Contract, Program and Project Administrators

ANZSCO ID 5111

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
164,700
Future Growth
9.3%
Weekly Earnings
$1,848
Full-Time Share
82%
Female Share
55%
Average age
42

Summary

Contract, Program and Project Administrators plan and undertake administration of contracts, organisational programs, special projects and support services.

Tasks

  • developing, reviewing and negotiating variations to contracts, programs, projects and services

  • responding to inquiries and resolving problems concerning contracts, programs, projects, services provided, and persons affected

  • managing paperwork associated with contracts, programs, projects and services provided

  • working with Project Managers, Architects, Engineering Professionals, owners and others to ensure that goals are met

  • advising senior management on matters requiring attention and implementing their decisions

  • overseeing work by contractors and reporting on variations to work orders

  • preparing and reviewing submissions and reports concerning the organisation's activities

  • collecting and analysing data associated with projects undertaken, and reporting on project outcomes

  • reviewing and arranging new office accommodation

Characteristics

Job Type
Clerical And Administrative Workers
Skill Level
High skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Below average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • University
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Administrative
  • Enterprising
Physical Demand
  • Sedentary

Outlook

Employment Outlook

JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers:

  • is expected to grow strongly
  • is likely to reach 139,700 by 2026.
  • Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.

    Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.

    Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.

Projected Change
9.3%
(or 11,900 jobs)
From
127,800
in 2021
To
139,700
in 2026

Number of Workers

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Year Employment
2011 98,100
2012 108,700
2013 129,200
2014 124,100
2015 117,800
2016 112,600
2017 109,600
2018 123,800
2019 121,200
2020 120,200
2021 127,800
2026 139,700

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 82% of people employed as Contract, Program and Project Administrators work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 16 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 43 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    More than a third of workers regularly work overtime or extra hours (either paid or unpaid).

    Median full-time earnings are $1,848 per week, this is much higher than the all jobs median ($1,593):

    • 3 in 4 workers earn more than $1,524
    • 1 in 4 earn more than $2,278

    Median hourly earnings are $49, this is more than the all jobs median ($41 per hour).

    Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Overtime hours: ABS, Characteristics of Employment, 2021. Full-time median earnings and median hourly earnings: ABS, Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021. Compared to all jobs median.

Weekly Earnings (Before Tax)

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Earnings Contract, Program and Project Administrators All Jobs Average
Full-Time Earnings 1,848 1,593
Total Earnings 0 0

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.


Industries

Main industries

1
Public Administration and Safety
27.3%
2
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
12.5%
3
Construction
10.2%
4
Health Care and Social Assistance
7.8%
5
Other industries
42.1%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

30.3% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

23.0% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

20.7% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

6.7% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

10.2% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

1.7% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

1.4% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

5.9% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Contract, Program and Project Administrators All Jobs Average
NSW 30.3 31.6
VIC 23.0 25.6
QLD 20.7 20.0
SA 6.7 7.0
WA 10.2 10.8
TAS 1.7 2.0
NT 1.4 1.0
ACT 5.9 1.9


  • Around 73% of Contract, Program and Project Administrators live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.

    The Australian Capital Territory has a large share of employment relative to its population size.

    The regions with the largest share of workers are:

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
42
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
55%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Contract, Program and Project Administrators is 42 years. This is similar to the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 35 to 44 years.

    Females make up 55% of the workforce. This is 7 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.

Age Profile (% Share)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Contract, Program and Project Administrators All Jobs Average
15-19 0.3 5.0
20-24 3.7 9.3
25-34 24.6 22.9
35-44 29.6 22.0
45-54 25.6 21.6
55-59 9.2 9.0
60-64 5.0 6.0
65 and Over 2.1 4.2
Median Age 42 40

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Employment Pathways

Education, training and experience

A formal qualification in a relevant field (like business and management, project management, engineering, ICT or accounting) and relevant industry experience is usually needed to work as a Contract, Program or Project Administrator. University and Vocational Education and Training (VET) are both common study pathways.

Visit

  • Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
  • ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Business Services, Financial Services and Public Sector VET training pathways.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Type of Qualification Contract, Program and Project Administrators All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 18.3 10.1
Bachelor degree 31.4 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 16.4 11.6
Certificate III/IV 14.1 21.1
Year 12 13.0 18.1
Year 11 2.5 4.8
Year 10 and below 4.3 12.5

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.


Skills and Knowledge

Employers look for Contract, Program and Project Administrators who can communicate well with a variety of stakeholders and provide good customer service.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 55%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 55%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 54%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 54%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 52%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 52%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 52%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 50%

    Management of personnel resources

    Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.

  • 50%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 50%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 48%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 48%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 48%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 46%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 46%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • 46%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 45%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 45%

    Learning strategies

    Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.

  • 43%

    Systems analysis

    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.

  • 39%

    Management of material resources

    Providing the right equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do work.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 83%

    Clerical

    Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.

  • 76%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 60%

    Personnel and human resources

    Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.

  • 60%

    Computers and electronics

    Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • 59%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 58%

    Economics and accounting

    Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.

  • 58%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 53%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 45%

    Sales and marketing

    Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

  • 37%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 33%

    Production and processing

    Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.

  • 31%

    Communications and media

    Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.

  • 29%

    Public safety and security

    Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.

  • 28%

    Psychology

    Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.

  • 28%

    Law and government

    How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.

  • 24%

    Technical design

    Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

  • 24%

    Transportation

    Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.

  • 23%

    Telecommunications

    Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

  • 20%

    Building and construction

    Materials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.

  • 16%

    Sociology and anthropology

    Group behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 57%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 55%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 55%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 55%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 50%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 50%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 50%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 50%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 50%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 46%

    Inductive reasoning

    Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.

  • 45%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 43%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 43%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 41%

    Brainstorming

    Come up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.

  • 41%

    Originality

    Come up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.

  • 39%

    Visualization

    Imagine how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

  • 37%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 37%

    Multitasking

    Do two or more things at the same time.

  • 36%

    Mathematics

    Choose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.

  • 34%

    Flexibility of closure

    See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.


Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 79%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 70%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 69%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 68%

    Communicating with the public

    Giving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 65%

    Collecting and organising information

    Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.

  • 64%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 64%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 63%

    Providing office support

    Doing day-to-day office work such as filing and processing paperwork.

  • 62%

    Documenting or recording information

    Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

  • 62%

    Coordinating the work of a team

    Getting members of a group to work together to finish a task.

  • 61%

    Negotiating and resolving conflicts

    Handling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.

  • 60%

    Assessing and evaluating things

    Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.

  • 59%

    Scheduling work and activities

    Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

  • 58%

    Working with the public

    Greeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.

  • 56%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

    Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.

  • 55%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 55%

    Managing payments and orders

    Monitoring and controlling resources and the spending of money.

  • 54%

    Making sense of information and ideas

    Looking at, working with, and understanding data or information.

  • 53%

    Working with computers

    Using computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

  • 52%

    Checking compliance with standards

    Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.


Interests and demands

Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.

Interests

Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.

  • 100%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 76%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 38%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 33%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.

  • 29%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 14%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 90%

    Relationships

    Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

  • 81%

    Independence

    Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.

  • 67%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

  • 67%

    Recognition

    Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.

  • 67%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 57%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 100%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 99%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 97%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 92%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 91%

    Unstructured work

    Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.

  • 89%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 89%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 86%

    Letters and memos

    Write letters and memos.

  • 86%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 85%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 81%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 81%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 80%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 80%

    Spend time sitting

    Spend time sitting at work.

  • 79%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 78%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 76%

    Repeating same tasks

    Repeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.

  • 74%

    Responsible for outcomes

    Take responsibility for the results of other people's work.

  • 71%

    Conflict situations

    Deal with conflict or disagreements.

  • 70%

    Angry or unpleasant people

    Deal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.

Occupational Information Network
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 11-3011.00 - Administrative Services Managers.


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