Administrative Coordinator vs. Administrative Assistant: What Are the Differences?

If you’re interested in working in an administrative capacity, you may be wondering what the difference is between an administrative coordinator and an administrative assistant. Both roles are responsible for providing administrative support, but there are some key differences between the two. In this article, we’ll discuss the duties of an administrative coordinator and an administrative assistant, and we’ll compare and contrast the two positions.

What is an Administrative Coordinator?

Administrative Coordinators provide high-level administrative support for company leaders to ensure they can efficiently accomplish key tasks and company initiatives. They keep the executive’s communications organized so that they can easily access the most important information without having to sort through low-priority items. Administrative Coordinators screen all visitors and determine what level of support they need while offering polite, professional customer service. They manage the executive’s daily calendar, including scheduling meetings, confirming appointments, writing itineraries and arranging for transportation. Administrative Coordinators also train other administrative staff on company policies and best practices.

What is an Administrative Assistant?

Administrative Assistants provide high-level administrative support for company leaders to ensure they can efficiently accomplish key tasks and company initiatives. They keep the executive’s communications organized so that they can easily access the most important information without having to sort through low-priority items. Administrative Assistants screen all visitors and determine what level of support they need while offering polite, professional customer service. They manage the executive’s daily calendar, including scheduling meetings, confirming appointments, writing itineraries and arranging for transportation. Administrative Assistants also train other administrative staff on company policies and best practices.

Administrative Coordinator vs. Administrative Assistant

Here are the main differences between an administrative coordinator and an administrative assistant.

Job Duties

Administrative coordinators often manage teams of administrative assistants and may have more advanced job duties. For example, they might develop company policies and oversee the implementation of those policies. They also might manage projects, such as the creation of new employee manuals or the redesigning of a department’s workflow process.

In contrast, administrative assistants typically have more day-to-day responsibilities. For example, they might create and send email messages to coworkers, answer phone calls and schedule meetings. They also might perform clerical functions, such as filing documents and inputting data into databases.

Job Requirements

Administrative coordinators and administrative assistants typically need at least a high school diploma or equivalent to enter the field. However, some employers prefer candidates with an associate degree or higher in business administration or a related field. Additionally, many professionals in these roles pursue certifications through organizations like the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) to improve their skills and stand out to potential employers. The IAAP offers several different certification programs that teach administrative professionals how to use office software, manage projects and handle other common duties they might encounter on the job.

Work Environment

Administrative coordinators and administrative assistants often work in different environments. Administrative coordinators typically work in an office environment, while administrative assistants may work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, schools or businesses. Some administrative assistants work remotely from home offices, but most work in traditional business settings.

Administrative coordinators usually have more managerial responsibilities than administrative assistants. They may oversee the daily operations of their department, such as scheduling meetings, delegating tasks to employees and ensuring that projects are completed on time. Administrative coordinators also manage the workflow for their department, which can include communicating with other departments about project deadlines and sharing information between teams.

Skills

Both administrative coordinators and administrative assistants use a variety of skills in their jobs. These can include customer service skills, communication skills, organizational skills, time management skills and computer skills. However, there are some differences in the specific skills that each position may require.

An administrative coordinator typically needs to have project management skills to oversee projects from start to finish. They also need to be able to delegate tasks to other team members and ensure that everyone is on track. In addition, they may need to have budgeting skills to help with developing and sticking to a budget for their department or company.

An administrative assistant may not need to have as many specialized skills as an administrative coordinator. However, they still need to be able to handle a variety of tasks and be organized. They may also need to have scheduling skills to help coordinate appointments and meetings. Additionally, they may need to have research skills to help gather information for their boss or company.

Salary

Administrative coordinators can earn an average salary of $50,425 per year, while administrative assistants can earn an average salary of $45,618 per year. Both of these salaries may vary depending on the size of the company at which you work, location of your job and the level of experience you have prior to pursuing either position.