Post job

What is a senior administrative specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Anne McConnell Ph.D.

Senior administrative specialists perform various tasks within an organization to ensure the daily operations go smoothly. They perform general clerical tasks and communicate with and greet clients. They answer and direct phone calls. Similarly, they retrieve, distribute, and send emails. Likewise, they handle payroll and personnel issues. Asides from that, they oversee inventory and regular maintenance of office equipment and supplies. Additionally, they may be charged with preparing reports and memos. Furthermore, they may organize events and serve as personal assistants to senior-level officers.

Applicants for this position may need an associate's or a bachelor's degree in a related field to the employment industry. You must possess communication, problem-solving, prioritization, multitasking, and organization skills. You must be proficient in Microsoft Office. Also, you must have extensive knowledge of office management systems and procedures. Senior administrative specialists are paid about $56,270 a year. This ranges between $35,000 and $90,000.

What general advice would you give to a senior administrative specialist?

Anne McConnell Ph.D.

Professor, West Virginia State University

I would say it's important to be very attentive to the way you communicate with your employers, managers, and co-workers. Even sending an e-mail can be an opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism and communication skills. Some people think that no one knows how to write anymore, or how to communicate in a professional way. I don't think that's true. But we don't always think about how our writing can be a tool to communicate our competence and seriousness. If you know how to write and communicate professionally-which college grads do-then make sure to demonstrate that in the workplace.
ScoreSenior Administrative SpecialistUS Average
Salary
3.4

Avg. Salary $43,864

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
3.6

Growth rate -8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.40%

Asian 5.00%

Black or African American 7.62%

Hispanic or Latino 11.22%

Unknown 4.80%

White 70.97%

Gender

female 80.58%

male 19.42%

Age - 51
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 - 51
Stress level
3.6

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level
5.7

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.9

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Senior administrative specialist career paths

Key steps to become a senior administrative specialist

  1. Explore senior administrative specialist education requirements

    Most common senior administrative specialist degrees

    Bachelor's

    54.8 %

    Associate

    22.7 %

    High School Diploma

    10.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific senior administrative specialist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    PowerPoint13.37%
    Logistics6.92%
    Travel Arrangements5.49%
    Office Procedures5.45%
    Data Entry5.43%
  3. Complete relevant senior administrative specialist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior administrative specialists 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 senior administrative specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior administrative specialist resumes.
  4. Research senior administrative specialist duties and responsibilities

    • Oversee the activities of a contract coordinators including managing daily operations and providing additional training and guidance as needed.
    • Perform payroll calculation and administrative tasks to include processing of deductions and additions as required.
    • Maintain knowledge of and assure adherence to HIPAA rules and regulations.
    • Assist in the transition of project data from multiple share drives to the appropriate location within SharePoint.
  5. Get senior administrative specialist experience

    Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become a senior administrative specialist. The most common roles before becoming a senior administrative specialist include administrative assistant, administrative specialist team lead and executive assistant.
  6. Prepare your senior administrative specialist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior administrative specialist 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 senior administrative specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable senior administrative specialist resume templates

    Build a professional senior administrative specialist 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 senior administrative specialist resume.
    Senior Administrative Specialist Resume
    Senior Administrative Specialist Resume
    Senior Administrative Specialist Resume
    Senior Administrative Specialist Resume
    Senior Administrative Specialist Resume
    Senior Administrative Specialist Resume
    Senior Administrative Specialist Resume
    Senior Administrative Specialist Resume
    Senior Administrative Specialist Resume
  7. Apply for senior administrative specialist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a senior administrative specialist 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 senior administrative specialist job

Zippi

Are you a senior administrative specialist?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average senior administrative specialist salary

The average senior administrative specialist salary in the United States is $43,864 per year or $21 per hour. Senior administrative specialist salaries range between $28,000 and $68,000 per year.

Average senior administrative specialist salary
$43,864 Yearly
$21.09 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do senior administrative specialists rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Senior administrative specialist reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2022
Pros

Writing a message,Organizing receipts and expenses and sending them out when needed

Cons

Failure to comply with working hours, theft and fraud,


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Pros

It my passion to help people in need. It makes me feel good to see people the Youth do well in the life

Cons

I don't like to see anyone stuck in between and not being helped.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Pros

everything except phones : Meeting,greeting, customer service, interviewing, on boarding, recruiting, presenting, etc.

Cons

phones - because of my accent


Working as a senior administrative specialist? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

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.

Browse office and administrative jobs