Administrative Services Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate one or more administrative services of an organization, such as records and information management, mail distribution, and other office support services.

On the job, you would:

Prepare and review operational reports and schedules to ensure accuracy and efficiency.
Set goals and deadlines for the department.
Acquire, distribute and store supplies.

Important Qualities

Analytical skills. Administrative services and facilities managers must be able to review an organization’s procedures for ways to improve efficiency.

Communication skills. Administrative services and facilities managers often work with others. They must be able to convey ideas clearly, both orally and in writing.

Detail oriented. Administrative services and facilities managers must pay attention to details across a range of tasks, such as ensuring that the organization complies with building codes and managing the process of buying equipment.

Leadership skills. In directing workers and coordinating organizational duties, administrative services and facilities managers must be able to motivate employees and handle problems that arise.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		93%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		92%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		88%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		86%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		84%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		83%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		81%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		80%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		78%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		76%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		76%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		75%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		74%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		74%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		71%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
		66%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		100%	Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
		72%	Conventional - Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		89%	Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
		78%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
		61%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
		61%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
		61%	Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		75%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		75%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
		75%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		72%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
		66%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
		66%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		66%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		66%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		63%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		63%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
		53%	Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
		53%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		53%	Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
		53%	Time Sharing - The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
		53%	Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		57%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
		57%	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
		57%	Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
		55%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
		55%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
		54%	Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
		54%	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
		54%	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
		52%	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
		52%	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Direct administrative or support services.

Develop organizational goals or objectives.

Prepare operational progress or status reports.

Communicate technical information to suppliers, contractors, or regulatory agencies.

Establish standards for products, processes, or procedures.

Develop organizational policies or programs.

Prepare employee work schedules.

Maintain current knowledge related to work activities.

Select resources needed to accomplish tasks.

Maintain records, documents, or other files.

Confer with managers to make operational decisions.

Manage human resources activities.

Read documents to gather technical information.

Evaluate information related to legal matters in public or personal records.

Respond to customer problems or complaints.

Supervise clerical or administrative personnel.

Analyze data to inform operational decisions or activities.

Recommend organizational process or policy changes.

Manage inventories of products or organizational resources.

Purchase materials, equipment, or other resources.

Prepare operational budgets.

Hire personnel.

Conduct employee training programs.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		99%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
		98%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		95%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		89%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		88%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		82%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		79%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		78%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		78%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		76%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
		76%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		76%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
		73%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		73%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		71%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		68%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		67%	Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting?
		64%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?
		59%	Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?
		55%	Frequency of Conflict Situations - How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
		52%	Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People - How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
		62%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		91%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		86%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		85%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		81%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		80%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
		79%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		79%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		76%	Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
		74%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		74%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
		73%	Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
		72%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		72%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		71%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
		70%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		69%	Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
		69%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		68%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
		68%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		66%	Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
		65%	Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
		63%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		62%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		61%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		59%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
		57%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		56%	Staffing Organizational Units - Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
		56%	Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
		56%	Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
		54%	Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
		54%	Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
		53%	Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
		52%	Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
		52%	Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

What Administrative Services and Facilities Managers Do

Administrative services managers plan, coordinate, and direct a broad range of services that allow organizations to operate efficiently.

Administrative services and facilities managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities that help an organization run efficiently.

Duties

Administrative services and facilities managers typically do the following:

Supervise staff
Set goals and deadlines for their department or facility
Recommend changes to policies or procedures in order to improve operations, such as reassessing supplies or recordkeeping
Monitor facilities to make sure that they remain safe, secure, and well maintained
Oversee the maintenance and repair of machinery, equipment, and electrical and mechanical systems
Make sure that facilities meet environmental, health, and security standards and comply with regulations

Administrative services managers oversee one or more office support services for an organization. In a large organization, these workers may specialize in an area such as recordkeeping or mail distribution. In a small organization, they may direct all support services and may be called the business office manager.

Specific tasks for administrative services managers may vary. For example, these workers might be responsible for ensuring that an organization has the supplies and services it needs. Other tasks might include examining energy consumption patterns, technology use, and office equipment and planning for future upgrades.

Records and information managers develop, monitor, and manage an organization’s records. They provide information to chief executives and ensure that employees follow records and information management guidelines. They may direct the operations of onsite or offsite records facilities. These managers also work closely with an organization’s attorneys and its technology and business operations staff. Records and information managers do not handle medical records, which are administered by medical and health services managers.

Facilities managers oversee buildings, grounds, equipment, and supplies. Their responsibilities cover several categories, including operations, maintenance, and planning and managing projects. For example, facilities managers may oversee renovation projects to improve efficiency or to meet regulations and environmental, health, and security standards. In addition, they continually monitor facilities to ensure that the premises are safe, secure, and well maintained.

Facilities managers also direct staff, including grounds maintenance workers, janitors and building cleaners, and general maintenance and repair workers.

Work Environment

Administrative services managers held about 250,800 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of administrative services managers were as follows:

Professional, scientific, and technical services	14%
Healthcare and social assistance	12
Educational services; state, local, and private	12
Finance and insurance	9
Local government, excluding education and hospitals	8

Facilities managers held about 127,000 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of facilities managers were as follows:

Educational services; state, local, and private	13%
Manufacturing	11
Healthcare and social assistance	10
Local government, excluding education and hospitals	7
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services	7

Administrative services and facilities managers spend much of their day in an office. They may observe workers throughout the building, go outdoors to supervise groundskeeping activities, or visit other facilities they direct.

Work Schedules

Most administrative services and facilities managers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Facilities managers often are on call to address problems that arise at all hours.

Getting Started

Education:

34%

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

24%

Bachelor's Degree

How to Become an Administrative Services or Facilities Manager

In managing workers and coordinating administrative duties, administrative services managers must show leadership ability.

Educational requirements for administrative services and facilities managers vary by organization and the work they do. But these workers typically need a bachelor’s degree and related work experience.

Education

Administrative services and facilities managers typically need a bachelor’s degree, often in business or a related field. However, some people enter the occupation with a high school diploma.

Work Experience

Administrative services and facilities managers must have related work experience that reflects managerial and leadership abilities. Facilities managers should have experience in business operations, project management, and building maintenance, such as from having worked as a general maintenance and repair worker or a cost estimator. Records and information managers should have administrative or business operations experience involving recordkeeping. Records and information managers in the legal field often must have experience as a paralegal or legal assistant.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Although it is not required, professional certification may give candidates an advantage when applying for jobs.

Several professional associations for administrative services and facilities managers offer certifications. Some associations, including the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), offer certification that specializes in facility management. Others offering certification include the Institute of Certified Records Managers (ICRM), for records and information managers, and the ARMA International for those specializing in information governance.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of administrative services and facilities managers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 31,400 openings for administrative services and facilities managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

A continuing focus on the environmental impact and energy efficiency of buildings will keep facilities managers in demand. Improving energy efficiency can reduce costs and often is required by regulation. For example, building codes typically ensure that buildings meet environmental standards. Facilities managers will be needed to oversee these improvements in a wide range of areas, from heating and air-conditioning systems to roofing. In addition, facilities managers will be needed to plan for natural disasters, ensuring that any damage to a building will be minimal and that the organization can get back to work quickly.

Demand for administrative services managers is expected to be particularly strong for those working in records and information management. As cloud computing continues to expand, these workers will have a critical role in helping organizations develop new records and information management practices and in maintaining data security.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about facilities management and related certifications, visit

International Facility Management Association

For more information about records and information management and related certifications, visit

ARMA International

Institute of Certified Records Managers

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of administrative services and facilities managers.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Compensation and Benefits Managers	Compensation and benefits managers plan, develop, and oversee programs to pay employees.	Bachelor's degree	$131,280
Cost Estimators	Cost estimators collect and analyze data in order to assess the time, money, materials, and labor required to make a product or provide a service.	Bachelor's degree	$71,200
Human Resources Managers	Human resources managers plan, coordinate, and direct the administrative functions of an organization.	Bachelor's degree	$130,000
Management Analysts	Management analysts recommend ways to improve an organization’s efficiency.	Bachelor's degree	$95,290
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners	Meeting, convention, and event planners arrange all aspects of events and professional gatherings.	Bachelor's degree	$52,560
Postsecondary Education Administrators	Postsecondary education administrators oversee student services, academics, and faculty research at colleges and universities.	Master's degree	$99,940
Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers	Property, real estate, and community association managers oversee many aspects of residential, commercial, or industrial properties.	High school diploma or equivalent	$60,670
Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents	Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations. Purchasing managers oversee the work of buyers and purchasing agents.	Bachelor's degree	$75,120
Top Executives	Top executives plan strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals.	Bachelor's degree	$100,090

Administrative Services Managers

Administrative Services or Facilities Manager

What they do: