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Project Secretary Duties and Responsibilities

The type of organization a project secretary works for will determine the exact roles and responsibilities they carry out. Based on job listings we analyzed, a project secretary’s duties typically involve:

Organize Documents Keeping all important documents, invoices, and contracts well maintained is a key aspect of a project secretary’s role. They implement filing systems that make it easy to find any document quickly and efficiently.

Reply to Correspondence Responding to emails, letters, and telephone calls are key job functions. Project secretaries serve as the first point of contact for the business and for anyone involved in the project, so it’s important that they maintain a professional disposition at all times and are able to answer queries or requests for information regarding the project.

Order Supplies Project secretaries liaise with suppliers and vendors to order supplies for projects and the office, including computer software or equipment and stationary.

Handle Invoices Project secretaries create and pay invoices for contractors, clients, and suppliers of project equipment or materials. They process payments and ensure that any invoices due are paid on time.

Organize Meetings Project secretaries arrange and prepare for company meetings in-office and off-site, which includes managing schedules for meetings and conferences for the whole team.

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Project Secretary Skills and Qualifications

Project secretaries should have strong typing and computer skills, be good decision-makers who are able to prioritize tasks effectively, and have strong writing skills. Typically, employers will require a bachelor’s degree in secretarial studies, business administration, or a similar field, as well as the following abilities:

  • Computer skills – many of a project secretary’s tasks take place using a computer, from responding to emails to typing letters and updating spreadsheets, so applicants need strong computer skills and the ability to pick up new software quickly
  • Interpersonal skills – project secretaries often greet clients, answer the telephone, and communicate with senior members of the team, so they need to have excellent interpersonal and communication skills
  • Organization skills – from filing documents to ensuring all tasks are completed on time to keeping the office tidy, organization is a key aspect of a project secretary’s skill set
  • Time management – project secretaries aren’t just responsible for managing their own time, but also the time of their managers, from checking they’re attending meetings to managing their schedules for the upcoming months
  • Prioritization skills – project secretaries need to make decisions about which tasks take precedence and must manage their own workload effectively without constant supervision
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Project Secretary Education and Training

The minimum requirement to become a project secretary is a bachelor’s degree in secretarial studies, business management, administration, or a similar subject. Employers also often require several years’ experience in a secretarial or administrative role to provide evidence of skills. Project secretaries are required to have excellent computer skills, specifically in typing, database management, and spreadsheets. Most of the training for this role is received on the job from senior colleagues.

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Project Secretary Salary and Outlook

The median annual salary for a project secretary is $37,000. Project secretaries in the 10th percentile earn around $23,000 a year, while the highest paid earn over $62,000 a year. Some companies offer bonuses that can reach up to $3,000, and profit-sharing opportunities can provide earning potential of up to $14,000. Commission pay for project secretaries can amount to $5,000. Location and level of experience impact pay for this role, and around half of employers offer dental plans and medical insurance as part of their benefits package. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that this job field will decline by 5 percent through 2026.

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Helpful Resources

We’ve collected some of the best resources to help you develop your career as a project secretary:

The Company Secretary Forum – this LinkedIn forum is for anyone in the secretarial profession who wants to share ideas, discuss topical issues, and help others in the industry by sharing advice and knowledge

The Organized Admin – Julie Perrine’s book is for anyone wanting to implement a more effective system in their office or who wants to organize their workspace. This book is packed with useful advice, information, and resources to develop more efficient workplace processes

Administrative Assistant and Secretary’s Handbook – from managing phone calls to coordinating schedules and meetings, this book is a helpful reference guide for all things related to administration. It covers a range of topics, including Excel, Google Docs, Outlook, and Publisher Web conferencing, making it ideally suited to project secretaries in training

Executive Secretary BlogExecutive Secretary Magazine‘s blog has a great range of articles and interviews to inspire, educate, and advise. This is a great source of information for project secretaries who want to build their knowledge and learn new techniques to take to the workplace