Administrative Officers

(NOC 1221)

in All Business, Finance, and Administration

Administrative officers oversee and implement administrative procedures, create work priorities, analyze administrative operations and coordinate the purchase of administrative services like office space, supplies and security services. They work throughout the private and public sectors. Administrative officers who are supervisors are included in this group.

Job Outlook

Average

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  • Estimate Moderate growth employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 780 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate Moderate rate of unemployment in 2022

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

  • Estimate 3555 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 9370 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

Hourly Pay

$17.09

Minimum

$25.00

Median

$37.02

Maximum

Annual Pay

$9,660

Minimum

$38,498

Median

$70,081

Maximum

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

Hourly Pay

$15.00

Minimum

$23.00

Median

$38.50

Maximum

Annual Pay

$6,754

Minimum

$36,515

Median

$70,271

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

Administrative officers oversee and implement administrative procedures, create work priorities, analyze administrative operations and coordinate the purchase of administrative services like office space, supplies and security services. They work throughout the private and public sectors. Administrative officers who are supervisors are included in this group.

Job duties

Administrative officers:

  • Oversee and coordinate office administrative procedures and review, evaluate and implement new procedures.
  • Create work priorities, delegate work to office support staff, and make sure deadlines are met and procedures are followed.
  • Do administrative activities associated with admission to colleges and universities.
  • Administer policies and procedures related to the release of records in processing requests under government access to information and privacy legislation.
  • Coordinate and plan for office services like accommodation, relocations, equipment, supplies, forms, disposal of assets, parking, maintenance and security services.
  • Carry out analyses and oversee administrative operations related to budgeting, contracting and project planning and management processes.
  • Help prepare operating budget and maintain inventory and budgetary controls.
  • Gather data and prepare periodic and special reports, manuals and correspondence.
  • May supervise records management technicians and related staff.

Sample job titles

  • access to information and privacy officer
  • budget analyst
  • business services officer
  • financial aid officer
  • liaison officer
  • office manager
  • ombudsman officer
  • project manager - non-technical
  • test administrator
  • university admissions officer

Skills

  • You need excellent organizational and spoken communication skills. You will need to analyze detailed information and prepare budgets. You must have initiative, be willing to accept new ideas, and be comfortable making decisions. You will need to keep up-to-date with changes in office software and computing systems.

Job requirements

  • High school is required.
  • A university degree or college diploma in business or public administration may be required.
  • Project management certification may be required by some employers.

Other considerations

  • Experience in a senior clerical or executive secretarial position related to office administration is usually required. Movement to administrative service management positions is possible with experience.

By the numbers

Quick look

6,955

employed in 2016

81.7%

employed full-time

4.5%

self employed

86.2%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
13.8%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
49.2

median age

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

63,775

employed in 2016

78.4%

employed full-time

6.6%

self employed

73.4%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
26.6%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
47.9

median age

Where will I likely work?

56.0%

Halifax

$41,819 median annual income
12.7%

North Shore

$35,137 median annual income
11.9%

Annapolis Valley

$34,934 median annual income
10.2%

Cape Breton

$35,359 median annual income
9.3%

Southern

$33,810 median annual income

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

16.8%

Health care and social assistance

11.1%

Public administration

10.6%

Professional, scientific and technical services

9.8%

Educational services

7.6%

Construction

What is the age of Employment?

29.0%

45-54

24.0%

55-64

22.0%

35-44

14.0%

25-34

6.0%

65+

4.0%

15-24

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

26.3%

45-54

22.6%

55-64

19.4%

35-44

16.7%

25-34

7.5%

65+

Top levels of education

38.5%

College Diploma

$38,449 median annual income
23.2%

Bachelor

$42,221 median annual income
21.0%

High school

$34,812 median annual income
5.0%

Master

$48,425 median annual income
4.6%

Trade Certification

$36,088 median annual income

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

33.8%

College Diploma

$36,304 median annual income
23.8%

High school

$32,903 median annual income
22.8%

Bachelor

$41,755 median annual income
5.8%

Trade Certification

$34,807 median annual income
4.9%

Less than high school

$23,174 median annual income

Education & training

Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs prepare students for the duties of administrative assistants and/or secretaries and stenographers. They include courses in business communications, principles of business law, word processing and data entry, office machines operation and maintenance, office procedures, public relations, secretarial accounting, filing systems and records management, and report preparation.

Institutions providing this program

CBBC Career College Inc. - Sydney Campus

Sydney, NS

Eastern College - Halifax

Halifax, NS

Academy of Learning Career College - Halifax

Halifax, NS

Island Career Academy

Sydney, NS

Centre for Distance Education

Sydney, NS

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

CBBC Career College Inc. - Dartmouth Campus

Dartmouth, NS

Business Administration and Management

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs prepare students to plan, organize, direct, and control the functions and processes of a firm or organization. They include courses in management theory, human resources management and behaviour, accounting and other quantitative methods, purchasing and logistics, organization and production, marketing, and business decision-making.

Institutions providing this program

Maritime Business College

Lower Sackville, NS

Academy of Learning Career College - Halifax

Halifax, NS

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture

Truro, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Business/Commerce

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs focus on the general study of business, including the processes of interchanging goods and services (buying, selling and producing), business organization, and accounting as used in profit-making and non-profit public and private institutions and agencies. They prepare students to apply business principles and techniques in various occupational settings.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

University of King's College

Halifax, NS

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

High School Diploma or Equivalent

High School Program

Adults without a high school diploma can contact the Nova Scotia School for Adult Learning (NSSAL) for tuition-free programming across the province. NSSAL oversees adult education programs in Nova Scotia. NSSAL partners with the Nova Scotia Community College, Adult High Schools, Université Sainte-Anne, and community-based learning organizations to deliver programs. NSSAL offers clear, accessible pathways from adult basic education to a high school credential or GED.

Institutions providing this program

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Adult High Schools

Various, NS

Community Learning Organizations

Various, NS

Humanities/Humanistic Studies

College or University Program

These programs focus on combined studies and research in the humanities subjects as distinguished from the social and physical sciences, emphasizing languages, literatures, art, music, philosophy and religion.

Institutions providing this program

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Project Management

College or University Program

These programs prepare students to apply quantitative and qualitative knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to manage projects in a wide range of fields and occupations. They include courses in project planning, risk management, cost and time management, contracts and procurement, accounting, statistics, decision making, and human resources.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

No regulating bodies were found under this occupation profile

Contacts

Association of Administrative Professionals
Halifax, NS
Association of Records Managers and Administrators - Nova Scotia Chapter
Halifax, NS

Additional resources

There are no additional resources for this occupation.