Chief Administrator Responsibilities

© 2013 by Aurelio Locsin.

If you have a knack for organization and like to work in comfortable digs, then a career as a chief administrator may be for you. This business professional makes sure everything in the office runs smoothly, so that the technical staff can focus on their jobs and the company makes money. Roles and responsibilities vary by job type.

As a chief administrator, you support technical, sales and management staff in an organization by managing information and maintaining facilities. You order and distribute supplies, develop policies and procedures that improve operations, and plan budgets for equipment and supplies. You also negotiate supply and service contracts with vendors. In large organizations, you may hire and management subordinate administrative staff, such as clerks and secretaries, and determine their hours and tasks. You must also ensure that buildings and their surroundings remain clean and that equipment functions efficiently and safely.

When working in health-care organizations, such as hospitals or clinics, you may be called a medical services manager or health-care executive. Your expertise differs from normal administrators because it covers medical terminology, health-care procedures and insurance billings. The technical people you deal with are doctors, nurses and other health-care staff. You must develop procedures to ensure the confidentiality of patient information by allowing access only to authorized personnel. You must also keep up to date on new health-care regulations and technology, and communicate relevant changes to facility staff

In education, you’re more likely to assume the job title of principal in elementary and high school, or dean or provost in colleges. Your responsibilities extend to three primary groups: teachers and educational staff, students and parents of students. You supervise teaching as well as administrative staff, observe and evaluate their performance, and review the progress of students and discipline them as needed. Material and financial resources for your facility can depend on your ability to negotiate funds with government officials, community members or school alumni.

Although actual requirements for chief administrator may vary by industry and employer, you generally need at least a bachelor’s degree to enter their profession. The higher you are in the organization, the more likely you are to have a master’s degree as well. A technical degree related to your industry, such as in education or computers, may also be helpful. You do not normally receive the top position when you enter a company. Instead, you start at a subordinate or junior level, such as assistant or secretary. Through increasingly responsible positions, obtained through promotions, you gradually develop the skill to become the chief.