administrator
noun (countable)
UKədˈmɪn.ɪ.streɪ.tərUSədˈmɪn.ɪ.streɪ.t̬ɚ
a person responsible for running a business, organization, or system by overseeing its operations and ensuring its proper function
Example Sentences
The school administrator implemented new policies to improve student attendance and overall academic performance.
She was promoted to network administrator after demonstrating her ability to keep the company’s IT systems running smoothly.
Good communication skills and attention to detail are crucial qualities for any effective administrator.
As a hospital administrator, he coordinated with medical staff to ensure patients received prompt and accurate treatment.
The project administrator kept detailed records of budget allocations, deadlines, and team responsibilities.
A capable administrator fosters transparency and collaboration, making sure that every team member feels valued and understands the organization’s objectives.
Due to the rapid expansion of the nonprofit, the newly hired administrator was tasked with overseeing global fundraising campaigns, managing volunteer groups across multiple continents, and streamlining reporting procedures to maintain efficiency.
In modern workplaces, an administrator often wears many hats, juggling tasks such as budgeting, scheduling, and human resource management, all while providing leadership and maintaining organizational structure.
Thesaurus
Synonyms
How to Use
A person responsible for organizing and supervising processes, departments, or systems.An administrator is someone whose primary duty is to ensure that an organization, department, or system runs efficiently and effectively. Depending on context, this can mean handling schedules, budgets, communications, staffing, policy implementation, record-keeping, and overall coordination. Administrators often design and enforce procedures—like office protocols or departmental guidelines—and see to it that team members have the resources and direction needed to meet organizational goals.In education, a school administrator might oversee curriculum standards, manage teacher assignments, and maintain policy compliance. In a corporate setting, administrators often control finances, manage documents, and coordinate projects, ensuring each department meets targets while staying aligned with company strategy. In government or nonprofit agencies, administrators allocate resources, oversee public programs, and uphold regulations or legal requirements.A successful administrator typically excels in organization, communication, decision-making, and leadership. They keep track of multiple moving parts—from daily tasks to long-term objectives—resolving conflicts, adjusting strategies, and monitoring results. By doing so, an administrator upholds the core function of administration: orchestrating people, processes, and data so that the organization stays on track, adapts to challenges, and reaches its intended outcomes. Ultimately, administrators serve as the backbone of an operation, bridging the big-picture vision with the day-to-day tasks essential for smooth performance.
Alternatives
Depending on your context, you can choose synonyms or related terms that highlight different aspects of an administrator’s responsibilities. “Manager” or “director” might be more fitting if the role involves steering strategy and guiding a specific team or department. “Coordinator” suggests someone who ensures tasks, schedules, or resources align in a cohesive manner, often emphasizing logistical details. “Executive” can connote a higher-level leader, typically involved in major decisions. In school or academic contexts, “principal” or “dean” serves a similar function, though they carry formal connotations tied to educational institutions.If you’re referencing someone who handles day-to-day tasks and paperwork, “office manager” or “office administrator” is precise. Meanwhile, “head of operations” may emphasize oversight of multiple business areas. “Supervisor” or “overseer” can fit when a role primarily checks compliance or progress. Each of these options underscores the function of directing, supervising, and keeping systems running—but each evokes different levels of authority, scope of responsibility, or organizational context. Select the title that best mirrors the scale, domain, and nuance of the role you have in mind.
Writing
When writing about an administrator, clarity and specificity are key. Identify their domain—business, government, academia, healthcare—so readers grasp what they oversee. You might list major projects, teams under their purview, and any policy areas or compliance standards they handle. In a formal context (like a report or policy paper), detailing the administrator’s responsibilities shows how their decisions shape organizational outcomes. For instance, “The administrator schedules weekly staff meetings, manages the department budget, and ensures compliance with new regulations.”In a profile or feature piece, you might focus on the personal qualities that make an administrator effective—like communication styles, conflict-resolution methods, or leadership philosophy. For example, “Ms. Harris, the new hospital administrator, fosters a culture of transparency by sharing budget updates each quarter.” Delving into how the individual collaborates with teams or reacts to crises can illustrate their impact. If you’re comparing different administrative models—like centralized vs. decentralized—highlight how each style changes the administrator’s role in decision-making or resource distribution.
Casual Conversation
In everyday conversation, you’ll likely use “administrator” to refer to someone who keeps things organized and on track, whether it’s a small nonprofit or a large university. You might say, “The office administrator is the one who handles all the paperwork and scheduling,” or “He’s the system administrator responsible for maintaining our company’s servers.” It conveys that this person is in charge of planning, documentation, and oversight.If a friend runs a small community group, you might call them the administrator, emphasizing they deal with finances, membership, and event coordination. It’s also common to hear “sysadmin” informally in tech contexts (short for “systems administrator”), referring to someone maintaining networks, servers, and IT infrastructure. Regardless of the setting, the essence remains: an administrator is the go-to person ensuring daily operations proceed smoothly, problems get addressed, and everyone knows their responsibilities and deadlines.
Etymology
The term “administrator” originates from the Latin “administrare,” combining “ad-” (to) and “ministrare” (to serve or manage). In ancient Rome, this root signified service or support under authority, evolving through Old French as “administrateur.” Over centuries, as structured governance and organizations grew, the word took on the meaning of a person entrusted with overseeing systems, resources, or groups.By the time it entered Middle English, “administrator” had come to denote roles in ecclesiastical or civic contexts, describing those who managed church affairs or civic duties. As societies advanced and bureaucracy expanded, the term spread into various fields—schools, businesses, government agencies—always highlighting oversight and responsible stewardship. Thus, the concept of an “administrator” remains tethered to its Latin origins: a person who carries out and coordinates the service-oriented task of maintaining order and direction for a larger entity.