If you want to become a senior coordinator, you will need to focus on one of two career paths. The title “senior coordinator” can refer to individuals who work as advisors and educators to senior level managers at an organization, but it also refers to an executive level assistant. Both jobs require different duties, skills and education levels, but ultimately aim to help improve the work of upper management in any organization.
If you want to become a senior coordinator who works as a peer of executives and managers within an organization, you must start by getting an education. Most senior coordinators have at least a Bachelor’s in business, but many have gone on to attain an MBA. Learning various management techniques and how to work with a variety of personalities and work styles is a crucial element of this job that school helps instill. Beyond education, a senior coordinator must have a great deal of experience working as a manager, so you will likely have to work your way up a corporate ladder for many years to attain the necessary perspective.
Focusing your attention and coordinating manager activities will be important roles if you become a senior coordinator. Know that this job’s primary responsibility is to be a consultant for other executives and managers. You will help answer difficult organizational and personnel questions. In addition, you will be responsible for improving management’s ability to lead, often by coordinating and leading training sessions.
The executive level assistant type of senior coordinator works as more of an events and information coordinator for executives. If you want to become a senior coordinator who assists upper level employees, you will not need as deep an educational background, but will still need many years of experience. Senior managers and executives frequently have very busy schedules that you will need to coordinate, so several years as an assistant to lower level employees will be great preparation.
Understand that the daily responsibilities of the job change frequently. Handling executive schedules is one of the primary duties of this position and involves you managing a calendar to fit in meetings, trips and work time for the executive. Smaller duties like managing correspondence is another important role you will play. Finally, taking care of details so the executive can focus on her job is important, so handling travel arrangements, coordinating meetings with other executives’ assistants and screening calls are all necessary skills for a successful senior coordinator.