Administrative Services Manager: Job Description & Career Outlook

Last Updated March 27, 2024

It goes without saying, but successful organizations don’t just run themselves. Effective administration and efficient processes keep an organization operating at the highest level. These are generally driven by an administrative services manager, who organizes, oversees, and coordinates an organization’s services. Professionals with sharp time management and coordination skills can thrive in this role, which exists in many organizations across diverse industries and often offers opportunities for upward growth.

What is an Administrative Services Manager?

Specific responsibilities for an administrative services manager can vary widely depending on an organization’s size, but generally this includes maintaining records, managing and coaching staff, and overseeing facilities.

This role can be found in many industries and workplace settings, including healthcare and social assistance, education, professional services, government and finance. The healthcare sector is one of the largest employers of administrative service managers, with 12% of these positions found under the umbrella of healthcare and social assistance, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) figures.¹

What Does an Administrative Services Manager Do?

The duties of administrative services managers generally fall into two broad categories: facility management and records and information management. In a healthcare or hospital setting, the administrative services manager is more likely to be responsible for the latter, monitoring and managing records, keeping executive managers informed, overseeing administrative processes and ensuring employees adhere to information and records management standards.

Depending on the size of the hospital or healthcare system, there may be multiple administrative services managers dedicated to specific areas or departments. For example, an administrative services manager overseeing operations of a healthcare system’s centralized billing office could be responsible for the procedures, personnel performance and implementation of billing activities, such as client services and correspondence, accounts payable, account reconciliation and billing of outside business.

In turn, the administrative services manager within a hospital’s administration department may oversee the daily operations and performance of administrative office duties, including supporting administrative officers and managing executive administrative assistants to support efficient processes and effective communication between various hospital stakeholders—physicians, staff, patients, family and visitors.

Within a typical day, an administrative services manager’s duties can include:

• Planning, directing and coordinating the supportive services provided by their respective department
• Establishing goals and creating deadlines for their department
• Recommending changes to policies or processes that will improve operations
• Monitoring administrative and clerical staff
• Ensuring adherence to security, health, and environmental standards and compliance with government requirements
• Developing, supervising and managing records
• Budgeting for staff equipment, supplies and contracts
• Purchasing, organizing and dispersing supplies
• Directing machinery and equipment and systems maintenance

Administrative Services Manager Salary and Career Growth

Overseeing records and information will remain critical across many industries, as will facility management. As a result, administrative services managers are expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations in the next decade, with an anticipated 5% growth rate, according to the BLS.² In addition, the median annual wage for administrative services managers is $101,870, with those in healthcare and social assistance typically ranging from $93,170,* according to BLS figures as of May 2022.²

Healthcare in particular offers a greater potential for growth in this role, with employment opportunities in all healthcare occupations slated to increase faster than the average rate than all other occupations, adding about 1.8 million new jobs every year on average, according to the BLS.³ This offers entry-level healthcare administrative services professionals the opportunity for career growth into upper healthcare management in hospitals, healthcare systems or at private practices.

How to Become an Administrative Services Manager

Most administrative services managers hold at least a bachelor’s degree, typically with a focus in business, engineering, facility management or information management. Prior work experience that demonstrates leadership skills or managerial experience, such as project management or business operations, can offer a competitive edge.

For clinical healthcare professionals looking to make the move from patient care to an administrative role, their on-the-job experience combined with a working knowledge of the unique business requirements and specialized areas of healthcare can make the role of administrative services manager a first step into a healthcare management career.

MSU’s M.S. in Healthcare Management program can support these clinical healthcare professionals looking to transition into healthcare management by cultivating the critical thinking skills, strategic management tactics and business prowess necessary to lead in this ever-evolving industry.

¹Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Administrative Services Managers. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/administrative-services-managers.htm#tab-3 (visited March 26, 2024).

²Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Administrative Services Managers. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/administrative-services-managers.htm#tab-1 (visited March 26, 2024).

³Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Healthcare Occupations. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home.htm (visited March 26, 2024).

National long-term projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth. Information provided is not intended to represent a complete list of hiring companies or job titles, and degree program options do not guarantee career or salary outcomes. Students should conduct independent research on specific employment information.