Office & Compliance Manager

Position: Office & Compliance Manager
Box Architects is an established architectural practice with studios in Leeds and London and colleagues and consultants working across the UK and Europe.

We are a close-knit practice and place considerable importance on trust, fairness and working together as one team. We are proud to hold Investors in People Gold accreditation, reflecting our commitment to our people and the working environment we create.

The role

We are looking for a dependable, self-motivated and highly organised Office & Compliance Manager to support the smooth running of the practice.

This is our sole dedicated administrative role, providing central support to colleagues in Leeds, London and further afield. It is a trusted and varied position, covering everything from the practical day-to-day running of the Leeds studio to confidential HR administration and the management of business-critical accreditations and compliance systems.

The role reports directly to the CEO and will involve regular contact with him to agree priorities, provide updates and progress matters requiring a decision. However, he divides his time between our studios, home, client meetings and construction sites. The successful candidate must therefore be comfortable managing their own workload, working independently and taking ownership of recurring responsibilities without close day-to-day supervision.

The range of work is deliberately broad. On any given day, the role might involve receiving a delivery, emptying the dishwasher, checking staff expenses, following up timesheets, supporting a sensitive HR matter or completing an important accreditation submission. We need someone who understands that each part of the role matters and will approach both the everyday and the business-critical tasks with the same care and reliability.

Key responsibilities

Office management

Supporting the day-to-day running of the Leeds studio

Acting as a first point of contact for visitors, calls, deliveries and general enquiries

Managing stationery, kitchen provisions, office supplies and equipment

Helping to keep the kitchen and shared areas clean, organised and properly stocked

Coordinating maintenance, servicing, PAT testing and external suppliers

Monitoring office equipment, workstations, seating and display-screen arrangements

Booking trains, hotels and other staff travel

Helping to organise company meetings, social events and celebrations

Purchasing and financial administration

Raising and maintaining purchase orders for goods, services and third-party consultants

Receiving, checking and filing incoming purchase invoices

Preparing a weekly summary of invoices for the company’s bookkeeper

Collecting and checking monthly staff expenses, including supporting receipts

Administering office petty cash

Coordinating annual insurance renewals and maintaining the relevant records

This is not an accounting or bookkeeping position. Financial control, sales invoicing, credit control and supplier payments are managed by the CEO, other team members and our external accountants.

HR and staff administration

Maintaining accurate and confidential personnel records

Supporting recruitment and the onboarding of new employees

Completing right-to-work checks and monitoring visas where applicable

Ensuring salary reviews and agreed employment changes are properly recorded

Maintaining records of professional memberships, qualifications and registrations, including ARB, CIAT and CSCS

Monitoring staff training, PPE and time-limited certification

Administering the practice’s timesheet system, following up incomplete entries and producing agreed information from it

Maintaining accurate holiday, absence and office-attendance records

Supporting the CEO with confidential or sensitive staff matters as…