what is a scheduler?
Schedulers are administrative professionals who organise appointments and schedule various business operations. As a scheduler, you oversee every function or activity in the company. Whether it is a simple meeting or complex tasks like the production of manufactured goods, you timetable every action leading to the successful execution of the business operation. As a scheduler, your primary function is organising project timelines, creating rosters and scheduling meetings to keep the organisation running smoothly.
As a scheduler, you work in diverse industry settings contributing to capacity planning and handling various administrative tasks. For instance, in a warehouse environment, your job involves prioritising shipments, updating supplies and communicating schedule changes to workers. A scheduler is responsible for allocating duties to nurses and doctors in hospitals. They also schedule surgical procedures based on staff and operating room availability. A scheduler can also work in mining, manufacturing or transport companies assisting the teams in maintaining operational efficiency.
The role requires exceptional organisational skills, critical thinking and administrative talent. Keeping track of the daily operations of a company also requires a good eye for detail.
scheduler jobsaverage salary of a scheduler
The typical salary of a scheduler in Australia is $70,000 per year. The remuneration package depends on various factors, including the complexity of the role, the industry you work in and personal attributes that improve your performance in the role. The salary for entry-level workers new to the profession is $60,000 per year. When you take on a senior role in the profession, you are likely to earn a remuneration package of $80,000 annually. Employers usually provide opportunities to increase your earnings through overtime, which pays higher hourly rates than regular hours.
how to increase the salary of a scheduler
As a scheduler, your remuneration package depends on internal and external factors. The internal factors include your qualifications, experience and skills. Improving your educational qualifications usually enhances your salary prospects by developing your expertise. When you stack up years of experience in similar positions, you can negotiate a better remuneration package due to the additional skills you bring to the role. Some personal attributes, like organisation or multitasking, are also valuable in the job and improve your remuneration package.
The industry sector and your employer influence your earnings. For instance, scheduling tasks in medical settings are usually complex and require additional expertise in working in the healthcare industry. Hence, you are likely to earn more due to the complex tasks associated with the role. Working for large companies also increases your salary expectations due to the complexity of tasks performed and the scope of projects.
Want to know what you will earn as a scheduler? Check out what you are worth with our salary checker.
types of schedulers
Schedulers' duties depend on the business sector and their specific role. Some common types of schedulers include:
- production schedulers: as a production scheduler, you work in the mining or manufacturing industries. Your job is to schedule manufacturing processes to maximise company efficiency. As a production scheduler, you analyse the requirements and determine production priorities to ensure the resources are available to meet customer requirements.
- medical schedulers: as a medical scheduler, you schedule appointments for patients and work schedules for medical personnel. You organise examinations for patients and maintain patient records in the databases. For instance, you scan the patient histories, update their information and schedule appropriate times for appointments. You also schedule surgeries and other medical procedures to keep the hospital running smoothly.
working as a scheduler
Working as a scheduler involves organising work schedules for people and organisational operations. Read on for details on schedulers' responsibilities, work settings and career outlook.
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duties and responsibilities
Schedulers perform diverse tasks in various business sectors. However, some of the standard tasks include:
- coordinating daily schedules and managing the flow of people: as a scheduler, you determine an organisation's daily, weekly and monthly activities. You examine the work orders or customer requests and use them to develop a schedule. You also consider project deadlines, plant and equipment capabilities and inventory availability. Your job is to create daily work plans that balance various elements and ensure efficient production processes.
- modifying work schedules: when you oversee an operation or production activity for the first time, you create the initial work schedule. However, when companies have existing work schedules, your job is to modify the schedule to suit changing conditions. For instance, if equipment breaks down or the delivery of the materials is delayed, you plan the schedule to compensate for the delays.
- managing resources: you manage the company's resources, including employees, inventories and time. You organise employees by assigning duties and creating rosters. You also analyse company resources like equipment capabilities and raw materials.
- enhancing internal processes: you are always looking for opportunities to improve production processes through effective schedule management. Your job is to improve efficiency by maximising the use of resources and eliminating redundant activities in organisational processes.
- handling administrative tasks: you sometimes handle administrative tasks like booking client appointments. You answer phone calls and schedule clients for meetings or doctor's appointments. In some offices, you perform bookkeeping tasks like verifying billing or insurance details for patients.
- writing reports: as a scheduler, you prepare reports outlining various activities in the organisation. For instance, if you work in the production industry, your reports outline production activities and their effectiveness. You use the reports to propose changes in internal processes and enhance efficiency.
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work environment
As a scheduler, your work settings depend on your industry. For instance, in manufacturing, you are likely to work at a manufacturing plant or factories. Medical schedulers work in hospital or healthcare settings. Regardless of the work settings, schedulers work in offices since they complete most of their tasks from a computer. You regularly plan site visits in the construction and manufacturing industries. However, in hospitals, the role involves minimal travelling.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on your employer and the industry you work in, your colleagues might include administrators, planners, cost estimators and service coordinators. You might also be working in close proximity to scheduling coordinators and project managers, as well as other specialists that could include, but not be limited to, project engineers, project managers, project coordinators, office administrators and office managers.
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work schedule
A scheduler works regular business hours with occasional evening or overtime work. Sometimes, you work weekends to fix problems arising from the schedule. While most schedulers work full-time positions, part-time roles are also available. In some work settings, like hospitals, schedulers perform administrative tasks and work on shift schedules if the hospital operates 24/7. That means you work unsociable hours at night or early in the morning.
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job outlook
Working as a scheduler prepares you for complex roles like project coordinator or project manager. You can also specialise in specific industries like construction and improve your skills to become a construction manager, cost planner or quantity surveyor. Some schedulers become experts in the logistic industries and provide consultancy services.
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advantages of finding a scheduler job through randstad
Finding your scheduler 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 scheduler 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
A scheduler doesn't require formal qualifications but the following academic qualifications enhance your job prospects:
- vet qualification: pursue a VET qualification to improve your skills, like a Certificate III in business or a diploma course relevant to your business sector. Pursuing a bachelor's degree in business strengthens your career prospects.
- work experience: you can gain experience in an entry-level administrative role. If you want to work in construction, you may require additional qualifications and a White Card for visiting construction sites.
skills and competencies
A scheduler relies on the following skills to excel in the role:
- mathematics skills: you require good mathematical skills to calculate staffing needs, materials and manufacturing capabilities. Mathematical skills help you plan sufficient resources for various projects.
- planning and organisation skills: you rely on your planning and organisation skills to organise daily operations. Planning helps you to anticipate company operations for the coming week or month. Organisational skills are useful in scheduling workers and planning their rosters.
- team coordination: you should be good at managing teams to schedule work activities appropriately and ensure every employee completes their tasks on time. Team coordination skills also help you communicate information accurately to various employees.
- problem-solving skills: as a scheduler, you rely on your problem-solving skills to solve schedule inadequacies. For instance, delayed inventory or equipment breakdown can lead to holdups, and you need effective solutions to prevent production delays.
FAQs about working as a scheduler
Here are the most asked questions about working as a scheduler:
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what are the duties of a scheduler?
As a scheduler, you organise workflows and improve efficiency in work operations. Your duties involve scheduling employees, creating duty rosters and checking inventory. You also plan future work activities and prepare reports on areas that require improvement.
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how do you become a scheduler?
You don't require tertiary qualifications to be a scheduler. However, some educational qualifications improve your competitive advantage. For instance, VET qualifications or diploma courses in business studies help you develop your business operations skills and knowledge.
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what skills does a scheduler need?
As a scheduler, you rely on your organisational skills to keep business operations running smoothly. Organisation skills help you juggle multiple tasks and ensure the activities you organise or the appointments you schedule happen within the stipulated timeframe. Multitasking skills are also important since you handle administrative tasks and other project coordination duties.
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how much does a scheduler make?
As a scheduler, your annual salary ranges from $60,000 to $80,000. The remuneration package depends on your skills, experience and qualifications. The industry you work for also dictates your earnings.
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how do I apply for a finance assistant vacancy?
Applying for a scheduler job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our scheduler job offers. Then simply send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here.
