​What is an Administrative Service Manager?

 An administrative services manager is a manager that coordinates all the support services. This includes mail distribution, facilities plans and maintenance, records, budgets, and supplies distribution.  Sometimes the Administrative Service Manager is called the Office Manager. In smaller organisations the Office manager does all of these tasks, but in larger organisations these tasks may be broken down and distributed among several office managers. Some of these managers will specialize in their task and be Facilities Managers, Contract Managers, etc.
 
The Facilities Manager specializes in ensuring the upkeep and maintenance of the facility and the grounds. This person is responsible for all of the buildings and their maintenance.  There is a special certification they can get and a professional organisation they belong to if they get this certification or designation. The International Facility Managers Association (IFMA) will offer a certification to indicate to employers that the individual listed has met the standards set forth by this Association to be considered a competent Facilities Manager. This credential is called Certified Facilities Manager. Having this credential can boost an employer’s confidence in their employee and their abilities to complete their task in an efficient and professional manner. There is another organisation for Contract Managers. It is the National Contract Mangers Association (NCMA); this also increases the education level of the contract manager and gives the manager the necessary training to pursue their tasks with efficiency and professionalism. The Contract Manager buys supplies and equipment as well as planning for storage and distribution of it. Gaining the extra certifications for these positions will really help your employer out immeasurably. Having a Bachelors degree along with these certifications will help you when looking for work and when accomplishing your tasks at work.  You may need to have the management classes and leadership classes to help you deal with issues in the workplace and show your employers that you can be reliable.
 
State and Local governments, educational institutions, or service and healthcare industries employ the bulk of the Administrative Service Managers.  This occupation really needs a dedicated person as they are often call out in the middle of the night, on weekends, or over the holidays to deal with issues. They may also be required to work overtime and to supervise activities that are out of doors.  Having good communications skills, analytical skills, and being quite detail oriented will really be beneficial in this position.
 
A large organisation offers the most opportunities for advancement, but this does not mean you should only work for large companies.  Smaller companies will offer a large variety of experience and will help in your advancement plans. Also, as always, education can only help you.  The more you achieve and maintain your education qualifications and certifications the better off you will be as an Administrative Services Manager.
However, education is not the only thing that will see you through with your employer. You must demonstrate your ability to oversee and work with varied groups of people. You must show relevant work experience. This is accomplished by working your way up through your company.  Get a feel for what the company needs and provide it. This will also help you when you rise up because a manager should always know exactly what challenges those they manage or supervise face. If they fully understand the workings of each position they manage or supervise, how the equipment works, what needs to be done each day, what supplies are needed, or how many people are required for a certain task this manager will be most effective in their field.
 
Because Office Managers work with such a diverse group of people in various positions (executives, clerks, supervisors, maintenance workers, etc.), it is vital that they display the ability to communicate effectively across many different formats.  Interpersonal skills are a must as well. An Office manager needs to be flexible, but detail oriented, able to meet deadlines effectively, be able to handle pressure, be analytical but capable of making quick decisions on multiple projects when called upon to do so. These types of abilities are best learned from experience and so working your way through the various job positions until you arrive at your ultimate goal is highly recommended for your success.
 
As middle managers are decreased and organisations flatten out their structures, if you are well versed in many different forms of expertise, you should feel little effect from this restructuring. The broader the range of your responsibilities the more you will be needed and maintained as an employee.  Make yourself indispensible. Keep your certifications up (get those Facilities Manager certifications and Contract management certifications) and make sure you do your job to the best of your ability. In this way you can ensure that you will maintain your employment.