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Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of an administrative specialist. Feel free to use our Administrative Specialist job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as an administrative specialist.

 

Who is an Administrative Specialist?

It is not news that the job market is very competitive, and only the best-prepared professionals can compete for the best vacancies.

A very well-known profession, but not everyone knows details about its roles and responsibilities, is that of the administrative specialist. Even when a vacancy is announced, people doubt who can fill it and what their attributions are. In this article, the good news is that you will know everything – or almost everything – you need to know about this career.

Who is an Administrative Specialist? The administrative specialist is the professional responsible for carrying out the administrative demands of companies. They plan, organize, control, and advise organizations in human resources, assets, materials, information, finance, and technology, among others. Administrative specialist program and project, prepare organizational planning, promote rationalization studies and control organizational performance.

Administrative Specialist Job Description

Below are the Administrative Specialist job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write an administrative specialist job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.

The duties and responsibilities of an administrative specialist include the following:

• Conduct face-to-face service;
• Create and edit spreadsheets;
• Control incoming and outgoing materials;
• Develop agenda;
• Support the financial sector;
• Receive and send correspondence and documents;
• Control accounts payable and income;
• Issue invoices;
• Prepare financial report;
• Monitor the company’s logistics work;
• Keep files and records of information up to date;
• Advise managers and leaders with practical work routine issues;
• Collect information;
• Analyze data;
• Manage a complex agenda of professional meetings, personal appointments, and travel for several individuals;
• Answer and transfer calls, forward messages correctly, and follow up on inquiries;
• Handle incoming correspondence, including emails, memos, faxes, and mail;
• Conduct industry-specific research;
• Organize important files and prepare supporting documentation for presentations, conferences, and meetings;
• Prepare and proofread reports and other industry documents;
• Keep office inventory, including order supplies, coordinate deliveries, and manage supplier contracts;
• Welcome visitors, customers, and suppliers. Direct them, note messages, and schedule appointments;
• Sort, distribute, postage, register mail and take care of the management of electronic messages;
• Write and format documents, forward and store them;
• Organize travel for team members or the manager;
• Check the stock status, assess supply needs and define orders to be placed;
• Update structure-activity monitoring data (dashboards, results tables, etc.);
• Draft and format legal documents (contracts, minutes and judgments, etc.);
• Ensure the administrative management of files (HR, general resources, administrative files, etc.), from instruction to follow-up;
• Respond to requests from agents and monitor internal files;
• Ensure the circulation of information internally, particularly between different departments;
• Participate in meetings and take responsibility for their minutes and distribution;
• Make trips to fairs or events related to the department concerned;
• Contribute to the administrative management of staff in terms of entering and monitoring dashboards (expense reports, absences and holidays, monitoring medical visits);
• Participate in collecting and formatting the information necessary for the activity report (dashboards, reports, provisional budget, etc.);
• Update and archive professional and regulatory information;
• Provide presentations and reports;
• Participate in the organization’s planning and control of workflows;
• Monitor administrative processes;
• Support to the Human Resources department.

 

You could see that the routine of an administrative specialist requires practical knowledge in several areas, right? Depending on the company or sector he is working in, the administrative specialist may perform more or fewer tasks.

In practice, it is difficult to explain “what an administrative specialist does” because they do not have a defined routine; they meet demands according to need.

In addition to experience, you must demonstrate that you are aware of the fundamentals of each role and why they are important for the functioning of the company where you work.

As there are numerous activities, the administrative specialist must keep in mind that they will need a lot of dynamism to work in the area and be successful and still know how to link all of them to offer a complete service.

Administrative Specialist Qualifications

Like any position, an administrative specialist requires certain professional qualifications from those who wish to work in it. Skills, specific knowledge, and know-how are essential to not stagnate at just one level – after all, this profession offers the opportunity for growth.

• Graduate of the Administrative Specialist Certificate Program;
• Excellent written and oral communication;
• Previous experience in financial and trend analysis;
• Education or degree in finance, business, or related fields;
• Highly developed analytical skills;
• Mastery of basic math;
• A good foundation in secretarial, accounting, and personnel management;
• Knowledge of computer tools such as Word, Excel, or even accounting software is all assets in the exercise of this profession;
• A great versatility daily in carrying out his tasks;
• Use collaborative tools (shared planning, web conference, corporate social network, etc.);
• Knowledge of business operations practices;
• A good sense of listening, diplomacy, and a sense of responsibility to adapt to all situations;
• Adept at research practices;
• Good management of the secretariat and planning of agendas;
• Competence in the archiving and classification of administrative files.

Essential Skills

Anyone who wants to work as an administrative specialist needs to develop some skills for a good professional performance, such as:

• Ability to concentrate– throughout the day, the administrative specialist receives several tasks, and he needs to be able to concentrate on one at a time, always evaluating which is the priority;
• Organization and discipline– the administrative specialist deals daily with files and agendas; therefore, without organization and discipline, he may lose some important document or appointment;
• Dynamism– the professional needs to be proactive and anticipate the needs of the company and their superiors;
• Communication– the administrative specialist will contact customers, suppliers, employees, and leaders. Therefore, to perform his function well, he needs to communicate clearly and objectively;
• Time management– ​​to be able to perform all tasks productively, the assistant needs to know how to manage their own time;
• Good relational sense;
• Analytical mind;
• Good command of oral and written expression;
• Discretion and respect for hierarchy;
• Initiative and leadership qualities;
• Decision-making ability, creativity, and positive thinking;
• Multitasking skills, ethical standards, eye for detail, and people skills;
• Know how to work under pressure;
• Flexibility regarding task changes;
• Patience in dealing with people of different personalities.

How to Become an Administrative Specialist

To stand out from the rest of the administrative specialists, you must have certain talents and attributes which will give you advantages over your peers.

Below are some key features to becoming an excellent administrative specialist:

1. Be an excellent communicator

A successful administrative specialist will have excellent written and verbal communication skills. Often the administrative specialist is responsible for talking to customers, business partners, and suppliers.

A good administrative specialist can become the face and voice of the organization, so you should know how to use proper grammar and punctuation, speak clearly and put people at ease with your professionalism and efficiency.

Communicative ability is a crucial skill to being an excellent administrative specialist, and being a great communicator should be one of your main focuses.

Be in communication with your boss, suppliers, or customers, be objective and friendly and smile even when you are not being seen because non-verbal communication makes all the difference in the perception of the message.

2. Organization is elementary

The ability to organize is one of the most important attributes. The work of the administrative specialist will influence not only your day-to-day but also that of your bosses and the various departments of the organization.

Wasting time looking for documents, or important information, that has already been made available before is to be avoided. The administrative specialist must develop effective and efficient work methods and processes to keep documents and tasks organized.

How to do it? Working in this profession implies being demanding and methodical. Keep schedules of tasks and projects running and have documented well-identified and organized to help others consult.

 

3. Effective time management

Achieving good time management is fundamental. In the case of an administrative specialist, this need becomes essential, as his work influences the entire organization. This professional is responsible for several projects and tasks that affect the entire organization and must be able to organize their time efficiently to accomplish everything that is proposed.

4. Anticipate solutions before there are problems

The best administrative specialists can anticipate the needs of other colleagues in the office, especially their bosses before they are asked to do so. You must take the initiative, pushing projects forward without hesitation. Predicting makes the administrative specialist a more independent and fundamental part of the organization’s functioning.

5. Adaptability

An administrative specialist is responsible for carrying out all kinds of tasks throughout the day; the ability to adapt and improvise solutions is essential to overcome problems that appear throughout the day.

6. Specialization in everyday tools

It is important to master your usual tools, be it the basic tools of Microsoft Office or something more complicated; you must train your computer and typing skills. Several online training courses allow you to deepen your knowledge of the various software you have to use throughout your day.

7. Know how to work in a team

As an administrative specialist, you will be responsible for connecting the various areas of the company, so knowing how to work in a team will be very important to be in contact with your colleagues.

Try to help those in need, don’t run away from those more complicated tasks that the rest of the office avoids, and don’t utter the words “this is not my job.”

 

8. Office equipment maintenance

It is important for the functioning of an organization that the equipment is always functional. The administrative specialist must keep the office operational; for this, he must ensure the maintenance and repair of equipment and the control of the entire bureau.

9. Be professional, trustworthy, and demonstrate good judgment

Maintaining a good relationship with co-workers; a good working environment increases productivity and the desire to work. However, don’t forget that you are in the middle of work; always maintain a professional attitude, avoid personal conversations and talk about your department’s matters with other departments.

Keep the same calm and professional air, even under pressure and endless work, and always show yourself with confidence and trust. Whether you are dealing with the organization’s private matters or mediating problems between employees, do not share information with anyone who is not involved in the matter.

You should always make decisions based on your organization and develop good critical skills and quick thinking. You should be able to anticipate problems before they happen. Find out what’s going on in your organization’s area. Try to be aware of changes and news that may influence your company, which can be seen as opportunities for organizational growth.

Where to work as an Administrative Specialist

The good news for those who want to jump into this area of ​​activity is that the job market for administrative specialists is favourable in all sectors of the economy. These professionals are essential to any type of business, from retail stores to schools, hospitals, and large industries.

All sectors of the economy can welcome the professional administrative specialist because, as we mentioned, all companies need this type of service.

In this way, anyone who wants to work in this profession finds space in all sectors such as stores, hospitals, schools, accounting offices, law firms, industries, offices, NGOs, and companies.

Administrative Specialist Salary Scale

Administrative specialists’ salaries vary depending on their level of education, years of experience, and the type of company or organization they work for. They may also earn additional compensation in the form of bonuses.

The average initial amount paid for this role is $29,000, depending on the company’s size. It may seem low, but this is a significant step forward for someone who is just starting in the job market and wants to gain experience to reach higher positions. However, you can earn up to $52,000 after a few years of practice. The top Administrative specialists can earn as much as $79,000 per annum.

Conclusion

It is no coincidence that careers in administration are always on the rise. The administrative specialist is an indispensable professional and has great job opportunities in different sectors. To do well in the market and earn the best salaries, it is important to invest in qualifications—the more qualified the professional, the greater their chances of success.

So, what do you think of the career of an administrative specialist? Are you ready for it?

Administration and Management

Tags: Administrative Specialist, Administrative Specialist Job Description, Administrative Specialist Qualifications, Administrative Specialist Salary, Administrative Specialist Skills, How to Become an Administrative Specialist, Job Description, Who is an Administrative Specialist