First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers

Career Overview

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of clerical and administrative support workers.

Also Known As

  • Accounting Manager
  • Customer Service Manager
  • Customer Service Supervisor
  • Office Manager

Alternate Job Titles

  • Accounting Administrator
  • Accounting Clerks Supervisor
  • Accounting Director
  • Accounting Manager
  • Accounting Supervisor
  • Accounts Payable Manager
  • Accounts Payable Supervisor
  • Accounts Receivable Manager
  • Accounts Receivable Supervisor
  • Adjustment Supervisor
  • Administrative Coordinator
  • Administrative Officer
  • Administrative Supervisor
  • Admissions Supervisor
  • Admitting Officer

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

  • Supervise the work of office, administrative, or customer service employees to ensure adherence to quality standards, deadlines, and proper procedures, correcting errors or problems.
  • Resolve customer complaints or answer customers' questions regarding policies and procedures.
  • Provide employees with guidance in handling difficult or complex problems or in resolving escalated complaints or disputes.
  • Review records or reports pertaining to activities such as production, payroll, or shipping to verify details, monitor work activities, or evaluate performance.
  • Discuss job performance problems with employees to identify causes and issues and to work on resolving problems.
  • Prepare and issue work schedules, deadlines, and duty assignments for office or administrative staff.
  • Recruit, interview, and select employees.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

  • Administration and Management
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • English Language
  • Administrative

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

  1. Reading Comprehension
  2. Monitoring
  3. Coordination
  4. Active Listening
  5. Social Perceptiveness
  6. Speaking
  7. Critical Thinking
  8. Active Learning
  9. Writing
  10. Instructing

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

  • Oral Comprehension
  • Written Comprehension
  • Oral Expression
  • Speech Recognition
  • Speech Clarity
  • Written Expression
  • Problem Sensitivity
  • Deductive Reasoning
  • Information Ordering
  • Inductive Reasoning

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

  • Dependability
  • Leadership Orientation
  • Cooperation
  • Social Orientation
  • Attention to Detail

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

  • Support
  • Relationships
  • Independence
  • Working Conditions
  • Achievement

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree

Related Work Experience Needed: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years

On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

Education Details: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Experience Required: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

  • Adobe Acrobat
  • Apple macOS
  • Facebook
  • Google Docs
  • Henry Schein Dentrix
  • IBM SPSS Statistics
  • Intuit QuickBooks
  • MEDITECH software
  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Excel

Tools & Equipment

  • 10-key calculators
  • Computer data input scanners
  • Computer laser printers
  • Desktop computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Laser facsimile machines
  • Liquid crystal display LCD projectors
  • Multi-line telephone systems
  • Personal computers
  • Photocopiers
  • Photocopying equipment
  • Postal scales
  • Scanners
  • Voice mail systems

Work Environment

  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
  • Telephone Conversations
  • Contact With Others
  • E-Mail
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Salary & Job Market

Salary PercentileAnnual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)$43,920
Median$66,140
Top Earners (90th percentile)$102,980

Workers Employed Nationally: 1,495,580

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.

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