What They Do: Administrative services managers plan, direct, and coordinate supportive services of an organization.
Work Environment: Most administrative services managers work full time. Some work more than 40 hours per week.
How to Become One: Although educational requirements for administrative services managers vary by the type of organization and the work they do, they usually have a bachelor's degree and must have related work experience.
Salary: The median annual wage for administrative services managers is $96,940.
Job Outlook: Employment of administrative services managers is projected to grow 6 percent over the next ten years, faster than the average for all occupations. Tasks such as managing facilities and being prepared for emergencies will remain important in a wide range of industries.
Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of administrative services managers with similar occupations.
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JOB SUMMARY Site Administrative Managers (SAM) are responsible for managing administrative processes and procedures of the contract site and TBC policies. Administrative functions include general ...
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Office Manager / Administrative Assistant Objectives: The primary objective of the Office Manager / Administrative Assistant is to perform all duties in the best interest of the firm's clients ...
Administrative services managers plan, direct, and coordinate supportive services of an organization. Their specific responsibilities vary, but administrative service 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.
Administrative services managers typically do the following:
Administrative services managers plan, coordinate, and direct a broad range of services that allow organizations to operate efficiently. An organization may have several managers who oversee activities that meet the needs of multiple departments, such as mail, printing and copying, recordkeeping, security, building maintenance, and recycling.
An administrative services manager might be responsible for making sure that the organization has the supplies and services it needs. In addition, an administrative services manager who is responsible for coordinating space allocation might take into account employee morale and available funds when determining the best way to arrange a given physical space.
Administrative services managers may examine energy consumption patterns, technology usage, and office equipment. For example, managers may recommend buying new or different equipment or supplies in order to lower energy costs or improve indoor air quality.
Administrative services managers also plan for maintenance and the future replacement of equipment, such as computers. A timely replacement of equipment can help save money for the organization, because eventually the cost of upgrading and maintaining equipment becomes higher than the cost of buying new equipment.
The following are examples of types of administrative services managers:
Facility managers oversee buildings, grounds, equipment, and supplies. Their duties fall into several categories, including overseeing operations and maintenance, planning and managing projects, and dealing with environmental factors.
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 efficiencies that reduce waste. In addition, facility managers continually monitor the facility to ensure that it remains safe, secure, and well maintained. Facility managers also are responsible for directing 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 executive management and ensure that employees throughout the organization follow information and records management guidelines. They may direct the operations of on-site or off-site records facilities. They should be familiar with the technology that is used to manage both physical and electronic records. Records and information managers also work closely with an organization's attorneys, technology, and business operations personnel. Records and information managers do not handle medical records, which are administered by medical and health services managers.
Administrative services managers hold about 325,900 jobs. The largest employers of administrative services managers are as follows:
| Healthcare and social assistance | 13% |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 12% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 10% |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 8% |
| Finance and insurance | 7% |
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.
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.
Get the education you need: Find schools for Administrative Services Managers near you!
Although educational requirements for administrative services managers vary by the type of organization and the work they do, they usually have a bachelor's degree and must have related work experience.
A bachelor's degree is typically required for someone to become an administrative services manager. However, some jobseekers may be able to enter the occupation with a high school diploma. Those with a bachelor's degree typically study business, engineering, facility management, or information management.
Administrative services managers must have related work experience reflecting managerial and leadership abilities. Facility managers should be experienced in business operations, project management, and building maintenance, for example as a general maintenance and repair worker or a cost estimator. Records and information managers should have previous administrative or clerical experience involving recordkeeping. Records and information managers in the legal field often must have previous experience as a paralegal or legal assistant.
Although it is not required, completing a certification program may give prospective job candidates an advantage.
The International Facility Management Association offers a competency-based professional certification program for administrative services managers. The program has two levels: the Facilities Management Professional (FMP) certification and the Certified Facility Manager (CFM) certification. People entering the profession can get the FMP as a steppingstone to the CFM. For the CFM, applicants must meet certain educational and experience requirements. The CFM must be renewed every 3 years by completing continuing education and professional development requirements.
For records and information managers, the Institute of Certified Records Managers offers the Certified Records Manager (CRM) certification. For those specializing in information governance, ARMA International offers the Information Governance Professional (IGP) certification.
Analytical skills. Administrative services managers must be able to review an organization's procedures and find ways to improve efficiency.
Communication skills. Much of an administrative services manager's time is spent working with other people. Therefore, communication is a key quality.
Detail oriented. Administrative services managers must pay attention to details. This quality is necessary across a range of tasks, from ensuring that the organization complies with building codes to managing the process of buying equipment.
Leadership skills. In managing workers and coordinating administrative duties, administrative services managers must be able to motivate employees and deal with issues that may arise.
The median annual wage for administrative services managers is $96,940. 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.
The median annual wages for administrative services managers in the top industries in which they work are as follows:
| Finance and insurance | $110,170 |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | $106,760 |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | $93,770 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | $92,270 |
| Healthcare and social assistance | $86,960 |
Most administrative services managers work full time. Some work more than 40 hours per week. Facility managers often are on call to address a variety of problems that can arise in a facility during nonworking hours.
Employment of administrative services managers is projected to grow 6 percent over the next ten years, 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.
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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.
| Occupational Title | Employment, 2019 | Projected Employment, 2029 | Change, 2019-29 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | |||
| Administrative services managers | 325,900 | 347,000 | 6 | 21,200 |
For more information about facility management and related certifications, visit
International Facility Management Association
For more information about records and information management and related certifications, visit
A portion of the information on this page is used by permission of the U.S. Department of Labor.