The person who provides administrative and operational support to a specific program — handling participant intake, tracking program data, coordinating logistics, and supporting program staff with the day-to-day work that keeps programming running.
Day-to-day tends to involve a mix of office work — documentation, data entry, calls, scheduling — and direct program support like setting up activities, supporting events, or assisting program participants. The role often becomes the operational anchor of a program — knowing where things live, who handles what, and what falls through the cracks if you don't catch it.
Coordination tends to happen with program staff, participants, partner organizations, and the broader administrative network. Reporting and data work matter — most programs answer to funders, boards, or oversight bodies that expect numbers and outcomes documentation.
People who tend to thrive here are organized, dependable, and comfortable with the mix of office and program work. If you want clear creative ownership or formal authority, the support nature can feel limiting. If you find satisfaction in being the operational anchor that lets a program actually serve its participants well, the role can be quietly important — and a strong path into program coordination or management roles over time.
Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths
View all Admin & Office roles →The person who provides administrative and operational support to a specific program — handling participant intake, tracking program data, coordinating logistics, and supporting program staff with the day-to-day work that keeps programming running.
Median pay for a Program Support Assistant is about $74K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $48K to $108K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Writing, and Service Orientation.
Most people in this role hold a postsecondary certificate.
Employment in this field is projected to decline about 1.6% through 2034, with roughly 472,770 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Office Assistant, Administrative Support Specialist, and Senior Administrative Support Specialist.
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