Office/Operations Manager

Overview

IJD Decorating is a growing painting and decorating business serving Manchester and the surrounding areas. We’re looking for an experienced Office & Operations Manager to take ownership of our daily office operations and help improve how the business runs.

Your main focus will be managing customer enquiries, following up quotes and keeping bookings and communications organised. We also want someone who can bring practical ideas, improve processes and help us deliver a consistently professional customer experience.

This is a hands-on role: you’ll personally handle enquiries and administration while taking responsibility for making the office run smoothly.

You’ll receive a structured handover from our current administrator to learn our services, pricing and systems, before progressively taking the lead in running the office.

Responsibilities

• Manage incoming enquiries through WhatsApp, email, telephone, our website and lead platforms.
• Respond promptly and professionally, gathering photographs and job information needed for quotes.
• Prepare and send quotes using our pricing guidance, referring unusual requirements to the owner.
• Follow up outstanding quotes, answer customer questions and help turn enquiries into confirmed bookings.
• Coordinate deposits, booking confirmations and customer updates.
• Organise the job diary and liaise with decorating team leaders about schedules and job information.
• Keep customer records, conversations and follow-up tasks accurate and up to date.
• Handle invoicing, payment reminders and customer review requests.
• Identify and implement improvements to our enquiry handling, quoting, booking and administrative processes, in agreement with the owner.
• Create useful templates, checklists and procedures to make work more consistent and efficient.
• Track enquiries, quotes and bookings, keeping the owner informed of progress and outstanding actions.
• Support marketing through completed-job photographs, social media updates, customer reviews and practical ideas.

Experience and skills

• Proven experience taking responsibility for a busy office, service coordination or business administration.
• Experience handling customer enquiries and following up quotes or sales opportunities.
• Evidence of improving processes, organisation or customer service in a previous role.
• Confidence using WhatsApp for professional customer communication and keeping multiple conversations organised.
• Strong written communication and a confident, friendly telephone manner.
• Confidence using email, spreadsheets, customer-management systems and invoicing software.
• Excellent organisation, attention to detail and the ability to prioritise a busy workload.
• Initiative to identify problems, recommend solutions and follow tasks through to completion.
• Ability to work independently while keeping the business owner informed.

Experience in a trade or service business would be useful, but painting and decorating knowledge is not essential. We welcome applicants from other industries with relevant transferable skills.

Pay and working arrangements

• £32,000–£34,000 per year, depending on relevant experience.
• Full-time, permanent PAYE position: 40 hours per week.
• Primarily home-based, with agreed in-person meetings at a mutually convenient office space or café in the Manchester/Salford area for training, planning and task reviews.
• Applicants must be able to attend these local meetings.
• Work equipment can be provided.
• A structured handover and support in learning our services, pricing and systems.
• A long-term opportunity to shape office processes and develop with the business.

How to apply

Please submit your CV and a short explanation of your relevant experience. Include an example of a process you improved and how you have managed customer enquiries, quotes or bookings.

We’re looking for someone who enjoys taking ownership, communicating with customers and making a busy business run more smoothly.

Pay: £32,000.00-£34,000.00 per year

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Manchester