Project Administrator: Job Profile & Role

As a project administrator, you play a crucial role in supporting project managers and project teams. This role is something like the personal assistant of a project manager. Your main responsibility is making sure that the project is completed according to schedule – both concerning the budget and the deadline. Therefore, project administrators handle minor tasks so that the project manager can focus on the more critical aspects and keep an overview. This role is an ideal opportunity to start a career in project management. In this blog post, we will explain what qualifications and skills are required if you want to apply for a job as a project administrator. Furthermore, we cover what the salary of a project administrator is and what it takes to thrive in this career.

Short Summary

• A project administrator is responsible for supporting the project manager and the project team.
• The role of a project administrator is a junior position in project management and therefore, you are expected to hold at least a bachelor’s degree.
• Project administrators need to possess excellent interpersonal and behavioural skills as well as business and technology-related skills.

Job description

A project administrator is the project manager’s assistant. Their main responsibilities are coordinating project activities, managing schedules, and ensuring the project is completed on time and within budget. Among the many duties of a project administrator are creating and maintaining a project library, producing project summary reports, and setting up and maintaining budget systems. Project administrators can work in companies in different industries. Usually, they work in bigger companies that run multi-national and complex projects as otherwise, project administration is part of the project manager’s job.

Responsibilities

• General administrative support
• Coordinating project logistics
• Producing project summary reports
• Maintaining effective project team communication systems
• Maintaining financial records
• Managing the project processes
• Managing project databases
• General support for project team members

Different types of Project Administrators

• General Project Administrators
• Administrative Project Assistant
• IT Project Administrators
• Construction Project Administrators

Salary

The salary of a project administrator depends on various factors concerning both the company you work for and your educational background. Company-related factors that influence the salary of a project administrator are the size and location of the company as well as the industry it operates. However, the average salary of a project administrator in the UK is about £24,000 to £36,000 per year which equals to £1,800 per month.

Compared to other roles within project management, the salary of a project administrator is rather low. You should keep in mind that the role of a project administrator is an entry-level role in the field of project management. Therefore, once you gain further experience as a project administrator your chances improve so that you can climb the career ladder and become a project manager.

Working hours

Project administrators usually work regular office hours, which are about 35 to 40 hours per week. Therefore, project administrators more often than not are expected to work from 9 am to 5 pm as this is a standard full-time job. However, working hours can vary depending on the specifics of the industry and the project requirements. On the other hand, some companies might offer flexible working arrangements, allowing project administrators to work remotely.

Employers

Companies that hire project administrators can be found throughout most industries. As mentioned above, it is more likely for bigger institutions to hire project administrators to support their project managers. Nevertheless, most companies that hire project administrators come from these industries:

• Technology companies such as IT firms, software development companies, and technology service providers
• Financial services firms including insurance companies and investment firms
• Healthcare organisations such as healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, and hospitals
• Retail and consumer goods companies

Qualifications

In the UK, there are no formal qualifications that are mandatory to start a career as a project administrator. However, most employers expect their project administrators to have certain qualifications and skills. Holding at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field increases your chance of being able to secure a role as a project administrator significantly. Therefore, you might aim for a bachelor’s degree in business administration, project management, or a related field if you plan to start a career in project management.

In addition, employers in the UK seek out applicants who obtained special project management certifications. Project administrators also need proven qualifications in office software such as Microsoft Office. You should keep in mind that specific qualifications requested from applicants can vary depending on the employer and the nature of the project.

Skills

Although the role of a project administrator demands mainly organisational skills communication skills are also crucial. Therefore, project administrators are expected to have a diverse set of skills to effectively support the project manager. In the following sections, we will cover the key skills every project administrator should possess.

Organisational Skills

The main task of a project administrator is to effectively move the project forward and ensure that deadlines and budget are met. Therefore, project administrators need profound organisational skills. This includes the ability to create project plans, set milestones, and coordinate activities across different teams and departments. It is also the responsibility of a project administrator to maintain project documentation including schedules, budgets, and contracts. Furthermore, project administrators manage project-related information such as emails, reports, and communication with team members and stakeholders.

Attention to Detail

As a project administrator, it is your job to consider all the details of a project. This includes deadlines, budget, and generally maintaining precision. Therefore, the ability to pay attention to detail is crucial in this job. It refers to the ability to thoroughly and accurately manage the various aspects of a project. The specific aspects of attention to detail for a project manager include accuracy concerning the project documentation as well as monitoring the quality of the project. Through the ability to pay attention to detail, the project manager can contribute to the successful outcome of a project by minimizing risks, controlling budget and deadlines, and maintaining a high quality throughout the whole project.

Communication Skills

Project teams are usually cross-functional. Therefore, effective communication with all team members is crucial to ensure the project’s success. It is part of the responsibility of the project administrator to effectively convey information, collaborate with team members, and compose reports and presentations that the project manager will present to senior management and stakeholders. Therefore, project administrators are expected to possess strong verbal and written communication skills.

Career Path

If you are interested in starting a career in project management it is important to plan your career steps. Although in the UK there are no mandatory requirements that project administrators have to fulfil most employers expect candidates to possess relevant education, experience and a wide set of skills.

Educational Background

There are no mandatory requirements concerning educational background if you want to start a career as a project administrator in the UK. However, it will improve your chances of securing a position as a project administrator and thrive in this field if you hold at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject. Many employers seek out applicants with a degree in business administration, project management, engineering, or information technology. In addition, you might think about gaining some project management certifications and taking some business administration courses. A master’s degree is a good option for those who intend to climb the career ladder further. Then, you might decide to obtain a master’s degree in project management or a related field.

Entry Level

Although the role of a project administrator is a junior job, employers expect applicants to have at least some practical work experience. You can gain work experience through internships or work placements during your time at university. Internships can not only provide valuable exposure to real-world projects and learn from experienced marketing or project management professionals but also help you build relationships.

Continuous Learning

Even after securing a position as a project administrator continuous learning is crucial. Only through life-long learning, you will stay current with industry best practices, emerging trends, and evolving technologies. To deepen your knowledge you might think about pursuing professional certifications in the field of project management. In addition, you could seek out industry-specific training to deepen your understanding of sector-specific standards and regulations.

A Day in the Life of a Project Administrator

A day in the life of a project administrator is, just like for everyone else in project management, all but mundane. In contrast, the work schedule of a project administrator can be varied and dynamic, involving a wide range of tasks related to planning, communicating, and coordinating as well as administrative support for both the project manager and the team members. Here are three of the main tasks that a project administrator will deal with more or less every day.

Project Coordination

Every project consists of a multitude of different tasks. As the project manager is the one to have an overview over the whole project they will delegate the coordination of all the activities aligned with the project to the project administrator. This includes managing various aspects of the project to ensure that it progresses smoothly and meets all deadlines as well as the budget. Project administrators assist project managers by preparing agendas, managing project calendars, and scheduling meetings.

Administrative Support

Project administrators provide, as the title already suggests, general administrative support to the project manager and the project team. This includes managing expenses, travel management, procurement requests, and other logistical tasks. Depending on the industry you work for and the specifics of the project project administrators coordinate meetings, workshops, and other project-related events. You might also facilitate communication among team members, stakeholders, and external partners.

Data Management and Documentation

Project management includes the management of project-related data such as concepts, contracts, and reports as well as records of meetings and emails. This includes establishing a system for storing project documentation in a way that allows for easy access while maintaining security and access control. By effectively managing data and documentation, the project administrator contributes to the project manager’s ability to make informed decisions based on accurate information while also ensuring compliance with record-keeping requirements.

Tips for Thriving as a Project Administrator

The position of a project administrator is an entry-level job in project management. It is the ideal starting point in project management if you intend to climb the career ladder further and become a project manager one day. To thrive in project management it takes various skills that depend on the specifics of the company you work for and the specifics of the project. However, there are three tips for every project administrator who wants to thrive in their career:

• Developing strong Organisational Skills
• Building strong Relationships
• Embracing Adaptability

Developing strong Organisational Skills

Project administrators need strong organisational skills to effectively manage the various aspects of a project. Among the key components of organisational skills are time management and task prioritisation. This includes identifying critical tasks and prioritising them based on their importance and impact on the project’s overall success.

Building strong Relationships

It is one of the core responsibilities of a project administrator to effectively collaborate with team members, stakeholders, and external partners. Therefore, project administrators need to build a professional network within the company and the industry. This can be achieved by establishing trust and mutual respect with team members, stakeholders, and external partners.

Embracing Adaptability

As the job of a project administrator includes a lot of multitasking they should embrace adaptability and self-care. Otherwise juggling multiple tasks and responsibilities will lead to sacrifices in quality or attention to detail. By being flexible and adaptable in response to changes in projects it will be easier for you to fulfil requirements, and timelines, and handle resources.

Frequently Asked Questions