Administrative officers oversee and implement administrative procedures, establish work priorities, conduct analyses of administrative operations and coordinate acquisition of administrative services such as office space, supplies and security services. They are employed throughout the private and public sectors. Administrative officers who are supervisors are included in this group.

• 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

To work in this field, you need excellent organizational and verbal 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.

• Completion of secondary 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.

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

The employment outlook over the next few years for this occupational group is “average”, which indicates the chances of a qualified individual finding work is comparable to the average for all occupations in Nova Scotia. This is a fairly large occupation in Nova Scotia so job opportunities occur fairly regularly. The number employed in this occupation is expected to grow moderately over the next few years, which will likely provide some additional opportunities for employment. With a large percent of workers being 55 years of age and older, retirements are expected to be a key contributor to employment opportunities over the coming years. Administrative Officers most commonly work full-time hours. Furthermore, the jobs are typically permanent positions. Also, a fair portion of the workforce is self-employed, so having the option to "work for yourself" may appeal to some individuals’ interests/motivations.

The median employment income for 63% of Administrative Officers who worked full-time, year-round in 2015 was $45,116. Across all occupations in Nova Scotia, 59% of those who worked full-time year round had a median employment income of $43,600.
(Source: 2016 Census)

Hourly earnings data are from the Labour Force Survey by Statistics Canada. Data are not available for all occupations. Hourly earnings are calculated based on usual hours worked per week. This is how an annual salary, for instance, gets converted to an hourly rate. The data include full and part-time workers along with new and experienced workers. Self-employed workers are excluded.

Annual employment income data reported in the Work Prospects section, are from the 2011 National Household Survey by Statistics Canada. Much of the data (around 70%) came directly from tax records. The data relates to the year 2010 and includes total wages and salaries and net income from self-employment.

Sources