Vice President of Administration Job Descriptions, Average Salary, Interview Questions

[Your Company Name] is hiring a VP of administration, which supports the president and CEO in communications, board meetings and events, and other delegated initiatives designed to achieve our strategic priorities. You will be serving as a trusted adviser and assist with the management of executive leadership projects, meetings, and events. An ideal candidate will have proven experience managing employees as well as carrying out a variety of operational and managerial tasks.

Typical duties and responsibilities

• Overseeing, guiding, and evaluating the work of the other employees 
• Monitor implementation of program policies and practices
• Prepare operational budgets and look for ways to increase revenue and decrease costs
• Support program growth and development
• Manage the company’s daily operations
• Attend meetings with the board of directors and share company information 
• Recruit, interview, and hire managerial staff
• Draft and implement best policies and practices
• Facilitate implementation of new systems

Education and experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or a related field
• Master’s degree preferred
• 5+ years of experience in a managerial role

Required skills and qualifications

• Able to manage and motivate staff 
• Demonstrated financial and managerial skills 
• Confident and goal-oriented
• Strong leadership qualities
• Exceptional knowledge of finance, accounting, and budgeting
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to problem-solve complex situations

Preferred qualifications

• Previous project management experience 
• Master’s degree in business administration or a similar field
• 10+ years leading high-performance teams

This position is an Officer level position that reports directly to the Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer. The key responsibilities are leading and directing the operations of the Underwriting, Suitability, Life and Annuity New Business, Agency Accounting, and Agent Licensing and Contracting Departments. Provides strategic and operational planning input, catalyst for continuous improvement, monitors goals, and make adjustments to meet them, works closely with other vice presidents and corporate executives to ascertain goals and advises about staffing and other company resources.

Essential functions

• Lead and direct the operations of the Underwriting, Suitability, Life and Annuity New Business, Agency Accounting, and Agent Licensing & Contracting Departments to meet established Service Level Agreements
• Ensure Departments have the right people in the right roles in order to meet the needs of the operation
• Ensure Departments have the proper training in place in order to meet the needs of the operation
• Ensure Departments maintain high levels of customer service and quality
• Act as a catalyst to continually drive the improvement of the key processes of the Departments
• Work with management to develop short and long-term customer service objectives with a focus on continually becoming easier to do business with
• Provide guidance on setting priorities
• Stays current on changing regulation and share information with team to ensure compliance
• Enforces compliance of company policies and procedures
• Serve on various intradepartmental and company committees as needed
• Oversee key projects in areas of responsibility
• Management responsibilities may include, but not limited to, budget oversight, generating production reports and activity logs, reviewing/approving complex cases, developing and monitoring operational procedures, etc.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

• Thorough knowledge of insurance industry and life and annuity products
• Solid working knowledge of underwriting, annuity and life new business, field compensation, agent licensing, and contracting
• Able to interpret and apply statutory regulations and tax codes applicable to life insurance and/or annuity products
• Ability to maintain performance standards under pressure
• Strong communication skills to effectively interact with staff, agents, clients, and management
• Knowledge of MS Office products and ability to use appropriate software tools
• Knowledge of Oracle Insurance Policy Administration system a plus

Education and experience

• Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate field (Up to 4 years of additional experience may substitute for required bachelor’s degree)
• 15+ years of industry experience with underwriting, new business processing, and client services
• 10+ years management experience
• Officer level experience a plus

It is critical that the VP of Administration be capable of integrating smoothly into the senior management, fitting into the organization’s culture. They will provide counsel and support to the CEO and the Board of Directors on all human resources and compliance matters, as well as work on various strategic initiatives and special projects. They will work with the executive, program and human resources staff in a supportive and direct manner with a minimum of ego. They will have strong interpersonal skills, excellent written and oral communication skills, a hands-on management style, as well as the ability to address and solve problems or issues as they arise. In addition, it is expected that they will be diplomatic, will operate with the highest integrity, and will possess sound judgment – as well as a sense of humor.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate closely with the President and CEO and senior management to ensure that all Human Resources initiatives are aligned with the strategic direction and goals of the organization
• Manage and direct the activities of the Human Resources department, ensuring the adequacy and quality of agency-wide staffing, recruitment, retention, compensation and benefits, diversity and equity, policies and protocols, payroll processes and platforms, regulatory compliance (e.g., OSHA, EEOC, NYSDOL), third-party vendor relationships (e.g., brokers, insurers)
• Supervise the HR team of recruiters and generalists; develop their skills, capabilities, performance
• Collaborate with departmental managers to design and implement job training and career enhancement plans
• Address management-employee relations, e.g., absences, health matters, conduct, communication, conflict, grievances, organizational change, separation
• Leverage software (ADP) and technical support, enabling the agency to operate in an efficient digitized state with real-time data
• Liaise with external partners, funders, and other stakeholders to actively manage the agency’s risk profile, reputation, messaging, and quality control
• Coordinate with programs to ensure the agency’s delivery model adheres to City standards
• Oversee internal corporate culture and employee engagement (work rules, incidents, announcements, morale)
• Manage communication with outside attorneys re: legal and contractual matters
• Support external audit responses through documentation, questionnaires, narratives
• Serve as a “bridge” between the agency’s programmatic, operational, and executive teams
• Provide thought leadership and risk management support to the executive director and board

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in a related discipline; advanced degree desired
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in Human Resources preferred
• Successful track record of driving organizational change and transformation through supervision of and collaboration with staff in a manner that is flexible and supportive, yet ensures accountability
• Excellent leadership and management skills, including the capacity to attract, develop, inspire, and retain staff
• Effective and persuasive communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal, with ability to appreciate various viewpoints, share relevant information in a timely manner, and maintain a high level of professionalism
• Demonstrated ability to work in a partnership with a strong leadership team and a committed staff with high standards and expectations, and must exhibit sound judgment and a sense of balance to know when to move with the tide and when to push back
• Prior experience assessing organizational needs and developing and implementing policies, systems, and processes
• Keen analytical and problem-solving skills that enable sound strategic decision making; resourcefulness in setting priorities and guiding investment in people and systems
• High level of emotional intelligence with a positive outlook and good sense of humor
• Strong professional judgment and ability to maintain confidentiality and build trust among staff at all levels
• Prior experience with enterprise HRIS modules (Paychex, ADP, PeopleSoft, etc.)
• Capable of managing difficult situations with tact and diplomacy
• Commitment to mission

Directly support a Senior Executive Leader to ensure effective management of all accountabilities of the executive office. This includes communications, setting business agendas, regular interaction with the Executive’s direct reports, managing the office, as well as leading a project management team. The position will play a critical role in ensuring the effective and efficient operations of a large department, as well as serving as a key liaison on behalf of the Senior Executive with corporate colleagues, employees, and the CEO’s office.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate strong inter-departmental communication and engagement
• Ensure the Senior Executive and leadership team are meeting key deliverables and timelines
• Help build a culture of success and support the value proposition of the function
• Provide thought leadership and initiate activities to maximize organizational effectiveness, including goal tracking, organizational effectiveness, involvement in the enterprise long-range plan, orchestration of the Executive and department calendar, expense management, and other initiatives as assigned
• Assist in the coordination of department programs and initiatives, e.g., Leadership Development Program, Internships, the Diversity & Inclusion Group, and the department engagement team, offsites and Town Halls
• Leverage direct team to meet responsibilities of role
• Take ownership for preparing materials and agenda for a variety of meetings, such as board presentations, regular business line reviews, Leadership Team meetings, Town halls and department officer meetings
• Arrange speakers and coordinate scheduling of facilities and audio/visual needs. Ensure engagement of many audiences and geographies
• Partner with other areas across the enterprise including Finance, Human Resources, and Corporate Communications to ensure delivery of key priorities in support of the organization’s effectiveness including budget management, organizational goals and tracking, department communications, office, and talent management
• Leading and managing the GCO project team

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• 10+ years of relevant experience
• Strong project management and organizational skills
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Proven ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines
• Strong relationship-building skills; highly effective communication skills with the ability to identify and resolve/mitigate issues or risks and foster collaboration within the department and with other business areas
• Strong analytic skills and financial acumen as well as excellent judgment and problem-solving skills