First-line Supervisors Of Office And Administrative Support Workers

First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers

Description

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of clerical and administrative support workers.

Tasks

Resolve customer complaints or answer customers' questions regarding policies and procedures.
Supervise the work of office, administrative, or customer service employees to ensure adherence to quality standards, deadlines, and proper procedures, correcting errors or problems.
Provide employees with guidance in handling difficult or complex problems or in resolving escalated complaints or disputes.
Implement corporate or departmental policies, procedures, and service standards in conjunction with management.
Discuss job performance problems with employees to identify causes and issues and to work on resolving problems.
Train or instruct employees in job duties or company policies or arrange for training to be provided.
Evaluate employees' job performance and conformance to regulations and recommend appropriate personnel action.
Review records or reports pertaining to activities such as production, payroll, or shipping to verify details, monitor work activities, or evaluate performance.
Recruit, interview, and select employees.
Interpret and communicate work procedures and company policies to staff.
Prepare and issue work schedules, deadlines, and duty assignments for office or administrative staff.
Maintain records pertaining to inventory, personnel, orders, supplies, or machine maintenance.
Compute figures such as balances, totals, or commissions.
Research, compile, and prepare reports, manuals, correspondence, or other information required by management or governmental agencies.
Coordinate activities with other supervisory personnel or with other work units or departments.
Analyze financial activities of establishments or departments and provide input into budget planning and preparation processes.
Develop or update procedures, policies, or standards.
Make recommendations to management concerning such issues as staffing decisions or procedural changes.
Consult with managers or other personnel to resolve problems in areas such as equipment performance, output quality, or work schedules.
Participate in the work of subordinates to facilitate productivity or to overcome difficult aspects of work.
Design, implement, or evaluate staff training and development programs, customer service initiatives, or performance measurement criteria.
Develop work schedules according to budgets and workloads.
Monitor inventory levels and requisition or purchase supplies as needed.
Discuss work problems or grievances with union representatives.
Plan for or coordinate office services, such as equipment or supply acquisition or organization, disposal of assets, relocation, parking, maintenance, or security services.
Arrange for necessary maintenance or repair work.
Keep informed of provisions of labor-management agreements and their effects on departmental operations.
Coordinate or perform activities associated with shipping, receiving, distribution, or transportation.
Plan layouts of stockrooms, warehouses, or other storage areas, considering turnover, size, weight, or related factors pertaining to items stored.

Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Clerical: Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities

Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Work Activities

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Work Context

Telephone: How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Electronic Mail: How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Face-to-Face Discussions: How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled: How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Contact With Others: How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Work With Work Group or Team: How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Deal With External Customers: How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Frequency of Decision Making: How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate: How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Structured versus Unstructured Work: To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?

Interests

Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Work Style

Dependability: Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity: Job requires being honest and ethical.
Attention to Detail: Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation: Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Stress Tolerance: Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Initiative: Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Concern for Others: Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Leadership: Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Self Control: Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Independence: Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Work Values

Support: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Relationships: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Independence: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Achievement: Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Recognition: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Related Occupations

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First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers

First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators

Lay Titles

Accountant

Accounting Administrator

Accounting Clerks Supervisor

Accounting Director

Accounting Manager

Accounting Supervisor

Accounts Payable Supervisor

Accounts Receivable Manager

Accounts Receivable Supervisor

Adjustment Supervisor

Administrative Assistant

Administrative Assistant to the Dean

Administrative Coordinator

Administrative Officer

Administrative Services Director

Administrative Supervisor

Administrator

Admissions Director

Admissions Officer

Admissions Supervisor

Admitting Officer

Advertising Dispatch Clerks Supervisor

Agency Appointments Supervisor

Airline Ticket Sales and Reservations Supervisor

Animal Hospital Office Supervisor

Assembly Stock Supervisor

Audit Clerks Supervisor

Auto Club Safety Program Coordinator

Automatic Chief

Automobile Club Safety Program Coordinator

Automotive Service Advisor

Automotive Service Writer

Baggage Agent Supervisor

Baggage and Mail Agent

Baggagemaster

Banking Supervisor

Billing Administrator

Billing Department Supervisor

Billing Services Manager

Billing Supervisor

Booking Supervisor

Bookkeepers Supervisor

Bookkeeping Clerks Supervisor

Boxing and Pressing Supervisor

Business Manager

Business Services Supervisor

Call Center Director

Cargo Supervisor

Cashiers Supervisor

Central Office Operator Supervisor

Central Office Telephone Operators Supervisor

Central Supply Manager

Central Supply Supervisor

Central Supply Technician Supervisor

Chief Crew Scheduler

Chief Dispatcher

Chief Load Dispatcher

Chief Meter Reader

Chief Order Dispatcher

Chief Payroll Clerk

Chief Service Dispatcher

Chief Service Observer

Chief Telephone Operator

Civil Process Supervisor

Claims Adjuster Supervisor

Claims Supervisor

Classified Advertising Supervisor

Clerical Supervisor

Clerk Supervisor

Clinical Services Director

Coding Clerks Supervisor

Coin Machine Collector Supervisor

Collection Supervisor

Commissary Agent

Communication Center Coordinator

National Wages and Employment Info

Median Wages (2008):: $23.72 hourly, $49,330 annual.

Employment (2008):: 1,359,150 employees