Job Description of a Director of Administration

Administration director is one career path to choose.

A director of administration has the challenging task of managing an organization's overall daily office operations. Sometimes called a director of operations or director of administration and finance, this position has responsibilities that can cross several departments and requires someone who can think strategically and plan for the long-term success of the organization. Qualifications typically include a bachelor's degree and at least five years of experience. A director of administration may be employed in a variety of settings such as the federal government, hospital, nonprofit organization, private company or university.

Job Purpose

A director of administration manages the overall daily office operations. He may oversee a number of departments including human resources, facilities management and finance. As such, this person tends to have a diverse knowledge of various departments' functions, rather than specializing in one specific area. The job requires the director to develop and implement organizational strategies and policies, plan the use of materials and human resources and manage the administrative staff.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of a director of administration may vary by organization. However, in general this person works to improve processes and policies, manage administrative staff and play a role in long-term organizational planning. Specific duties may fall into a variety of categories such as:

Office management: manages the overall daily office operations, negotiates contracts, manages vendor relationships, primary liaison to building landlord and oversees office operating procedures.

Technology: oversees network administration, manages phone system and helps evaluate information systems.

Finance: develops and manages budget for all administrative departments, reviews operating costs and suggests cost saving measures.

Human resources: works with human resources staff on hiring of personnel, maintaining personnel records, monitoring insurance coverage and ensuring personnel policies are up-to-date.

Qualifications

Qualifications for a director of administration position typically consist of a bachelor's degree in business, administration or other related field and at least five years of experience. Other qualifications include previous experience with managing staff, negotiating agreements, financial management and managing vendor relationships.

Skills

This position may also require additional skills such as the ability to identify and implement best practices, work independently, think strategically, plan for the long-term success of the organization and effectively delegate tasks. Personal attributes employers may look for include leadership, confidence, self-motivation, cost-consciousness and strong problem-solving skills.

Salary Information

According to PayScale.com, the typical salary for a director of operations and administration averages between $50,000 and $96,000, depending on the type of employment setting. For example, the federal government annual salary averages $79,000 to $127,000 for this position, while a nonprofit organization averages $42,000 to $74,000.

References

• PayScale: Director of Operations and Administration