreements), and start onboarding. Good onboarding turns a new admin into a productive team member faster and reduces the risk of early turnover. For a new administrative assistant, a structured first week and a 30-60-90 day plan work well. FirstHR handles the offer letter, document collection, and onboarding workflow in one place, so the move from hire to productive employee is smooth even without an HR department.
