Top Administrative Jobs

The days when administration professionals spent most of their days taking dictation and buying gifts for the bosses wife, are long gone. Whether employed as a personal assistant, receptionist or office manager, administrators play a pivotal role in the overall function of the modern office.

Here are the most in-demand and sought after administration positions in the UK.

1. Medical Secretary
What they do: Based in a hospital or private practice, duties typically involve typing clinic letters, medical reports, general correspondence, operation and x-ray reports or booking patient appointments for the consultants and other medical staff.
What you need: No formal qualifications are required but, a good accurate typing speed of around 45 WPM as standard and knowledge of medical terminology is preferable. Secretaries can study for the AMSPAR Diploma from the Association of Medical Secretaries, Practice Managers.
What you can earn: Temporary £8.50-£9.50 per hour. Permanent £14,500-£20,000

2. Executive Personal Assistant
What they do: Think Melanie Griffith's character in "Working Girl." A PA is one of the highest paying administration positions available. They provide secretarial, administrative and clerical support for an organisation's most senior people, including travel arrangements, diary management, correspondence, expense reports and client liaison.
What you need: Excellent organisational skills and the ability to handle constantly changing priorities are more valuable than any formal academic qualifications.
What you can earn: £15,000-£20,000 to start rising to £25,000 and more with experience. Some London-based PAs can command premium salaries above £40,000.

3. Payroll Administrator
What they do: It is their job to ensure that all internal employees are paid accurately and on-time.
What you need: Proficient at Excel and a good understanding of pensions, BACS payment processes and the ability to work to tight deadlines.
What you can earn: £18,000-£20,000

4. Office Manager
What they do: Supervision of all administrative and other support staff to ensure the smooth running of the office. This could include providing PA and secretarial support for the office such as taking minutes at meetings, organising meeting rooms and taking on a HR role.
What you need: Promotion to office manager usually follows five years experience in an administrative role.
What you can earn: £20,000-£22,000

5. Human Resources Assistant
What they do: Assist in administering the recruitment process, maintain candidate databases, screen CVs on behalf of line managers, liaise with recruitment agencies and arrange interviews.
What you need: Training is usually provided on the job for those with less than one year experience. Assistants are encouraged to undertake a CIPD-recognised professional qualification.
What you can earn: Temporary workers will earn around £11 per hour. Permanent workers can earn £16,500-£18,500

6. Legal Secretary
What they do: Working within a law firm, legal secretaries will perform a variety of duties including audio typing of letters, preparation of legal documents, telephone contact with clients, diary management and general administrative duties such as filing and copying.
What you need: Many law firms offer training, although many firms encourage their staff to take a course offered by the Institute of Legal Secretaries.
What you can earn: £18,000-£20,000

7. DTP Operator
What they do: Using software packages, desktop publishing (DTP) operators will produce presentations, brochures, marketing literature, company newsletters, magazines and other professional documents.
What you need: Proficient at using Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. Excellent proofing and typing skills.
What you can earn: £22,000-£25,000

8. Events Assistant
What they do: Providing a supporting role for the event management team, assistants will be involved in running small scale events such as fundraising activities or large-scale music festivals such as Glastonbury or Live8. Assistants will be required to research potential sponsors, establish contacts, build relationships and provide all administration support such as distribution of information packs.
What you need: Excellent organisation ability and plenty of energy -- this is not a nine-to-five job and you will often find yourself running around the venue chasing co-ordinating various parties.
What you can earn: Around £14,000 to start, rising to £60,000+ for senior positions.