What does a Coordinator do?
A coordinator is a general title for a person who brings together various elements or individuals to complete a project. What they are coordinating usually appears first in the job title. For example, a program coordinator would harmonize the people, projects, and resources to run a specific program. The skill set required will depend on the industry, but it's safe to say that successful coordinators are organized, efficient, and have good interpersonal skills. Coordinators have to think critically to plan, synchronize, and execute complex undertakings with a diverse set individuals in different roles.
Coordinators often possess a combination of work experience in the industry and a minimum of a bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline. For instance, an instructional coordinator would study education, perhaps specializing in curriculum or school administration. Coordinators may freelance for the duration of a project, or they may be a permanent employee of an organization.
- Arrange venues and schedules for meetings between all of the individuals who will be contributing to a tasks
- Write internal communications documents, including handouts and emails, to inform team members of important notices
- Review materials created by others and offer suggestions for improvement
- Edit and approve the final versions of products, using company guidelines as a gauge
- Present progress and results of tasks to management and other interested parties in person or in digital format
- Conduct regular analyzes of processes and procedures, making adjustments when necessary
- Perform other relevant duties as required
- Establish contact lists of collaborators and update information periodically
- Several years of experience working in the field
- Ability to clearly communicate, expressing requirements and expectations to a wide range of individuals
- Excellent written communication skills, especially in the English language
- Strong attention to detail in evaluating the completion of various phases of a project
- Analytical skills to monitor progress of an undertaking and identify areas needing adjustment or improvement
- Critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential
- Willingness to manage multiple tasks at once and adhere to guidelines, budgets, and deadlines
- Basic computer skills, especially email, spreadsheets, and presentation creation software
- Cooperative and communicative attitude with executive staff, managers, and employees
How much does a Coordinator make?
Base Pay
Additional Pay
$50,088
/ yrCoordinator Career Path
Learn how to become a Coordinator, what skills and education you need to succeed, and what level of pay to expect at each step on your career path.
Years of Experience Distribution
Coordinator Insights
Northwestern University“It's a great place to work at and to further develop your career in academia”
LSU“My department provides a great environment to work in and I have enjoy working at the institution”
Leonard Cheshire“Short contract Manager of this particular project is fantastic but can’t comment on wider organisation.”
Juliska“Coworkers are kind; discount is good; decent stepping stone to get to next place in your career.”
Shaker & Spoon“I think our product is really fantastic and I'm so proud to tell people where I work.”
Nomadic Real Estate“You could just Bs it and pick up a check but the pay is not good.”
Capital One“The people I worked with were amazing and getting to know them was the best part of my job.”
D.R. Horton“I have worked at some truly terrible places where nothing ever changed and leadership was either nonexistent or....not great.”
Frequently asked questions about the role and responsibilities of coordinators
The typical day of a coordinator includes scheduling and organizing the different aspects of a project. They may help clients coordinate events or they may be involved in planning vendors for an upcoming corporate event. Some coordinators may work for a company, coordinating different departments to reach a common goal.
Yes, coordinators with good project management and organizational skills are always in demand to help businesses achieve their goals. They often have good working conditions with traditional business hours and weekends and holidays off. However, if you're thinking about becoming a coordinator it's worth considering that they may have to work longer hours when project due dates are near.
Coordinators have the opportunity to earn a competitive salary. The average salary for coordinators is $50,088 per year in the U.S. Coordinators with project management certifications and good leadership skills can earn even more, with a range up to $78,508 per year.
Working as a coordinator can be stressful at times as they are the person who is often responsible for meeting the project's due date. One of the challenges of being a coordinator is that they may need to use organizational skills and leadership to encourage team members to meet timelines.