introduction
Attention to detail and exceptional communication are essential for thriving in administrative roles. Organizational finesse and rapid skill acquisition can also be stepping stones to advancement in high-paying office jobs.
While many admin jobs begin at junior to intermediate levels of responsibility and compensation, they act as gateways to specialized positions. These often come with benefits and high-paying administrative jobs.
How do you get a job as an admin, and what are the high-paying jobs? Let’s explore these well-remunerated administrative roles to unveil the skills and experiences that could propel you toward securing one of these positions.
contract administrator
Contract administrators administer contracts for their organizations. While this sounds like a job that involves pushing paper—and there's a bit of that—the position is critically important.
As a contracts administrator, your role involves creating and designing contracts to benefit all parties and safeguard your employer's interests.
You'll coordinate with all parties engaged in contract negotiations, liaising between your employer and external entities throughout the process.
Other responsibilities include drafting contract portions, proofreading contracts, and managing the contract workflow through various software programs. Your path to this administrative role can be unique.
While some businesses seek a degree in business administration or other relevant fields, employers might consider you for the job if you have years of work experience and proven wins on your resume.
Entry-level contract administrators typically earn around $77,000 annually in most regions. Your experience, education, and skill set might help you earn $100,000 or more. It's one of the high-paying office jobs in the administrative sector.
executive assistant
Executive assistants directly support people in executive-level positions, such as CEOs, CFOs, or corporate vice presidents.
Responsibilities depend on your employer and industry but can include tasks such as:
- managing multiple calendars and schedules
- conducting research and creating presentations
- handling departmental expenses
- greeting clients
- overseeing administrative processes or junior admin staff
A typical path to executive assistant roles is climbing the admin assistant ladder.
By proving yourself in entry-level and mid-level roles, you can get the attention of employers who may be more than willing to fill open executive assistant positions with in-house staff who already know the team and the ropes.
Some companies also look for candidates with education, ranging from relevant certificates or two-year degree programs to bachelor's degrees.
On average, executive assistants earn about $74,000 a year making it one of the high-paying office jobs. However, someone with five to ten years of experience could earn $85,000 or more.
lease administrator
Lease administrators are pivotal in managing and overseeing lease agreements for their organizations.
This role is tasked with crafting and structuring leases to ensure mutual benefit and safeguard the interests of their employers. It involves close coordination with all parties involved in lease negotiations and acting as a liaison between the organization and external entities throughout the process.
They are responsible for drafting and reviewing specific clauses within leases, meticulously proofreading documents, and efficiently managing the lease workflow using specialized software programs.
For those entering the field, starting salaries for lease administrators typically average around $68,000 annually in most regions making it one of the high-paying office jobs. However, with accumulated experience, advanced education, and a honed skill set, you have the potential to command a salary upwards of $100,000 or more.
legal assistant
Legal assistants support attorneys and legal teams by managing administrative tasks and contributing to the smooth operation of law firms and legal departments.
While their primary responsibility is to help lawyers and ensure that clients receive the best representation with legal research and trial preparation, legal assistants also help draft and file court documents and emails and maintain communication with clients.
Legal assistants must be familiar with the law, legal procedures and protocols, and court systems to ensure that deadlines are met, legal processes are followed, and case materials are ready.
A thorough understanding of the law and good administrative skills go a long way in helping legal assistants earn $67,000 annually, making it one of the high-paying office jobs in the administration sector.
sales coordinator
A sales coordinator ensures that sales goals are met while maintaining positive customer relations. They need to manage sales teams, facilitate communication between sales representatives, and coordinate with the marketing team.
Since sales coordinators often spend a lot of time on administrative tasks such as managing schedules and ensuring customer satisfaction, it helps to be friendly and highly organized.
Skills such as creating schedules, working in matrix environments, and the ability to track data are the most sought-after.
Candidates with a commerce, marketing, or business administration degree are well-suited. However, if the sales field excites you, several certifications can help you find a sweet gig.
Sales coordinator roles are well among the high-paying office jobs, and salaries average around $64K annually.
operations coordinator
An operations coordinator is the person who keeps things running smoothly behind the scenes. They often juggle multiple tasks, from organizing meetings and managing supplies to coordinating with different departments to ensure everything's on track.
For an operations coordinator, it is all about keeping processes efficient and solving problems as they come up.
If something requires attention, the operations coordinator usually resolves it.
While a specific degree isn't required, a business administration, communication, or management degree can help you land a suitable role.
Operations coordinators' salaries usually average around $63,000 annually. However, the specifics can vary based on experience level, seniority, industry, and location.
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enjoy competitive pay in your next office job
Pay isn't everything, and you should consider negotiating other perks and compensation when you take on a new position. But pay is important, so you should consider all your options before saying yes to an offer.
Prepare yourself with the latest industry knowledge, and you'll be well-positioned to land a lucrative finance and accounting job with excellent pay and many other benefits.
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