what is a project administrator?
As a project administrator, you are an administrative professional. Your role is to handle repetitive administrative tasks to free up the project manager's time. You take care of the daily functions of the project by overseeing teams and managing resources. Some of your duties include preparing for, reporting on and analysing projects. For instance, you prepare regular reports on the project's progress and help project managers prepare for presentations. Your functions ensure the smooth running of a project since you keep the team updated on any changes.
Project administrators assist with staff supervision by planning meetings to discuss project progress. You prepare the work schedules and assign tasks to team members. You also liaise with contractors and keep in touch with suppliers to ensure the project has the necessary resources. Your job involves quality assurance, such as ensuring the team complies with the required regulations.
The construction and mining industries are significant employers of project administrators. Manufacturing and technology companies also rely on project administrators to oversee some projects. Companies that run multiple projects and programmes rely on project administrators to ensure they run smoothly.
project administrator jobsaverage salary of a project administrator
A project administrator earns an average remuneration package of $73,000 per year. The earnings fluctuate depending on factors like experience and qualifications. The lowest-paid project administrator earns $65,000 annually, while the highest-paid project administrators take home over $80,000 yearly.
what factors affect the salary of a project administrator?
In most companies, your remuneration package depends on your working hours; full-time employees have higher salaries since they work more than part-time employees. Taking up overtime work as a project administrator improves your remuneration prospects since overtime hours attract higher hourly rates.
The business sector also affects your remuneration package. Working as a project administrator on construction or mining projects attracts competitive salaries due to the demand in these sectors. Project administrators working in corporate settings usually earn less than those in IT companies. The project's scope and complexity also influence your earnings as a project administrator. Large-scale projects attract a higher salary than small-scale projects.
Want to know what you will earn as a project administrator? Check out what you are worth with our salary checker.
types of project administrators
The types of project administrators depend on the business sectors they work in, including:
- IT project administrators: as an IT project administrator, you work with project teams to develop or upgrade existing IT systems. The projects usually involve software development or telecommunications and network systems upgrades. Your job is to ensure the team achieves the desired milestones and to prepare reports for the relevant stakeholders.
- construction project administrators: as a construction project administrator, you work behind the scenes to complete construction projects. You don't oversee on-site operations but focus on administrative tasks. For instance, you manage contracts with suppliers and subcontractors and track project estimates. You also handle invoices and keep track of the budget.
working as a project administrator
A project administrator usually performs administrative duties on large projects regardless of the industry. If you have the skills for the role, read on to explore your responsibilities, work environments and job prospects.
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duties and responsibilities
Some of the duties of project administrators include:
- tracking project tasks: you monitor the project by tracking the individual tasks contributing to its progress. You also use project management software to track team members' work schedules and check each team's performance.
- processing documentation: managing projects usually involves a lot of paperwork that a project manager cannot handle. Your job is to prepare documents for the project's processes. You communicate with clients and stakeholders, write contracts and take notes in meetings. You also produce reports on the project's progress. If the project teams have a presentation, you help them prepare for it. You also store documentation for easy retrieval.
- budgeting and managing resources: as a project administrator, you ensure projects stay within budget. While a project manager allocates resources and develops the overall budget for a project, you track all the expenses to ensure they are within budget. You also oversee the use of project resources to ensure efficiency and minimise wastage.
- ordering supplies: as a project administrator, you work with contractors and vendors to ensure products and services are supplied on time. Since you oversee resource allocation across teams, you can determine the best time to order supplies to avoid delays. You also collect invoices from suppliers and renegotiate contracts when the terms or conditions change.
- organising meetings: meetings are essential in monitoring project workflows and promoting collaboration. You schedule meetings and gather the resources necessary for them. Aside from preparing meeting calendars, you take notes and write the minutes. You also share meeting notes and action items with the project teams.
- ensuring compliance with regulations: as a project administrator, you ensure project teams adhere to compliance standards. You also check the quality of the project to ensure it meets the client's requirements.
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work environment
The work settings of project administrators depend on their industry. However, you will likely work in an office environment to perform administrative tasks. Sometimes, you visit work sites in the construction and mining industries to check the project's progress. When working from the construction site, you wear safety equipment. The role involves some travelling when inspecting projects or attending offsite meetings.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on your employer and the industry you work in, your colleagues might include administration assistants, project coordinators, project managers, assistant managers, project engineers, mechanical engineers and electrical engineers. You might also be working close to factory managers and contracts managers, as well as other specialists that could include, but not be limited to, mining managers, procurement officers and quantity surveyors.
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work schedule
Project administrators work regular business hours with minimal overtime hours. In a full-time position, you work the traditional office hours on weekdays with occasional weekend work when you have deadlines. Part-time opportunities are also available in the role, while some project administrators work on short-term contracts.
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job outlook
Working as a project administrator opens opportunities for career progression in various business sectors. Most project administrators are promoted to project managers or programme managers. Due to your administrative skills, you can pursue other career paths like becoming an office administrator, procurement manager or cost estimator. Some project administrators become contractors or contract managers.
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advantages of finding a project administrator job through randstad
Finding your project administrator job through Randstad provides important advantages such as:
- a wide variety of training and development opportunities
- an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
- a range of opportunities in your area
- get paid weekly or monthly, depending on the job
- temporary and permanent contracts
Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as a project administrator is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too.
education and skills
Tertiary education is not mandatory for project administrators, but the following qualifications improve your expertise:
- vet qualification: pursue a VET qualification like Certificate IV in project management practice to learn basic project management skills. A diploma in project management also improves your skills and opens up more opportunities. To take up senior roles in an organisation, you require a bachelor's degree in business. Consider completing a project management professional certification to improve your career prospects.
- experience: you require project administration experience to land high-paying roles in the profession. Start with entry-level jobs like administrative assistant or work in project teams to gain experience. You can also develop your managerial skills with a graduate certificate in project management and move into project manager roles.
skills and competencies
Successful project administrators rely on technical knowledge and soft skills, such as:
- administrative skills: administrative skills like filing, responding to correspondence and managing supplies are crucial as a project administrator. Administrative skills help you complete your duties and keep projects running smoothly. Improving your organisational skills is vital to ensure tasks are completed on time.
- computer skills: you rely on project management software to oversee a project's progress and keep track of team activities. You also need computer skills for various tasks like budgeting and writing reports.
- teamwork skills: you require teamwork skills to collaborate with others for a project's success. When you are a good teammate, you practise empathy, good communication and humility to promote inclusivity.
- self-motivation: as a project administrator, you work under minimal supervision from the project manager. Self-motivation helps you push yourself to complete the work on time and hold yourself accountable for mistakes.
FAQs about working as a project administrator
Here are the most asked questions about working as a project administrator:
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what are the duties of a project administrator?
As a project administrator, you perform administrative functions in project teams. For instance, you manage the documentation for projects and write contracts. You organise meetings to update the stakeholders on the project's progress and liaise with contractors on changes recommended by stakeholders. You also handle the project budgets and report any variations to the project manager.
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how do I become a project administrator in australia?
With strong computer literacy and administration skills, you don't need a formal education to become a project administrator. However, most employers prefer candidates with VET qualifications in project management practice. Completing a bachelor's degree in project management or business also improves career prospects. You can pursue industry-recognised certifications for project management professionals. Aside from academic qualifications, you require extensive experience working on various projects.
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what is the difference between a project administrator and a project manager?
As a project administrator, you perform the administrative functions of an organisation's projects and programmes. You also oversee the daily project activities to ensure the schedule is adhered to and compliance requirements are met. Project managers oversee the entire project. They plan and organise projects by putting together the resources required to accomplish the project objectives. They also assign roles to project teams and set project deadlines and budgets.
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what qualities do you require to become a project administrator?
As a project administrator, you should be good at solving problems and resolving conflicts in the project teams. Since your role involves administrative tasks, you require strong organisational skills to keep track of the various aspects of projects. You also juggle numerous roles, and multitasking skills help you complete multiple tasks on time.
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how do I apply for a project administrator vacancy?
Applying for a project administrator job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our project administrator job offers. Then simply send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here.
