Administrative Services Managers

Summary

What Administrative Services Managers Do About this section

Administrative services managers plan, coordinate, and direct a broad range of services that allow organizations to operate efficiently.

Administrative services managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities that help an organization run efficiently. The specific responsibilities vary, but these managers typically maintain facilities and supervise activities that include recordkeeping, mail distribution, and office upkeep. In a small organization, they may direct all support services and may be called the business office manager. Large organizations may have several layers of administrative managers who specialize in different areas.

Duties

Administrative services managers typically do the following:

• Supervise clerical and administrative staff
• Set goals and deadlines for their department
• Develop, manage, and monitor records
• Recommend changes to policies or procedures in order to improve operations, such as reassessing supplies or recordkeeping
• Monitor facilities to make sure that they remain safe, secure, and well maintained
• Oversee the maintenance and repair of machinery, equipment, and electrical and mechanical systems
• Make sure that facilities meet environmental, health, and security standards and comply with regulations

Administrative services managers plan, coordinate, and direct a broad range of activities that allow organizations to run efficiently. An organization may have several managers who oversee services for multiple departments, such as mail, printing and copying, recordkeeping, security, building maintenance, and recycling.

Specific tasks and responsibilities may vary. For example, an administrative services manager might be responsible for making sure that the organization has the supplies and services it needs. An administrative services manager who coordinates space allocation might consider employee morale and available funds when determining how to arrange a physical space.

Administrative services managers may examine energy consumption patterns, technology use, and office equipment. They also may plan for maintenance and replacement of equipment, such as computers.

The following are examples of types of administrative services managers:

Facilities managers oversee buildings, grounds, equipment, and supplies. Their responsibilities cover several categories, including operations, maintenance, and planning and managing projects.

Facilities managers may oversee renovation projects to improve efficiency or to meet regulations and environmental, health, and security standards. For example, they may recommend energy-saving alternatives or efficiencies that reduce waste. In addition, they continually monitor facilities to ensure that the premises are safe, secure, and well maintained. Facilities managers also direct staff, including grounds maintenance workers, janitors and building cleaners, and general maintenance and repair workers.

Records and information managers develop, monitor, and manage an organization’s records. They provide information to chief executives and ensure that employees follow records and information management guidelines. They may direct the operations of onsite or offsite records facilities. These managers also work closely with an organization’s attorneys and its technology and business operations staff. Records and information managers do not handle medical records, which are administered by medical and health services managers.

Work Environment About this section

Administrative services managers spend much of their day in an office.

Administrative services managers held about 325,900 jobs in 2019. The largest employers of administrative services managers were as follows:

Administrative services managers spend much of their day in an office. They may observe workers throughout the building, go outdoors to supervise groundskeeping activities, or visit other facilities they direct.

Work Schedules

Most administrative services managers work full time. Some work more than 40 hours per week. Facilities managers often are on call to address problems that arise at all hours.

How to Become an Administrative Services Manager About this section

In managing workers and coordinating administrative duties, administrative services managers must show leadership ability.

Although educational requirements for administrative services managers vary by organization and the work they do, they usually must have a bachelor’s degree and related work experience.

Education

Administrative services managers typically need a bachelor’s degree, usually in business or a related field. However, some people enter the occupation with a high school diploma.

Work Experience

Administrative services managers must have related work experience that reflects managerial and leadership abilities. Facilities managers should have experience in business operations, project management, and building maintenance, such as from jobs as a general maintenance and repair worker or a cost estimator. Records and information managers should have administrative or business operations experience involving recordkeeping. Records and information managers in the legal field often must have experience as a paralegal or legal assistant.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Although it is not required, professional certification may give candidates an advantage when applying for jobs.

Several professional associations for administrative services managers offer certifications. Some associations, including the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), offer certification that specializes in facility management. Others offering certification include the Institute of Certified Records Managers (ICRM), for records and information managers, and the ARMA International for those specializing in information governance.

Important Qualities

Analytical skills. Administrative services managers must be able to review an organization’s procedures for ways to improve efficiency.

Communication skills. Administrative services managers often work with others. They must be able to convey ideas clearly, both orally and in writing.

Detail oriented. Administrative services managers must pay attention to details across a range of tasks, such as ensuring that the organization complies with building codes and managing the process of buying equipment.

Leadership skills. In directing workers and coordinating organizational duties, administrative services managers must be able to motivate employees and handle problems that arise.

Pay About this section

The median annual wage for administrative services managers was $96,940 in May 2019. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $55,210, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $166,330.

In May 2019, the median annual wages for administrative services managers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Most administrative services managers work full time. Some work more than 40 hours per week. Facilities managers often are on call to address problems that arise at all hours.

Job Outlook About this section

Employment of administrative services managers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations. Administrative tasks, including facilities management and records and information management, will remain important in a range of industries.

A continuing focus on the environmental impact and energy efficiency of buildings will keep facilities managers in demand. Improving energy efficiency can reduce costs and often is required by regulation. For example, building codes typically ensure that buildings meet environmental standards. Facilities managers will be needed to oversee these improvements in a wide range of areas, from heating and air-conditioning systems to roofing. In addition, facilities managers will be needed to plan for natural disasters, ensuring that any damage to a building will be minimal and that the organization can get back to work quickly.

“Smart building” technology is expected to affect the work of facilities managers over the next decade. This technology will provide facilities managers with timely and detailed information, such as equipment failure alerts and reminders to do maintenance. This information should allow facilities managers to complete their work more efficiently.

Employment of records and information managers also is expected to grow. Demand is expected to be particularly strong for those working in “information governance,” which includes the privacy and legal aspects of records management. As cloud computing and mobile devices become more prevalent, records and information managers will have a critical role in helping organizations develop new records and information management practices and in maintaining data security.

Job Prospects

About 26,300 openings for administrative services managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.

Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

State & Area Data About this section

Occupational Employment Statistics (OES)

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

• Administrative services and facilities managers

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Contacts for More Information About this section

For more information about facilities management and related certifications, visit

International Facility Management Association

For more information about records and information management and related certifications, visit

ARMA International

Institute of Certified Records Managers

O*NET

Administrative Services Managers