What does a PMO Administrator do?

Most organizations using projects and programmes to manage change today utilise a PMO to help ensure projects are delivered successfully.

PMOs – defined as “any individual, team or department that supports portfolio, programme and project delivery within an organisation” (House of PMO) – will have a dedicated team and one role frequently seen within the PMO is the PMO Administrator.

A PMO Administrator is a role which is considered to be an entry-level PMO role and is primarily responsible for supporting the Project Manager and their team in the delivery of the project.

The PMO Administrator role supports projects in administrative areas such as maintaining documentation, tracking progress, and coordinating communication between different stakeholders. They are also typically responsible for supporting the setting up and ongoing use of tools and systems, updating dashboards and reports, and ensuring that best practices are followed throughout the project.

A PMO Administrator could be assigned to just one project or multiple ones depending on the amount of support needed. They can sometimes be the only person providing support or they can be part of a larger team of PMO professionals, again, depending on the size of project and the amount of support needed.

If a PMO Administrator is part of a bigger PMO team, they will also provide support to the PMO Manager too, in various administrative tasks to ensure the successful delivery of initiatives within the PMO itself.

PMOs have gained popularity in many organisations for a number of key reasons.

• Standardisation: PMOs ensure consistent project management practices across the organisation, leading to better predictability and control.
• Governance: PMOs provide oversight and governance, ensuring projects align with organisational goals and comply with regulations.
• Efficiency: PMOs help streamline processes, improve resource allocation, reduce waste, leading to cost savings and increased efficiency.
• Support: PMOs offer support to project managers through training, tools, and methodologies, enhancing project delivery success.
• Strategic Alignment: PMOs ensure projects and programmes are aligned with the strategic objectives of the organisation, enhancing overall effectiveness.
• Risk Management: PMOs help in the identification and mitigation of risks early, increasing the likelihood of project success.

The House of PMO provided a comprehensive role profile of a PMO Administrator within the course text for the Essentials for PMO Administrator course.

The course text – the PMO Competency Framework – outlines five key responsibilities which PMO Administrators should expect to carry out in their role:

1. Provide a comprehensive administrative service which can include anything from providing meeting support, chasing actions, making purchases and dealing with ad-hoc queries.
2. Ensure that all project related information and documentation is logged, version-controlled, maintained, monitored and filed.
3. Maintain systems for the recording of all project data – timesheets, costs etc.
4. Coordinate the collation of reports and produce summary reports and packs.
5. Maintain risks, actions, issues, change and dependency registers.

The PMO Administrator role is considered to be the entry-level role in a PMO and will be working alongside other roles such as the PMO Analyst. For more information on this role, check out our blog on what a PMO Analyst does.

The PMO Administrator tends to report to the PMO Manager but will also have a day-to-day line of responsibility to the project managers they are supporting.

After gaining experience as a PMO Administrator, you may have the opportunity to move into the next level in the PMO which is the PMO Analyst role.

There are other avenues to explore, such as the Assistant Project Manager role or going deeper into specialist roles within the PMO, for example, focusing on finance, risk or planning.

The PMO Competency Framework also outlines the key knowledge, skills and behaviours a PMO Administrator typically needs in order to carry out their duties successfully.

There are many skills needed however the top three would include:

Organisational skills – the very best PMO Administrators are the ones that can manage many different tasks, often at the same time, whilst keeping people informed. The project environment lends itself to anyone who loves working in a busy environment with lots of competing deadlines.

Communications skills – the role of the PMO Administrator is definitely a people-based role and there are LOTS of people who look to the PMO Administrator as the central hub for information, help and guidance. PMO Administrators tend to know who is doing what, and who to ask when answers are needed.

Analytical skills – with the amount of reporting that happens on a project, no PMO Administrator will be a stranger to a spreadsheet or two. At this stage in a PMO career it is about developing core project data skills with a view to stepping up and working with more complex information and analysis.

According to the Association for Project Management (APM), the average salary for this role in the UK is around £25,000 to £35,000 per year. When the average salary is converted to American Dollars, this range is approximately $35,000 to $50,000 per year. However, salaries can vary depending on the organization, location, and level of experience.

You typically need a background in an office-based role, ideally something administrative such as business administration, personal assistant, team support. For complete beginners, without any project management knowledge or previous work in the field, it can be helpful to gain certification training in this field, to demonstrate your knowledge and skills. Essentials for PMO Administrators provides an introduction to Project, Programme and Portfolio Management (P3M), within the context of a PMO and is a great place to start for all aspiring PMO and project administrators.

Gaining training can help build confidence in the understanding of how projects work and what PMO administrators are expected to do in their first role. It will also help highlight what transferable skills you already have which will be used in your PMO administration role.

Becoming a PMO Administrator requires a combination of experience, skills, and education.

• Do some research into the PMO Administrator role and learn more about the roles and responsibilities and expectations of the role.
• Consider formal education in project management and PMO – the Essentials for PMO Administrators has been created specifically for people looking to get into PMO.
• Understand what transferable skills are needed in a PMO Administrator role and how these can be strengthened
• Find out if any opportunities already exist within your current organisation to make a move into project management.

A PMO Administrator role is a challenging and varied one, often no two days are the same. It is a team-based role, supporting many different people with different demands. It is a role that requires excellent organisational skills, strong communication abilities, and the flexibility to adapt to changing priorities. If you thrive in a dynamic environment, enjoy multitasking, and have a keen eye for detail, a PMO Administrator role could be a great fit for you.

A PMO Administrator is a key entry-level role within a PMO, responsible for providing comprehensive administrative support to project teams. This includes maintaining documentation, tracking progress, and coordinating communication among stakeholders. They ensure the smooth running of project activities by setting up and managing tools, updating reports, and maintaining best practices.

The role requires excellent organisational, communication, and analytical skills, and offers a dynamic and varied work environment. PMO Administrators often report to PMO Managers and may work on multiple projects simultaneously, making them vital to the successful delivery of organisational initiatives.