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What is a department coordinator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Sonja Armbruster
introduction image

As a department coordinator, you are the lead facilitator for department planning and decision-making. You are in charge of the day-to-day operation of a department, and you need to consult daily with the head of the department. To be a good Department Coordinator, you have to be involved and seek challenges to better yourself and your department. You should also be able to explain yourself. You will need a high school diploma or GED or an associate degree in business administration, office supervision, communication, or computer science. As a Department Coordinator, you will make an average salary of $30,000 to $41,000.

What's a day at work look like for a department coordinator?

Sonja ArmbrusterSonja Armbruster LinkedIn profile

Health Sciences Educator, Wichita State University

The pandemic has re-defined what it even means to have a "day at work". I'm writing this response from my home office. Work in public health jobs can involve so many kinds of roles and responsibilities. The only thing I can guarantee is that the successful person seeking a career in public will be constantly curious and constantly learning. There are many public health jobs that are clearly defined with a set of protocols and software and office time that is scripted. Many more public health jobs require learning something new about community members, community partners, the system (including the department/organization one works for), the latest science and political realities that enable and constrain public health work. A day at work will involve continuously learning and seeking to understand new connections.
ScoreDepartment CoordinatorUS Average
Salary
3.5

Avg. Salary $44,673

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.0

Growth rate -8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.2
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.64%

Asian 5.31%

Black or African American 9.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.32%

Unknown 4.74%

White 61.00%

Gender

female 69.67%

male 30.33%

Age - 48
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48
Stress level
8.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.2

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Department coordinator career paths

Key steps to become a department coordinator

  1. Explore department coordinator education requirements

    Most common department coordinator degrees

    Bachelor's

    56.8 %

    Associate

    17.9 %

    Master's

    11.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific department coordinator skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service19.89%
    Patients19.55%
    Patient Care7.93%
    Data Entry6.21%
    Payroll4.88%
  3. Complete relevant department coordinator training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New department coordinators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a department coordinator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real department coordinator resumes.
  4. Research department coordinator duties and responsibilities

    • Manage RFP process; act as key liaison for corporate clients and corporate sales director.
    • Manage hotel database, Delphi, including assigning ballroom for events, issuing contracts and arranging menus.
    • Manage end-to-end request for proposal (RFP) process; from client presentation creation to demonstration via on-site or WebEx.
    • Implement financial monitoring systems and monitor cash management including controlling production expenditures, and managing payroll and petty cash.
  5. Prepare your department coordinator resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your department coordinator resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a department coordinator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable department coordinator resume templates

    Build a professional department coordinator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your department coordinator resume.
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    Department Coordinator Resume
    Department Coordinator Resume
    Department Coordinator Resume
  6. Apply for department coordinator jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a department coordinator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first department coordinator job

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Average department coordinator salary

The average department coordinator salary in the United States is $44,673 per year or $21 per hour. Department coordinator salaries range between $32,000 and $61,000 per year.

Average department coordinator salary
$44,673 Yearly
$21.48 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do department coordinators rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

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1 star

Department coordinator reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2022
Pros

The company I work for is it very small company but very generous to its employees. Has great benefits that start out right away wonderful training programs. And does a great service for our community.

Cons

I I wish the wages were a little higher.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Cons

So, basically I do not if my work is organized or systematic. I would redo my work in that case. I always like it in a systematic way. I also do not like if someone is planning according to the schedule. I always have my work schedule and work according to that.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

Able to do creative graphs showing financial activity, controlling budgets, and autonomy. I enjoy working by myself but i do miss talking with people

Cons

Not much interaction with others. You must like working independently for most of your shift


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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