What does a senior office administrator do?
Senior office administrators are professionals who coordinate office activities and operations with junior-level office administrators of an organization. These administrators are required to supervise administrative staff and divide their responsibilities to ensure quality performance from them. They must manage appointments and travel arrangements for the upper management as well as manage their phone calls and correspondence. Senior office administrators must also assist colleagues in preparing presentations or proposals while supporting the organization's budgeting and bookkeeping procedures.
Senior office administrator responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real senior office administrator resumes:
- Manage a wide and vary range of planning, organizing, and directing the operations of this large CPA firm.
- Submit authorization requests to several insurance companies for patients' MRI, medication authorization, physical therapy and other patient procedures.
- Document entire A/R position responsibilities, processes and procedures.
Senior office administrator skills and personality traits
We calculated that 10% of Senior Office Administrators are proficient in Data Entry, Human Resources, and SR. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Detail oriented, and Organizational skills.
We break down the percentage of Senior Office Administrators that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Data Entry, 10%
Developed an effective quarterly reviews system and implemented the program with assistance of data entry, information gathering and data manipulation.
- Human Resources, 9%
Processed expense reports and made travel arrangements for the Regional Human Resources Manager and Regional Safety Manager.
- SR, 9%
Support Program Managers: backup travel point of contact for the Sr. Travel.
- Office Procedures, 7%
Developed, monitored and implemented internal office procedures.
- Travel Arrangements, 6%
Maintained all appointments, coordinated travel arrangements, created itineraries and business agendas.
- Payroll, 6%
Tracked attendance and processed biweekly payroll.
Most senior office administrators use their skills in "data entry," "human resources," and "sr" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential senior office administrator responsibilities here:
Organizational skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of senior office administrators is organizational skills. This skill is critical to many everyday senior office administrator duties, as "secretaries and administrative assistants keep files, folders, and schedules in order so that an office runs efficiently." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "establish and maintain day-to-day office functions, including organizational filing systems, quarterly reports and grading student exams. "
Interpersonal skills. For certain senior office administrator responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "interpersonal skills." The day-to-day duties of a senior office administrator rely on this skill, as "secretaries and administrative assistants interact with clients, customers, or staff." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what senior office administrators do: "commended for interpersonal skills, problem solving, and exceptional customer service. "
Writing skills. Another crucial skill for a senior office administrator to carry out their responsibilities is "writing skills." A big part of what senior office administrators relies on this skill, since "secretaries and administrative assistants write memos and emails when communicating with managers, employees, and customers." How this skill relates to senior office administrator duties can be seen in an example from a senior office administrator resume snippet: "handled the bank reconciliation, check writing, bank deposits, collections, and auditing accounting schedules. "
The three companies that hire the most senior office administrators are:
- FedEx9 senior office administrators jobs
- Wsp USA Buildings Inc.7 senior office administrators jobs
- Raytheon Technologies2 senior office administrators jobs
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Compare different senior office administrators
Senior office administrator vs. Administrative office specialist
An administrative office specialist helps offices to run efficiently and smoothly by performing clerical support tasks. Their responsibilities often include preparing and processing documents, arranging meetings and appointments, monitoring the budgets and expenditures, answering calls and correspondence, handling the inventory and procurement of office supplies, and developing strategies to optimize office operations. They may also address issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and professionally. Furthermore, as an administrative office specialist, it is essential to coordinate staff, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between senior office administrators and administrative office specialist. For instance, senior office administrator responsibilities require skills such as "human resources," "sr," "financial statements," and "event planning." Whereas a administrative office specialist is skilled in "word processing," "phone calls," "hr," and "database management." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Administrative office specialists earn the highest salaries when working in the technology industry, with an average yearly salary of $36,820. On the other hand, senior office administrators are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $40,836.On average, administrative office specialists reach similar levels of education than senior office administrators. Administrative office specialists are 2.0% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 1.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Senior office administrator vs. Office lead
An office lead is responsible for performing complex administrative tasks, especially in front office operations, managing staff performance, and providing high-quality customer service by responding to visitors' inquiries and concerns and directing them to the appropriate department. These leads monitor daily business transactions, write business reports, and manage the information in the system database. They also schedule appointments, business travels, and company meetings and ensure that the plans meet the allocated budget and requirements of the management.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that senior office administrator responsibilities requires skills like "provides administrative support," "sr," "travel arrangements," and "sharepoint." But an office lead might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "patients," "cash management," "excellent interpersonal," and "customer inquiries."
On average, office leads earn a higher salary than senior office administrators. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, office leads earn the most pay in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $88,206. Whereas senior office administrators have higher pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $40,836.office leads earn similar levels of education than senior office administrators in general. They're 1.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Senior office administrator vs. Assistant office manager
An assistant office manager's role is to perform administrative and management support-related tasks. Most of the responsibilities revolve around gathering information and maintaining a database, preparing presentations and processing necessary documents, arranging schedules and appointments, and taking charge of the procurement of office supplies. Furthermore, an assistant office manager may take part in maintenance activities and decisions, devise plans to maximize space, improve the office environment, and even attend meetings on behalf of the manager.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from senior office administrator resumes include skills like "provides administrative support," "data entry," "sr," and "payroll," whereas an assistant office manager is more likely to list skills in "patients," "appointment scheduling," "accounts receivables," and "patient care. "
Assistant office managers make a very good living in the finance industry with an average annual salary of $50,341. On the other hand, senior office administrators are paid the highest salary in the technology industry, with average annual pay of $40,836.assistant office managers typically earn similar educational levels compared to senior office administrators. Specifically, they're 2.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Senior office administrator vs. Senior clerk
Senior clerks direct the fulfillment of administrative and clerical tasks for a company, which includes managing and organizing paperwork, records, mail, and other office resources. They may also perform auditing invoices, managing accounts for clients and merchants, compiling reports, and making certain the company complied with the policies. Additionally, they routinely manage sensitive data, like bank account data. Qualifications for this career include basic computer knowledge, mathematical skills, experience with customer service as well as able to design a detailed record system in an office environment.
Types of senior office administrator
Updated January 8, 2025
