Management Development for Administrative Officers Training Course

Duration 5 days 10 modules · 33 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Administrative Officers, Senior Administrative Officers and others
Fee from USD 1,100 KSh 95,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 16 Nov 2026 Course code SD-GPS-067

Before you join: Participants should have practical experience in an administrative, programme support, office management, executive support or operations coordination role.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Administrative officers sit at the point where policy, procedures, people, records, budgets and service requests meet. They are expected to keep work moving, provide accurate advice, maintain controls and resolve routine operational problems without exceeding delegated authority. When roles, priorities, records or approvals are unclear, backlogs grow, decisions are delayed and public confidence can be affected. This course addresses the management discipline required to run administrative functions reliably and accountably.

Participants learn to translate organisational mandates into practical work plans, assign responsibilities, manage competing requests and prepare concise briefings for management decisions. The course covers administrative governance, delegation, service standards, workflow control, staff supervision, meeting management, stakeholder communication, records management, budget monitoring, procurement controls and risk management. Participants use recognised methods including RACI, SMART objectives, ISO 31000 risk registers and Plan-Do-Check-Act improvement cycles.

Teaching combines short instructor briefings with public-sector cases, facilitated group work, document reviews, management simulations and structured application planning. Cases reflect common administrative pressures such as delayed approvals, overloaded service desks, incomplete records, supplier documentation gaps, difficult staff conversations and urgent ministerial or executive requests. Participants leave with an administrative management toolkit containing reusable planning, reporting, control and improvement templates, together with a 90-day workplace application plan.

The course is suited to administrative officers who already manage recurring processes, coordinate colleagues or provide support to managers and committees. It is also relevant to officers preparing for supervisory, office management, executive support or operations coordination responsibilities in ministries, agencies, municipalities, development programmes, NGOs and public institutions.

What you will be able to do

  • Develop annual administrative work plans using SMART objectives, milestones and ownership assignments
  • Apply RACI matrices and delegation registers to clarify decision rights and accountabilities
  • Prepare concise briefing notes, management reports and action registers for governance decisions
  • Manage administrative workflows using process maps, service standards and backlog measures
  • Conduct structured meetings and performance conversations using agendas, feedback and action tracking
  • Monitor budgets, procurement actions and asset records using basic administrative control checks
  • Assess operational risks using ISO 31000 risk statements, registers and treatment actions
  • Create a 90-day administrative improvement plan with measures, sponsors and review dates

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Greater confidence preparing management briefs, recommendations and decision records
  • Practical methods for controlling competing requests, deadlines and administrative backlogs
  • Clearer authority boundaries when assigning work, escalating issues and approving actions
  • Stronger evidence for progression into supervisory, office management or operations roles
  • A structured 90-day plan for improving an administrative function

For your organisation

  • Fewer delayed approvals through clearer ownership, escalation routes and action tracking
  • More consistent administrative service standards and reduced workflow backlogs
  • Stronger audit readiness through better records, controls and documented decisions
  • Improved budget, procurement and asset administration by operational support teams
  • More capable supervisors able to address performance issues and coordinate staff

Course modules

10 modules over 5 days

Participants can define their management remit, accountabilities and authority boundaries within an administrative function.

  • Mandate analysis distinguishes statutory duties, delegated authority, and administrative discretion
  • Role charters align service standards, decision rights, reporting lines, and boundaries
  • RACI matrices assign accountable owners for recurring approvals and service requests
  • Stakeholder maps classify influence, interest, expectations, and communication requirements
  • SMART objectives convert annual mandates into measurable administrative commitments
  • Personal authority developed through consistent follow-through, fairness, and documented decisions

Participants can organise administrative work using structured plans, priorities and review routines.

  • Annual work plans link outputs, milestones, owners, dependencies, and resources
  • Critical-path analysis identifies schedule constraints within interdependent administrative activities
  • Kanban boards visualise work stages, bottlenecks, and ageing requests
  • Priority criteria separate urgent interruptions from mandate-critical work
  • Weekly review routines reconcile commitments, calendars, action logs, and deadlines
  • Escalation thresholds trigger timely management attention to stalled decisions

Participants can support sound governance through documented decisions, delegated authority and concise advice.

  • Decision logs record options, evidence, approvals, dissent, and follow-up actions
  • Delegation registers define authority limits, controls, and escalation routes
  • Root-cause analysis uses five whys and fishbone categories
  • Briefing notes present recommendation, rationale, implications, and decision required
  • Governance calendars sequence committee papers, approvals, reporting, and reviews
  • Administrative discretion applied consistently within policy, law, and procedural guidance

Participants can communicate clearly with managers, colleagues, service users and external stakeholders.

  • Audience analysis shapes purpose, message structure, channel, and timing
  • BLUF writing places the required decision before supporting detail
  • Plain-language techniques improve letters, circulars, memoranda, and email instructions
  • Active listening separates stated positions from underlying operational concerns
  • Difficult conversations use SBI feedback and agreed corrective actions
  • Communication logs preserve commitments, responses, and unresolved stakeholder issues

Participants can lead productive meetings and supervise administrative staff through clear expectations and follow-up.

  • Meeting charters define purpose, participants, authority, and expected outputs
  • Agendas allocate decision time, information items, and pre-reading responsibilities
  • Facilitation techniques draw out evidence, manage conflict, and close decisions
  • Action registers assign owners, dates, dependencies, and verification evidence
  • Situational leadership matches direction and support to staff capability
  • Performance conversations address standards, barriers, feedback, and development actions

Participants can manage recurring administrative processes against defined service levels and performance measures.

  • Service catalogues specify request types, service levels, and responsible officers
  • Standard operating procedures document triggers, steps, controls, and exceptions
  • Process maps expose handoffs, rework, delays, and duplicate approvals
  • Queue analysis prioritises cases using age, impact, and statutory deadlines
  • Dashboard measures track turnaround time, backlog, error rates, and complaints
  • Continuous improvement cycles test countermeasures using Plan-Do-Check-Act against baseline measures

Participants can apply practical controls to administrative budgets, purchasing actions and organisational assets.

  • Budget monitoring compares commitments, actual expenditure, forecasts, and variances
  • Segregation of duties protects approvals, payments, custody, and reconciliation
  • Procurement plans sequence specifications, sourcing, evaluation, award, and contract administration
  • Three-quote comparisons document value, compliance, and supplier selection rationale
  • Asset registers maintain ownership, location, condition, and disposal records
  • Exception reports flag overspend, expired contracts, and unsupported transactions

Participants can maintain reliable records and information controls for administrative accountability.

  • Records classification schemes assign retention, access, and disposal requirements
  • File plans standardise naming, version control, and retrieval conventions
  • Data-quality checks test completeness, accuracy, timeliness, and consistency
  • Confidentiality controls apply need-to-know access and secure transmission
  • Audit trails connect source documents, approvals, changes, and final records
  • Information requests handled through documented searches, redaction, and release approvals

Participants can identify operational risks, maintain controls and address ethical concerns appropriately.

  • ISO 31000 risk statements combine cause, event, consequence, and controls
  • Risk registers score likelihood, impact, treatment owners, and review dates
  • Control self-assessments test preventive, detective, and corrective measures
  • Conflict-of-interest declarations identify interests, mitigations, and recusal decisions
  • Fraud indicators examined through unusual transactions, split purchases, and vendor changes
  • Ethical decision tests assess legality, fairness, transparency, and public interest

Participants can report administrative performance and plan targeted improvements for their workplace.

  • Balanced scorecards connect administrative activities with service, stewardship, and people measures
  • Monthly performance reviews analyse trends, exceptions, actions, and ownership
  • One-page management reports distinguish achievements, risks, decisions, and next steps
  • After-action reviews capture evidence, lessons, owners, and due dates
  • Individual development plans target priority behaviours, evidence, and review milestones
  • 90-day application plans sequence workplace improvements, sponsors, and measures

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Administrative work planning template
  2. RACI and delegation register
  3. Management briefing note template
  4. Administrative service dashboard model
  5. ISO 31000 risk register
  6. 90-day administrative improvement plan

Who should attend

  • Administrative Officers — need stronger control over workloads, records, approvals and service delivery
  • Senior Administrative Officers — prepare to supervise staff and coordinate larger administrative functions
  • Office Managers — require practical methods for managing workflows, facilities, budgets and support teams
  • Executive Assistants — support senior decision-makers through disciplined briefings, meetings and action tracking
  • Programme Support Officers — coordinate operational delivery, procurement and reporting for public programmes
  • New Supervisors — need management methods before taking responsibility for administrative staff

Skills and tools covered

Administrative planningWorkflow controlGovernance reportingStaff supervisionRisk managementPublic-sector accountability

Tools and standards

RACI matrix, SMART objectives, ISO 31000, Plan-Do-Check-Act

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses concise instructor briefings to introduce management methods, followed by case work based on realistic public-sector administrative situations. Participants examine workflow failures, draft briefing notes, assess risks, review control evidence and practise meeting and feedback techniques. Group exercises test choices around delegation, priorities, records and service standards. Simulations reflect time-sensitive requests, incomplete documentation and competing stakeholder demands. Each participant develops a workplace application plan linked to an administrative process they can improve after the course.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have practical experience in an administrative, programme support, office management, executive support or operations coordination role. They should be familiar with routine workplace documents such as emails, meeting agendas, reports, budgets, purchase requests or filing systems. Experience supervising staff is useful but not required. Participants do not need formal management qualifications, advanced finance knowledge, specialist procurement certification or prior training in risk management. The course assumes participants can contribute examples from their own administrative responsibilities and discuss workplace processes constructively.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

Participants should have experience in an administrative, office support, programme support or coordination role. Formal management training is not required, but familiarity with routine workplace procedures and documents is expected.

Participants should bring examples of recurring administrative processes, current work priorities or reporting challenges they can discuss without sharing confidential information. A laptop is useful for live online delivery and may be useful for classroom sessions.

The course is designed for administrative officers, senior administrators, office managers, executive assistants, programme support officers and new supervisors. It is most useful for people responsible for coordinating work, records, staff or operational support services.

This course focuses on the daily management of administrative functions: approvals, records, service requests, office workflows, controls and management support. It includes leadership techniques, but does not focus on large project delivery methods or senior executive strategy.

Participants leave with reusable templates for work planning, responsibility assignment, reporting, risk control and service monitoring. The 90-day application plan identifies a specific administrative improvement, the required sponsor and measures of progress.

Each training day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours. The five days cover ten teaching modules, with short briefings, cases, group work, simulations and application planning distributed throughout.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

More courses in Government & Public Sector

Government & Public Sector Leadership in Public Organisations Training Course 5 days · from USD 1,100 · next 16 Nov Government & Public Sector Legislative Process and Lawmaking Training Course 5 days · from USD 1,100 · next 16 Nov Government & Public Sector Legislative Processes and Parliamentary Practice Training Course 10 days · from USD 2,200 · next 16 Nov Government & Public Sector Local Content Management Training Course 10 days · from USD 2,200 · next 16 Nov Government & Public Sector Mediation and Peacebuilding Training Course 5 days · from USD 1,100 · next 16 Nov Government & Public Sector Modern Customs Management Training Course 5 days · from USD 1,100 · next 16 Nov Government & Public Sector National Sustainable Development Planning Training Course 10 days · from USD 2,200 · next 16 Nov Government & Public Sector Open Government and Social Accountability Training Course 5 days · from USD 1,100 · next 16 Nov