Education administrators are employed by public and private schools, school districts, colleges, and universities to plan and oversee educational policies. Administrators are also hired by private preschools, museums, and libraries to manage curricula and educational programs. An education administrator's role is to organize and supervise the programs, while also managing budget allocation and resource distribution. External relations with school boards, local and regional governments, and parents are often required by an education administrator as well.
Within an education-based organization, an administrator generally serves in a leadership position, overseeing teachers, support staff, and students. This role includes implementing and managing on-the-job training for teachers and other staff as well as coordinating parent and teacher conferences. Given the supervisory nature of an education administrator's job, many are first employed as teachers for a number of years prior to being promoted. An administrator is often responsible for the hiring and supervision of everyone on the staff of a school or other educational institution, including teachers and support positions.
In addition to the coordination of employed individuals, administrators may be responsible for the budget allocation of the school. This process involves working with school board members and government representatives to procure and manage monetary resources. For private schools, museums, and libraries, this process means working with budget committees and boards of directors to distribute resources.
Educational policy for a school or other institution is typically directed by an education administrator. This means coordinating the efforts of teachers to ensure a general direction in curriculum for the education of the students. It may also involve the facilitation of different educational programs within a school, such as extra-curricular activities, athletics, and other after-school programs. An education administrator is the individual responsible for making sure all student programs have the necessary funding, resources, and staff to function.
The actual specific job functions for an education administrator will vary depending on the institution of employment. For schools, this job is usually the role of a principal or assistant principal. For private schools and businesses, the job may be as a director of programs or head master. Libraries and museums often employ administrators as instruction coordinators. For colleges and universities, education administrators are employed at all levels of the management structure — as admissions officers, department heads, and as deans and provosts.
Day-to-day activities of education administrators generally includes meetings with teachers, parents, and school staff. Work is completed in an office environment, with paperwork often being necessary. While the job has a typical work day and work week, after-hours meetings and attendance at school events is often necessary.