Administrative Associate Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of an administrative associate. Feel free to use our administrative associate job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as an administrative associate.
Who is an Administrative Associate?
Every business in the 21st century needs obviously, the services of an administrative associate. They play a vital role in the growth of industries and businesses, and are the backbones of so many successful industries, they can be referred to as unsung heroes. Who are these people, what do they do, and how can you be part of them?
An Administrative Associate is one who performs certain administrative tasks for industries, firms, and public, and private organizations. Administrative associates carry out various administrative tasks in industries. This role is almost similar to that of an administrative assistant position but at a higher level.
They perform tasks such as handling office budgets, keeping track of records, maintaining company policy, and also financial involvements such as issuing funds, approving expenses, keeping records of account balances, etc. They make arrangements for special projects such as the opening of new branch offices, making travel arrangements for conferences, scheduling repair and maintenance, implementing mass messages, and so on. Furthermore, they oversee what the rest are doing and are involved in the training of new office administrators.
This set of people tends to focus more on departmental duties rather than secretarial jobs and may give reports directly to higher management. They work regular periods in an office, though they may also be needed for extra duties during unusually busy periods. Any business profiting from administrative support may need to hire administrative associates, therefore an administrative associate can find work in organizations, non-profits, government, the educational sector, and other industries.
Administrative Associate Job Description
Below are the administrative associate job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write an administrative associate job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The work of an administrative associate is complex but it’s worth its complexity. They perform numerous tasks in various businesses, organizations, firms, etc and their contributions to the growth of such organizations are crystal clear to business owners. Below are the job descriptions and responsibilities of an administrative associate:
- Supervising budgets
- Organizing events
- Dealing with important data
- Managing an automated database for large customer orders while carrying out planning and controlling company stock.
- Creating PowerPoint presentations in seminars and academic environments.
- Collecting important patient demographic details, admissions, and financial aids within a clinic emergency sector.
- Assisting managers and directors in the attendance discipline procedure, by studying the company policies to formulate letters for punitive action.
- Assessing urgencies and priorities before accepting or declining meetings and engagements.
- Writing reports to the management while executing instructions.
- Cooperating with the management and staff on issues regarding administration.
- Fixing meetings, workshops, conferences, and events.
- Supervising the repair and sustenance or replacement of office furniture and accessories.
- Hiring and training novice office administrators.
Administrative associates constantly deal with financial involvement. They can sanction expenses, disburse funds to vendors, handle minor cash, collect timesheets, and keep records of account balances. Business owners and managers meet with administrative associates to discuss buyable products or items and know if it is within the company’s budget and possible ways of purchase.
They are furthermore, responsible for sustaining a central calendar. This implies that they make use of their planning initiative to the advantage of the company they represent. Planning of new branch openings is headed by an administrative associate, including travel arrangements, coordinating conference calls, etc. Whenever there is a need for constructing confidential newsletters and emails to picky clients, the job is left for the administrative associate to handle.
Qualifications
To get a job as an administrative associate, there are some qualifications you are expected to possess. These qualifications are all important, even though so many employers might not require all; but having all would give you a competitive advantage, and a greater chance of getting employed.
- An Associate or Bachelor’s degree in business administration, or similar.
- 3-5 years of experience in a similar senior administrative role.
- Advanced proficiency in word processing, spreadsheet software, PowerPoint presentations, etc.
- Experience in payroll administration would be advantageous.
- Extensive experience in managing payments, budgets, and expenditures.
- Exceptional ability to manage office operations and oversee junior staff.
- Advanced ability to plan, schedule, and execute office-related events.
- In-depth knowledge of administrative recordkeeping practices.
- Experience in handling confidential and sensitive information.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Essential Skills
Administrative associate skills are those skills associated with organizing and effectively overseeing a workplace. Administrative associates are in crucial support positions, helping to protect contact catalogs, communicate on behalf of administrators, plan meetings, and many more. They often work with, owners, executives, managers, and other colleagues to provide them with the resources required to complete their jobs. Whether you are just starting your first job search or making a change in your career, a strong understanding of administrative skills can help you excel in an assistance role. These skills may vary from one company to another, but there are basic skills necessary for an administrative associate. They include:
- Writing Skills
- Oral Skills
- Organizational Skills
- Time Management
- Attention to Detail
- Technological Skills
- Problem Solving
- Independence
Every one of these skills is as important as the other and they play a vital role in the success of your job as an administrative associate. Writing skills involve the composition of emails and writing posts on social media platforms. Having good writing skills gives worth and value to the company or industry you represent. This is because, what your existing and potential customers read from your emails and newsletters, says a lot about your company. You not only need the writing skills to be perfect, but also your verbal/oral skills which come to play when having conversations over the phone or in person, or when given the chance to speak in meetings; this involves the proper use of tenses and tone.
Any industry or company found to be disorganized runs the risk of deterioration, but an organized body progresses the more. One of the skills an administrative associate should possess is organizational skill. They oversee multiple tasks and assignments at the same time and also assist managers and executives maintain standards and keeping to the calendar. They do tasks like planning, office management, and delegation.
Being time conscious and punctual not only makes one dependable and trustworthy but also helps you build your enthusiasm. When you are given numerous tasks to deliver in a given period, and you deliver them promptly or earlier, you increase your trustworthiness and self-confidence. As an administrative associate, you should possess the skill of time management which is the ability to be punctual to project deliveries, and effectively manage time in meeting up to deadlines. Administrative associates should also be attentive to details and observant, so as to notice little errors and correct them in time.
Generally, being involved in any office work, demands that you have basic technological or computer skills and the work of an administrative associate is no different. One occupying such a position should have at least, basic knowledge of Microsoft Office, spreadsheets, presentations, etc. They may also need to email, fax, scan documents, and input customer data. Ignorance of technology will therefore give you no chance of being a successful administrative associate.
Creativity in an administrative associate helps you in solving problems. Your ability to think rapidly, even amidst pressure makes you a problem solver. And as an administrative associate, problem-solving is a skill you should imbibe. Finally, you should be able complete jobs and projects with little or no supervision. This increases your worth and credibility.
How to Become an Administrative Associate
As the economy continues to grow and thrive, there is an urgent need for industries to remain organized and boost their business. Hence, administrative associates are sought, to assist in the organizing processes of these industries. Becoming an administrative associate, therefore, is a nice career but then, you would be needing a mixture of education, training, and experience, even though at times, employers may not necessarily need an educational certificate or diploma, but certain skill sets.
On the educational level, you would need at least a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate. Some employers may prefer an associate degree, while some might need a bachelor’s degree; this would give you an edge over other applicants, as the position is becoming more competitive. However, many applicants are accepted with degrees in any field, especially, English, communication, and business administration. The majority of employers would prefer university graduates for specific positions that deal with financial involvements and government agencies. All hope is not lost though for those without a university degree, as they can undergo technical courses that provide the necessary technical skills for an administrative associate, including bookkeeping, data processing, writing, etc.
You can become an administrative associate by undergoing training that can last for a few weeks or months. This can assist you in gaining experience in the field. This training teaches specific technologies related to their roles
Certifications also play an important role in one becoming an administrative associate; this enables professionals to prove their worth to employers. Administrative associates acquire these certificates to gain theoretical knowledge of their duties and to test their level of advancement. There are two major certifications among others for this profession: Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) and, Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS).
In summary, to become a successful administrative associate, first, pursue education and obtain an educational degree, diploma or certificate. Then gain some work experience through doing voluntary work or part-time jobs. Acquire technical certifications in writing, office management, and so on; and also acquire as many related skills as possible. Now, prepare your resume, including your highest educational attainment, and any technical experience in any industry or company, alongside the name of such companies and the dates of the work period. A well-prepared resume contributes to your employment. Finally, apply to various companies and organizations.
Where to Work as an Administrative Associate
Having defined an administrative associate as one who performs certain administrative tasks for industries and firms, public and private organizations, it becomes clear that an administrative associate can work in almost all organizations, industries, businesses, and firms, in so far as there is a need for administrative work.
Public organizations can be referred to as organizations or companies owned by the government and run by government officials or delegates, and also funded by government aid through taxes; simply non-profit organizations. They include the public education sector, schools, universities, and also all government organizations both the federal and states, all run administrative tasks, and as such require the services of an administrative associate. The same applies to private sectors, which are first, organizations or sectors of a national economy that are solely owned, managed, handled, and controlled by private enterprises and individuals, and are driven by profits. Such organizations include sole proprietors, developers, plumbers, private hospitals, and so on. The presence of an administrative associate can enhance the value of such an organization.
Administrative Associate Salary Scale
The salary of an administrative associate varies based on location, educational level attained on the side of the applicant, years of experience, and some other factors. Irrespective of these determining factors, the job is good and sought-after; therefore, taking a career as an administrative associate is not a bad move.
In the United States, the average salary of an administrative associate is $41,094 to $77,566 per year. In the United Kingdom, an administrative associate earns an estimated amount of £32,500 per year with a minimum of £19,900 and £58,600, the highest, depending on the aforementioned factors. In the United Arab Emirates, an administrative associate receives an annual salary of AED 125,868. In China, such a position is paid CN¥97,668 annually (average) and CN¥141,012 (highest). In Nigeria, the average salary of an administrative associate is recorded at ₦827,423 annually and ₦1,320,000 annually for more educated and advanced applicants.
The fact remains that the salary is mouthwatering for so many, and poor to some others in some locations. However, the job in itself is a good one and can give you the skills and experience needed to go for better jobs or get the same job in a more profitable location.