What Is an Administrative Services Manager?

Corporations and other types of organizations rely on the invaluable work of administrative services managers for the smooth functioning of their daily operations. What is an administrative services manager and what do these professionals do on a day-to-day basis? Explore this career guide to find out and determine if this career path could be the right fit for you.

What Does an Administrative Services Manager Do?

An administrative services manager job description is the professional responsible for ensuring that the daily operations of the organization proceed smoothly and efficiently. They plan, develop, implement and oversee many of the organization’s activities. These professionals may establish company policies, supervise the office staff and handle much of the paperwork.

At some organizations, the administrative services manager is also tasked with identifying and implementing methods of improving operational efficiency and the company’s bottom line. For example, an administrative services manager might monitor the production waste at a manufacturing plant and look for ways of reducing and/or reusing that waste. Other companies may ask the administrative services manager to implement energy-saving measures or streamline the new employee onboarding process.

A Look at a Typical Administrative Services Manager Job Description

The specific tasks of an administrative services manager will largely depend on the organization they work for. An administrative professional at a hospital will have a different daily agenda than one at a solar panel manufacturing plant, for example. In general, these professionals may do any of the following tasks:

• Supplies and equipment: An administrative professional may be responsible for purchasing, allocating and distributing necessary supplies and equipment throughout various departments of the company.
• Mail: Although email is certainly relied upon more than postal mail these days, organizations can still receive a great deal of mail — particularly large organizations. It’s often the responsibility of the administrative services manager to ensure that the mail is distributed to the proper department and person.
• Payroll: While many companies rely on the human resources department to handle payroll, smaller organizations may turn to the administrative services manager to supervise timesheet accuracy and payroll payments.
• Budget: At smaller organizations, an administrative services manager may be responsible for developing the company-wide budget. They might also be tasked with creating individual budgets for each department.
• Recordkeeping: Paperwork is the administrative services manager’s forte. It’s their responsibility to ensure that all business records are stored and organized properly, and that they are either easily accessible or carefully secured, depending on the document’s confidentiality requirements.
• Compliance: Different types of organizations are subject to varying governmental regulations. For example, transportation companies with safety-sensitive positions are subject to oversight from the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The administrative services manager must ensure the company remains in strict compliance.

The corporation will decide what is an administrative services manager; however, they may also be in charge of ensuring the company’s facilities are well-maintained, and that they meet all security, environmental and safety standards. Alternatively, some companies hire specialized administrative services managers known as facility managers. These professionals are in charge of the daily operations and maintenance of the buildings, grounds and equipment.

How To Become an Administrative Services Manager

If the typical administrative services manager job description appeals to you, then it’s time to take a look at your career path. If you’re still in high school, you’ll want to work hard on your grades to facilitate college acceptance. Expect this role to need at least a bachelor’s degree in order to land a job as an administrative services manager.

The top-paying positions at larger organizations may require or express a preference for a master’s degree. In addition, if you wish to become an administrative manager at a hospital or other healthcare organization, you may almost certainly need a master’s degree.

In addition to your academic credentials, you may need some entry-level work experience. You may be able to land a job as an administrative services manager at a smaller company straight out of college, but the managerial positions at major organizations are generally reserved for those with professional work experience. You may gain that work experience by pursuing positions as an administrative assistant, human resources specialists or a medical records technician at a healthcare organization.

Earn Your Bachelor’s Degree

There is no one universal bachelor’s degree that aspiring administrative services managers should earn. However, you should ideally choose a business-related degree. Degrees in human resources or even accounting are a couple of possibilities.

Perhaps the most relevant degree for this career field is a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree. While you’re working toward this type of degree, you can expect to study topics such as:

• Fundamental principles and practices of marketing with a look at consumer behavior and market research
• Legal and ethical issues that concern organizations, including regulatory and compliance matters
• Organizational behavior and management, exploring decision making, organizational design and organizational change
• Managerial concepts and strategies pertaining to operational management

Earn Your MS/MBA Dual Degree

Although some positions may only require a bachelor’s degree, those who seek management positions at major organization will want to earn a graduate degree, such as GCU's MS/MBA Dual degree. It’s possible to earn either a Master of Science in Leadership (MSL) or a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in order to pursue your dream career. However, earning an MS/MBA dual degree is a smart way to set yourself apart from the other job applicants.

Although the curriculum will vary from one school to the next, you can generally expect to study the following topics while working toward your MS/MBA dual degree:

• Key concepts in leadership and organizational behavior, including the benefits and practices of servant leadership, and the role of leaders in supporting organizational innovation
• The management of operations within the manufacturing and service industries, with a look at identifying and correcting inefficiencies within internal processes, improving supply chain integration and streamlining daily operations
• Leadership development and succession planning, including coaching and mentorship strategies with a focus on promoting diversity and inclusion
• Global awareness and cultural competencies within the corporate perspective, including cross-cultural communication skills

It’s likely that you will explore core topics such as managerial accounting, economics, marketing management and finance principles. In addition, you may take capstone courses that enable you to demonstrate what you've learned by planning and executing a major project.

You can pursue a high-level administrative services management position by acquiring the academic credentials you need at Grand Canyon University (GCU). The Colangelo College of Business is pleased to offer the Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Leadership (MS/MBA dual degree), which enables our learners to accelerate their progress toward their academic and career goals.

Approved by full-time faculty for the Colangelo College of Business on Dec. 29, 2022.