Office Manager

Business Support Manager – Hanson Search

Hybrid / London |12-month contract (maternity cover)

£40,000 (depending on experience)

Hanson Search is a global headhunting consultancy dedicated not only to discovering talent but to transforming businesses. Our expertise encompasses PR & Communications, Public Affairs, Marketing, Growth, and Sustainability roles. We provide our clients with unparalleled insights into industry trends and developments. With offices in London, Dubai and Europe, we are proud of our local expertise and global reach. We have a sister company The Work Crowd which provides freelance support via a platform solution.

Role Overview

As Business Support Manager at Hanson Search and The Work Crowd, you will be the backbone of our operations, ensuring a seamless and efficient working environment. You will play a crucial role in supporting senior management and the wider team, keeping things running smoothly across a fast-paced, people-focused business.

This is a hands-on, varied role that requires someone experienced, confident, and genuinely self-sufficient. You will be coming into a business with the ability to hit the ground running, ask the right questions, and figure things out independently. You will be comfortable supporting a busy senior team and won’t be fazed by a range of ad hoc requests alongside your core responsibilities.

Previous experience in a recruitment, executive search, or similarly fast-paced sales environment would be a real advantage and someone who understands how a consultant-led business operates and is used to supporting a commercially focused team. Prior experience of short-term or contract roles, and the ability to quickly get to grips with a new business, would also be highly valued.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the organisation and coordination of meetings, diaries, and general scheduling across the senior team.
• Create and manage presentations and reports using PowerPoint and Excel.
• Handle the ordering, repair, and set-up of office equipment, especially for new starters.
• Assist with travel bookings and itinerary management.
• Organise companywide events such as the summer and Christmas party.
• Maintain our ongoing B Corp commitments and contribute to sustainability initiatives.
• Prepare presentations for company meetings and support pitch preparation.
• Ensure compliance with company policies.
• Act as a central point of contact for the team, ensuring all members feel happy and supported.
• Supporting with HR administration and internal recruitment. On the HR side, this covers onboarding, maintaining employee records, and general people operations. From a recruitment perspective, you'll assist with the admin side of the process, coordinating interviews, managing candidate communications, and keeping things organised
• Provide general PA-style support to the senior leadership team and assist with any other business administration as required.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience in a business support, office management, EA/PA, or similar administrative role.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and comfortable working with data and reporting.
• Demonstrable AI proficiency, you don’t need to be an expert, but you should be actively using AI tools and able to hit the ground running. We will include an AI-based task as part of the interview process.
• Experience in planning international and group travel.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills confident, warm, and able to build relationships quickly.
• Genuinely self-sufficient: able to work out solutions independently and come to the team with the highlights rather than needing ongoing handholding.
• Background in a recruitment, executive search, or fast-paced sales business is a distinct advantage
• Experience of contract or fractional working, and the ability to integrate quickly into a new environment, is a bonus.
• Detail-oriented with a focus on accuracy and quality.

Working Pattern

This role is available on a hybrid basis. You will be based in or within reasonable reach of London and able to come into the office when needed, though you won’t be required in every week. We are open to candidates working a part time week provided the role can be covered effectively.