Office Specialist Job Description

What Does an Office Specialist Do?

Although few people notice when forms are processed, copies are ready and files are in order, an office slows down fast when that work slips. Office specialists handle it as part of a small team, giving clerical support to staff and the public in university departments, government agencies and company offices, and sometimes running the print and copy desk.

Also known as: Senior Office Specialist, Printing and Reproduction Services Clerk

Office Specialist Duties and Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of an office specialist include:

• Process forms, requests and applications, checking each one for missing signatures or data.
• Answer phones and the front counter, and route questions to the right staff member.
• File, scan and retrieve records in paper files and electronic document systems.
• Run large copy, print and binding jobs on production copiers, and log charges to departments.
• Type letters, labels and form responses from templates or rough drafts.
• Sort and distribute incoming mail and prepare outgoing mail for pickup.
• Order and stock office and copy-room supplies, and report equipment faults to vendors.
• Enter data from forms into spreadsheets or the office's database.
• Schedule appointments, rooms and equipment loans using the office's shared calendars.
• Cover for coworkers during absences, following written desk procedures for each task.

Required Skills and Qualifications

To succeed as an office specialist, you will need the following skills and qualifications:

• Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook
• Production copiers, scanners and binding equipment
• Accurate typing and data entry
• Paper and electronic filing systems
• Polite, patient service at a counter and on the phone
• Switching between tasks without losing track
• Following procedures and privacy rules
• High school diploma or equivalent

Education and Training

If you are applying without office experience, point to volunteer work, a school office job or a retail counter that shows accuracy and good service. Most employers need only a high school diploma. BLS classes the training for general office clerks as short-term and on the job, so most skills come from the first weeks at work. Senior office specialists usually add training duties and more complex records after several years in the role.

Salary and Job Outlook

According to BLS, employment of general office clerks is projected to decline about 6 percent for the decade ending in 2035. Openings stay plentiful all the same: BLS expects roughly 249,000 a year, because the group is so large and people move on often. Clerks who can also run print jobs, handle records systems and cover a front desk tend to find steady work.

Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Office clerks, general.