Administrative officers review, oversee and carry out the office procedures involved in running a business or organization. This group includes administrative officers who are supervisors
Watch the video below to see what a day in the life of a production manager is like.
Source: Estimated median employment income based on 2021 Job Bank median hourly wage rate (median annual salary = hourly wage rate x 40 (hours per week) x 52.14 (weeks per year))
Note:Estimated median employment income based on 2021 Job Bank median hourly wage rate (median annual salary = hourly wage rate x 40 (hours per week) x 52.14 (weeks per year))
Source: 2021 Job Bank Wage Report
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook
10 year expected job openings: 18,930
In general, administrative officers:
Administrative officers also co-ordinate and act as the main contact for travel accommodations, relocations, equipment, supplies, forms, parking, maintenance and security services for the office.
They may also perform industry-specific activities, such as post-secondary admission.
Administrative officers work in a wide variety of public and private industries and services. Hours are generally Monday to Friday, unless there are events or off-site meetings.
Administrative officers work in many different types of offices and work environments. In some offices, they may not have an assigned desk or workspace. Some may be able to work from home.
They are often interrupted in their work with requests from staff, management and the public. They are also expected to manage many projects at the same time, and often work in busy, noisy offices.
Source: 2016 Census
Administrative officers must have completed secondary school.
Some employers may expect an administrative officer to have:
Employers may also expect administrative officers to have specialized knowledge relating to the industry they work in, such as the technology or financial sectors. Often, accounting and financial skills are needed.
Additional education, training and qualifications may vary depending on the employer.
For more information about programs offered specifically for this career, visit EducationPlannerBC.
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 35 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. You’ll also find the skill strength needed, letting you know how capable you must be in that skill.
Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
As offices rely more on technology and services are shared among departments, not as many administrative staff may be needed. However, administrative officers are used in a broad range of industries so demand for these positions will likely to continue as people retire.
Although employers may favour higher education and credentials when hiring an administrative officer, they also consider an individual’s personality and how well suited they are to the role.
Career paths
Administrative officers usually start out as receptionists, data entry clerks, administrative assistants or office managers.
With experience, they may move up to executive assistant or senior secretary roles, or into administrative management positions.
An administrative officer may become qualified as a Canadian Certified Administrative Professional (CCAP), which may help them to move up as an administrative professional.
Additional resources