Administrative Assistant Job Description

What Does an Administrative Assistant Do?

Keeping a department running is more work than most people realize and covers more than just answering the phone. The schedules, orders and records an administrative assistant keeps may save managers time, but more importantly they let staff, students and visitors in a university department, clinic or company office get what they need without waiting.

Also known as: Administrative Assistant I, Administrative Assistant II

Administrative Assistant Duties and Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of an administrative assistant include:

• Manage calendars for a department head or several staff, and book rooms for meetings.
• Arrange travel and process reimbursements in line with the organization's travel policy.
• Order office supplies and equipment through purchasing systems and track deliveries.
• Draft routine letters, memos and meeting minutes, and proofread documents before they go out.
• Answer phone and email inquiries, redirecting those that need a manager or specialist.
• Keep paper and electronic files organized under the department's retention rules.
• Coordinate logistics for events, seminars and visitor schedules, including catering and parking.
• Enter timesheets, purchase requests or student records in systems such as Workday or Banner.
• Update the department's web pages, directories and shared drives when details change.
• Track the department's spending on supplies and services against its budget.

Required Skills and Qualifications

To succeed as an administrative assistant, you will need the following skills and qualifications:

• Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel
• Shared calendars in Microsoft Teams or Google Workspace
• Fast, accurate typing and proofreading
• Juggling several managers' requests without dropping any
• Discretion with personnel and student information
• Friendly phone and front-desk manner
• Basic purchasing and expense reporting
• Organizing files so others can find them

Education and Training

Most administrative assistants learn the job's systems through a few weeks of training at work, but some start out by taking office technology classes at a community college. A high school diploma is the usual requirement. You may reach the Level II title after a few years and an executive assistant or office manager post some years after that.

Salary and Job Outlook

BLS projects employment of secretaries and administrative assistants, other than legal, medical and executive ones, to decline about 6 percent from 2025 to 2035. Even with that decline, BLS expects roughly 163,900 openings a year, since so many people hold these jobs and many move on or retire. Versatile assistants fare best. Those who can handle purchasing, event planning and basic web updates are more likely to be kept on when offices trim support staff.

Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive.