Applicants for the limited number of higher-level management jobs will face keen competition; less severe competition is expected for lower-level management jobs.
Administrative services managers work throughout private industry and government and have a wide range of responsibilities, experience, earnings, and education.
Like other managers, administrative services managers should be analytical, detail-oriented, flexible, decisive, and have good leadership and communication skills.
Administrative services managers plan, coordinate, and direct a broad range of services that allow organizations to operate efficiently. They might, for example, coordinate space allocation, facilities maintenance and operations, and major property and equipment procurement. They also may oversee centralized operations that meet the needs of multiple departments, such as information and data processing, mail, materials scheduling and distribution, printing and reproduction, records management, telecommunications management, security, recycling, wellness, and transportation services. Administrative services managers also ensure that contracts, insurance requirements, and government regulations and safety standards are followed and up to date. They may examine energy consumption patterns, technology usage, and personal property needs to plan for their long-term maintenance, modernization, and replacement.
Specific duties for these managers vary by size of company or office and degree of responsibility and authority. In small organizations, a single administrative services manager, sometimes called an office manager, may oversee all support services. (See the statement on office and administrative support worker supervisors and managers elsewhere in the Handbook.) In larger ones, however, there may be several layers of administrative services managers that may specialize in different areas and report to directors of administration, or vice presidents of administration who oversee all administrative services.
The nature of these managerial jobs varies as significantly as the range of administrative services required by organizations. For example, administrative services managers who work as contract administrators oversee the preparation, analysis, negotiation, and review of contracts related to the purchase or sale of equipment, materials, supplies, products, or services. Other administrative services managers handle the acquisition, distribution, and storage of equipment and supplies, while others oversee the disposal of surplus or unclaimed property.
Administrative services managers who work as facility managers plan, design, and manage buildings, grounds, equipment, and supplies. Increasingly, they develop and implement plans that incorporate energy efficiency into a facility’s operations and structures. These tasks require integrating the principles of business administration, information technology, architecture, and engineering. Although the specific tasks assigned to facility managers vary substantially depending on the organization, the duties fall into several categories, relating to operations and maintenance, real estate, project planning and management, communication, finance, facility function, technology integration, and environmental factors. Tasks within these broad categories may include space and workplace planning, budgeting, purchase and sale of real estate, lease management, renovations, or architectural planning and design. Facility managers may oversee renovation projects to improve efficiency or ensure that facilities meet government regulations and environmental, health, and security standards. For example, they may influence building renovation projects by recommending energy-saving alternatives or production efficiencies that reduce waste. Additionally, facility managers continually monitor the facility to ensure that it remains safe, secure, and well-maintained. Often, facility managers are responsible for directing staff, including maintenance, grounds, and custodial workers.
Work environment. Administrative services managers spend much of their day in an office, but site visits around the building, outdoors to supervise groundskeeping activities, or to other facilities under their management are common. If overseeing a construction project, travel to the construction site is typical. Technology allows many facility managers to monitor equipment remotely and teleconferencing has reduced the need to travel as frequently to meet with off-site staff and vendors.
About half of administrative services managers work a standard 40-hour week; most of the remaining workforce work longer hours. However, uncompensated overtime frequently is required to resolve problems and meet deadlines. Facility managers often are “on call” to address a variety of problems that can arise in a facility during nonworking hours.
Administrative services managers review plans and contracts to ensure smooth implementation.
Education and experience requirements for these managers vary widely, depending on the size and complexity of the organization. In small organizations, experience may be the only requirement. In large organizations, however, administrative services managers may need a bachelor’s degree and appropriate experience.
Education and training. Specific education and training requirements vary by job responsibility. Office mangers in smaller operations or lower-level administrative services managers with fewer responsibilities may only need a high school diploma combined with appropriate experience, but an associate degree is increasingly preferred.
In larger companies with multiple locations, equipment, and technologies to coordinate, higher-level administrative services managers need at least a bachelor’s degree. Managers of highly complex services, such as contract, insurance, and regulatory compliance, generally need at least a bachelor's degree in business administration, human resources, accounting, or finance. Lower-level managers may also need a bachelor’s degree, but related postsecondary technical training may also be substituted for managers of printing, security, communications, or information technology. Those involved in building management should take a drafting class. Regardless of major, courses in office technology, accounting, computer applications, human resources, and business law are highly recommended.
Most facility managers have an undergraduate or graduate degree in engineering, architecture, construction management, business administration, or facility management. Many also have backgrounds in real estate, construction, or interior design, in addition to managerial experience. Whatever the educational background, it must be accompanied by related work experience reflecting managerial and leadership abilities. Many administrative services managers obtained their experience by specializing in one area at first, then augmenting their qualifications by acquiring work experience in other specialties before assuming managerial duties.
Managers of property acquisition and disposal need experience in purchasing and sales, and knowledge of the variety of supplies, machinery, and equipment used by the organization. Managers concerned with supply, inventory, and distribution should be experienced in receiving, warehousing, packaging, shipping, transportation, and related operations. Contract administrators may have worked as contract specialists, cost analysts, or procurement specialists.
Other qualifications. Persons interested in becoming administrative services managers should have good leadership and communication skills and be able to establish effective working relationships with many different people, ranging from managers, supervisors, and professionals, to clerks and blue-collar workers. They should be analytical, detail-oriented, flexible, and decisive. They must be able to coordinate several activities at once, quickly analyze and resolve specific problems, and cope with deadlines.
Certification and advancement. Most administrative services managers in small organizations advance by moving to other management positions or to larger organizations. The Association of Professional Office Managers offers online training geared towards small businesses that indicate a level of professionalism and commitment to office management.
Advancement is easier in large firms that employ several levels and types of administrative services managers. A master's degree in business administration or a related field can enhance a manager’s opportunities to advance to higher-level positions, such as director of administrative services. Some experienced managers may join or establish a management consulting firm to provide administrative management services to other companies on a contract basis.
Advancement of facility managers is based on the practices and size of individual companies. Some facility managers transfer among departments within an organization or work their way up from technical positions. Others advance through a progression of facility management positions that offer additional responsibilities. Completion of the competency-based professional certification program offered by the International Facility Management Association can give prospective candidates an advantage. In order to qualify for the Certified Facility Manager (CFM) designation, applicants must meet certain educational and experience requirements. People entering the profession also may obtain the Facility Management Professional (FMP) credential, a stepping stone to the CFM.
Administrative services managers held about 259,400 jobs in 2008. They are found in all industries, but several industries have a greater share of these managers than others. They are the education services industry with 15 percent, the healthcare industry with 12 percent, State and local government with 12 percent, and finance and insurance with 9 percent.
The number of jobs is projected to grow about as fast as average. Applicants for the limited number of higher-level management jobs will face keen competition; less severe competition is expected for lower-level management jobs. Demand should be strong for facility managers.
Employment change. Employment of administrative services managers is projected to grow by 12 percent over the 2008-18 decade, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Continued downsizing by companies and increasing use of office technology may result in a more streamlined organizational structure with fewer levels of management, reducing the need for some positions. Demand should be strong for facility managers because businesses increasingly realize the importance of maintaining, securing, and efficiently operating their facilities. Cost-cutting measures to improve profitability, streamline operations, and compete globally will continue to be addressed by many organizations, resulting in more firms outsourcing facility management services or hiring qualified facility managers who are capable of achieving these goals in-house.
Administrative services managers employed in management services and management consulting should grow as companies increasingly look to outside specialists to handle a myriad of administrative tasks that have become increasingly complex and expensive. Administrative services managers specializing in contract administration will also be in demand as outsourcing of administrative tasks becomes increasingly prevalent for activities such as food and janitorial services, space planning and design, energy, telecommunications, and grounds and equipment maintenance and repair. Other areas that administrative services managers will increasingly plan and coordinate include information technology, data and personal security, records management, wellness, and energy conservation.
Job prospects. Applicants will face keen competition for the limited number of higher-level administrative services management jobs; competition should be less severe for lower-level management jobs. Job prospects will also be better for those who can manage a wide range of responsibilities, than for those who specialize in particular functions. In addition to the new administrative services management jobs due to growth in the occupation, many job openings will stem from the need to replace workers who transfer to other jobs, retire, or leave the occupation for other reasons.
Job opportunities may vary from year to year because the strength of the economy affects demand for administrative services managers. Industries least likely to be affected by economic fluctuations tend to be the most stable places for employment.
Wages of administrative services managers vary greatly depending on the employer, the specialty, and the geographic area. In general, however, median annual wages of salaried administrative services managers in May 2008 were $73,520. The middle 50 percent earned between $52,240 and $98,980. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $37,430, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $129,770. Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of these managers were:
Management of companies and enterprises
$85,980
General medical and surgical hospitals
77,870
Local government
74,860
Colleges, universities, and professional schools
72,460
State government
65,690
In the Federal Government, industrial specialists averaged $82,169 a year in March 2009. Corresponding averages were $78,995 for facility operations services managers, $79,457 for industrial property managers, $70,386 for property disposal specialists, $78,562 for administrative officers, and $71,049 for support services administrators.
Administrative services managers direct and coordinate support services and oversee the purchase, use, and disposal of personal property. Occupations with similar functions include:
For information about careers and education and degree programs in facility management, as well as the Certified Facility Manager designation, contact:
International Facility Management Association, 1 East Greenway Plaza, Suite 1100, Houston, TX 77046-0194. Internet: http://www.ifma.org
For information on training and classes for professional office management personnel, contact:
Association of Professional Office Managers, P. O. Box 1926, Rockville, MD 20849. Internet: http://www.apomonline.org
Suggested citation:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition,
Administrative Services Managers, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos002.htm
(visited February 10, 2010).
