How to write an administrative manager cover letter

Administrative departments play a significant role in ensuring the smooth running of activities in an organisation. Administrative managers require an understanding of the company's financial, political and social structures to direct the organisation's operations effectively. Learning how to write an administrative manager cover letter can help you understand how to highlight your qualifications relevant to the vacant position successfully. In this article, we define an administrative manager, provide steps to write an impressive cover letter for an administrative manager role, provide a cover letter template and give an example to guide you.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.

Who is an administrative manager?

An administrative or office manager is an individual who oversees an organisation's administration team and supervises all activities to ensure operations run smoothly. Admin managers working in large companies may also supervise clerical staff. The roles and responsibilities of administrative managers can consist of the following:

• creating effective organisational strategies to ensure the smooth running of operations in an organisation

• managing the recruitment and training process of new hires

• directing the breaking down of large tasks into smaller manageable ones and assigning roles to team members

• monitoring team member's performance to identify areas for improvement and reward hardworking members

• preparing and managing company budgets and costs

• ensuring the organisation complies with the specific industry laws and regulations to avoid fines and penalties

• performing continuous research to remain updated with new and effective administrative trends

Related: What does an administrative manager do? (Plus skills)

How to write an administrative manager cover letter

Hiring managers may require you to submit an administrative manager cover letter when applying for such a job. Writing a relevant and captivating cover letter may impress the recruiter and improve your chances of employment. Review the following steps to guide you when writing yours:

1. Identify your strengths and weaknesses

Performing self-evaluation can help you identify your main strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to determine whether the opportunity is right for you. Identifying your strengths can help you focus on your relevant qualities, which may impress the hiring managers. You can also identify your career and personal goals through this evaluation, allowing you to show your passions and commitment to growth in the cover letter.

Related: What does it mean to self-evaluate? (With benefits and tips)

2. Review the job profile

Reviewing the job description can help you understand what the hiring managers are looking for in a new hire. This can help you align the qualifications and skills the recruiters are looking for with those you mention in your letter. You can also find specific keywords the recruiter may look for in your letter. Examples of keywords you can use when applying for an office manager role include business strategy, marketing, project management, budgeting, invoicing and administration. Using such keywords may help rank your application highly, especially if the recruiter uses an Applicant Tracking System (ATS).

Related: Industry research vs market research: 5 key differences

3. Write your contact details

Including your contact details at the top of the letter can make it easier for the hiring committee to reach you for any feedback or enquiries. Write your full name, email address and phone number. Use a bold and large enough font to make it more visible.

4. Discuss your skills and qualifications

Consider describing your skills in the letter to showcase your qualification for the role and the potential value you can bring to the organisation. Your academic qualifications can include any relevant undergraduate courses you completed and additional certifications earned. Relevant degree programmes can include a bachelor's degree in accounting, marketing, economics, business analytics and contract management. Some relevant skills you can mention include:

• Project management: Administrative managers often oversee large projects requiring them to coordinate and organise various departments to execute the tasks effectively.

• Scheduling and planning: Office managers often work on several projects simultaneously, making it necessary to schedule working hours for each project to ensure completion before deadlines.

• Policy implementation: Office managers require an in-depth understanding of the organisation's structure, goals and missions to create and implement effective strategies to enhance team performance.

• Staff supervision and development: Administrative managers can use various performance monitoring metrics such as work efficiency and output quality to evaluate each member's performance and determine how to improve efficiency.

Related: Managerial roles: definition, categories and skills

5. Describe your work experience

Relevant work experience for an administrative manager's role can include previous managerial positions, clerical, accounting, bookkeeping and personnel recruitment roles. Quantifying your achievements from your previous roles can impress the hiring committee. For example, you may write In my previous office manager role, I managed to reduce the company's expenditure by 11 percent and increase thereof in-service training for members from once every three months to once every month.

Related: Statement of work vs scope of work (with definitions)

6. Structure your letter

After preparing the other sections, consider creating a draft letter to organise the content in a professional and presentable way. Begin with an introductory paragraph where you can briefly introduce yourself, describe your passions and explain the reason for making writing the letter.

You can also mention your career goals, such as retaining top talents, improving the organisation's productivity and promoting effective communication. In the next paragraph, discuss your relevant working experience. Briefly describe your achievements without repeating what's in your CV. In the final section, restate your interest in the role and thank the potential employer for considering your application.

Related: How to write an administrative manager CV

7. Proofread the cover letter

Review the letter to eliminate grammatical and punctuation errors. This can showcase your professionalism and interest in the role and highlight your attention to detail. Using a checklist of common mistakes individuals make when writing cover letters can offer you an all-rounded approach to proofreading, minimising the risk of errors.

Related: Complete guide for how to become a freelance proofreader

Cover letter template for administrative manager positions

Analyse the following cover letter template to guide your writing:

[First name] [Last name], [Degree or certification if applicable]
[Phone number] | [Email address] | [City]
[Date]

Dear [Hiring manager's first name] [Hiring manager's last name],

[Express excitement for the position, including the role title and the company name]. [Introduce yourself by explaining why you're applying for the job and how the job aligns with your career goals and what specifically draws you to the company].

[Explain your relevant experience and qualifications without repeating what's in your CV]. [Highlight one to two relevant achievements with facts and data when possible]. [Explain why you'd be a good fit for the company]. [Address employment gaps or career transitions].

[Express gratitude]. [Summarise qualifications]. [Restate interest in the role]. [Call to action + availability and preferred contact method].

[Complimentary close],
[Signature]

Cover letter example for an administrative manager

Here's an example cover letter for an administrative manager role:

Collin Phillips, Bachelor's degree in Accounting
+44 7255 348916 | collinphillips@email.com | Manchester, United Kingdom
26 December 2022
Opperman Ltd.

Dear Olivia Harris,

I'm writing this cover letter to express my interest in an Administrative Manager role in Opperman Ltd. I was eager to submit my application materials for the position upon viewing the job advertisement on the company's webpage. I have eight years of experience in accounting, bookkeeping and other administrative roles, making me a suitable fit for the position. My main goals are to significantly improve the company's performance in terms of quality and quantity of output, improve communication between various departments and team members and reduce the company's budgeting techniques to reduce expenditure and maximise profitability.

From my work experience, I've gained problem-solving and communication skills, allowing me to work efficiently with my colleagues and supervisors. I've also gained technical admin and management skills to lead the administrative unit of the organisation successfully. My adept skills in project management, budget allocation and project scheduling can enable me to lead the team in completing tasks before their deadlines achieving maximum customer satisfaction. My attention to detail allows me keenly monitor company and individual performance to accurately prepare performance reports and predict future company performance.

Some of my most significant achievements include implementing efficient data-sharing systems, improving the collaboration between various departments and eliminating redundancy within my team. I was also responsible for introducing open work environment systems to enhance communication between members and promoting autonomy among members. My work organising regular company inspections helped ensure compliance with the continuously changing regulations in the industry. I feel that I can apply this same experience to drive growth and enhance efficiency within the Opperman team.

I appreciate you taking the time to read through my cover letter and hope to use my skills and experience to lead the company to success. I look forward to receiving a positive response. Kindly contact me through my email address or on the phone.

Yours sincerely,
Collin Phillips

The model shown is for illustration purposes only, and may require additional formatting to meet accepted standards.