Administrative Coordinator

An administrative coordinator is an employee who coordinates, oversees, performs or manages a wide variety of administrative and office support activities for their employers. These workers also serve as a link between departments, vendors, employees, clients and other relevant parties. Other titles for people working in this capacity may include administrative officers, administrative directors, office managers or administrative managers in the workplace.

Job Responsibilities of Administrative Coordinators

Administrative coordinators work to implement administrative and office systems, procedures and policies to ensure the smooth, coordinated function of office support services. In serving this function, these employees are responsible for a wide variety of job duties, depending on the different employment settings. These commonly include:

• Plan, implement and manage administrative/office activities and workflow
• Maintain efficient administrative/office workflow by analyzing work methods and making or recommending changes as necessary to streamline operations and/or cut costs
• Manage the use and organization of office space
• Provide support to administrative/office staff
• Recruit, train and supervise administrative/office staff
• Create and maintain employee schedules and work assignments
• Employee evaluations
• Create and maintain employee records
• Create and manage organization's records and filing systems
• Act as a liaison between administrative management and staff
• Prepare or review charts, spreadsheets, reports, correspondence and other documents
• Coordinate meetings and conferences for office personnel, other employees, managers and executives
• Make travel arrangements for employees, managers and executives
• Manage telephony duties as needed
• Coordinate incoming and outgoing organizational mail, electronic and traditional 
• Perform basic clerical, administrative, executive and bookkeeping support tasks as necessary
• Manage organizational spending and budgets as needed
• Keep an inventory of and purchase office supplies and equipment
• Coordinate with vendors, contractors and clients
• Supervise facility's cleaning and maintenance scheduling as needed

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Common Employment Settings for Administrative Coordinators

Just as varied, are the different settings and industries where Administrative Coordinators can find gainful employment. These include:

• Small and Large Businesses
• Corporations
• Manufacturing Establishments
• Transportation Companies
• Medical Offices
• Hospitals and other medical institutions
• K-12 Schools
• Colleges
• Local, State and Federal Governmental Agencies
• Non-Profit Organizations

Basically, any establishment in any industry that uses clerical and/or office staff in their day-to-day operations may employ Administrative Coordinators to oversee and coordinate the activities of staff.

Administrative Coordinators: Career Outlook

While the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not provide job growth statistics specifically for Administrative Coordinators, it does give figures for Office and Administrative Support Occupations in general. According to these figures, employment numbers for these occupations are expected to remain stable between 2016 and 2026. The agency also provides job growth numbers for Administrative Services Managers – a closely related occupation – that project a 10 percent growth rate for jobs in this field, which is faster than the average for all occupations.

While these figures can be helpful to people who are looking into the career potential of various occupations, it is important to note that job market data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Handbook is only intended to provide insight on occupational opportunities. This data is not to be construed as a guarantee of salary or job title. Neither BLS nor Bryant & Stratton College can guarantee employment as an Administrative Coordinator or in any other occupational field.

Becoming an Administrative Coordinator: Education

Virtually all employers prefer to hire candidates for Administrative Coordinator positions who have a high school diploma or equivalent and have pursued an education in business administration. Typically, this means earning a degree in the field, such as an Office Management associate degree from Bryant & Stratton College.

Additional Training/Requirements

Many employers require that candidates for Administrative Coordinator positions have a significant amount of work experience in this role with another employer or in a closely related field – generally a minimum of 5 years. Getting into this field also requires a solid working knowledge of today's office and administrative technology, including computer hardware and software, modern commercial telephone systems and office equipment, such as copiers, printers and fax machines, for example. Solid communication skills are a must, as are good management, organizational, supervisory and interpersonal skills.

Some employers may prefer to hire Administrative Coordinators who have earned professional certifications – especially employers in the healthcare or financial industries. These are generally available via professional associations and earning them usually means meeting educational and work experience requirements set forth by these organizations and passing an exam administered by them.

What Can I Do with Office Management Associate Degree?

Bryant & Stratton's Office Management Associate Degree program offers the skills and knowledge you need to pursue a career as an Administrative Coordinator. It also provides a solid foundation of knowledge and skills that can prepare you for a variety of other positions within the Office and Administrative Support field, including Administrative Assistant positions. Clerical positions and other front-office roles are a popular entry into the workplace.

The well balanced professional and technological education this program provides helps students develop and use technical, interpersonal, administrative, and communications skills necessary to thrive in today's office environment, as well as hands-on training in 21st-century office hardware and software, mobile computing devices, and business-related technologies. This prepares students for these and other roles in a wide variety of industries and employment settings, including manufacturing, education, business, finance and government agencies, among many others.

For more insights into building a career as an Administrative Coordinator or in other occupations within the Office and Administrative Support field, please visit the Business Degrees section of the Bryant & Stratton College blog. Exploring the blog and our website can offer a lot of valuable information to help you choose your best path towards a fulfilling and successful career in this field or any other that catches your interest.