Postmasters and Mail Superintendents

Career Description: Direct and coordinate operational, administrative, management, and supportive services of a U.S. post office; or coordinate activities of workers engaged in postal and related work in assigned post office.

Industry: Management

Other Job Titles for Postmasters and Mail Superintendents:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Organize and supervise activities such as the processing of incoming and outgoing mail.
• Direct and coordinate operational, management, and supportive services of one or a number of postal facilities.
• Resolve customer complaints.
• Hire and train employees, and evaluate their performance.
• Prepare employee work schedules.
• Prepare and submit detailed and summary reports of post office activities to designated supervisors.
• Negotiate labor disputes.
• Collect rents for post office boxes.
• Issue and cash money orders.
• Inform the public of available services, and of postal laws and regulations.
• Select and train postmasters and managers of associate postal units.
• Confer with suppliers to obtain bids for proposed purchases and to requisition supplies; disburse funds according to federal regulations.
• Coordinate clerical, recordkeeping, inventory, requisitioning, and marketing activities.
• Prepare soil for planting, and plant or transplant seeds, bulbs, and cuttings.
• Confer with horticultural personnel in order to plan facility renovations or additions.
• Cut and prune trees, shrubs, flowers, and plants.
• Provide information to customers on the care of trees, shrubs, flowers, plants, and lawns.
• Construct structures and accessories such as greenhouses and benches.
• Negotiate contracts such as those for land leases or tree purchases.
• Graft plants.
• Meet with clients to schedule and plan details of conventions, banquets, receptions and other functions.
• Provide assistance to staff members by inspecting rooms, setting tables or doing laundry.
• Book tickets for guests for local tours and attractions.
• Establish personal offices in local districts or states, and manage office staff.
• Evaluate the structure, efficiency, activities, and performance of government agencies.
• Organize and maintain campaign organizations and fundraisers, in order to raise money for election or re-election.
• Oversee expense allowances, ensuring that accounts are balanced at the end of each fiscal year.
• Promote the industries and products of their electoral districts.
• Represent their government at local, national, and international meetings and conferences.
• Speak to students to encourage and support the development of future political leaders.
• Harvest crops, and collect specialty products such as royal jelly, wax, pollen, and honey from bee colonies.
• Install and shift irrigation systems to irrigate fields evenly or according to crop need.
• Herd cattle, using horses or all-terrain vehicles.
• Destroy diseased or superfluous crops.

Emerging Tasks

• Monitor employees' work schedules and attendance for payroll purposes.
• Direct, coordinate, and evaluate the activities of personnel, including support staff, engaged in administering academic institutions, departments and/or alumni organizations.
• Formulate strategic plans for the institution.
• Oversee facilities management for the university, including construction, repair, and maintenance projects.
• Promote the university by participating in community, state, and national events/meetings, and by developing partnerships with industry and secondary education institutions.
• Write grants to procure external funding, and supervise grant-funded projects.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• assign work to staff or employees
• assist public in complying with Postal Service regulations
• conduct or attend staff meetings
• direct and coordinate activities of workers or staff
• disburse checks to satisfy accounts payable
• evaluate performance of employees or contract personnel
• explain rules, policies or regulations
• hire, discharge, transfer, or promote workers
• mediate or arbitrate disputes
• negotiate business contracts
• organize meetings to address labor disputes
• orient new employees
• oversee execution of organizational or program policies
• prepare reports for management
• provide assistance to post office customers
• provide customer service in postal or mail service setting
• requisition stock, materials, supplies or equipment
• resolve customer or public complaints
• route freight shipments
• schedule employee work hours
• select applicants meeting qualifications
• plan development or production of hybrid plant varieties
• prepare rental or lease agreement
• provide customer service
• resolve agricultural production problems
• use inventory control procedures
• use marketing techniques
• prepare long term or short term plans
• prepare reports
• prepare technical reports identifying results of research
• present research papers or dissertations on physical science issues
• recruit employees
• resolve engineering or science problems
• use library or online Internet research techniques
• use long or short term production planning techniques
• use physical science research techniques
• use project management techniques
• use public speaking techniques
• use scientific research methodology
• write administrative procedures services manual
• write research or project grant proposals
• use public speaking techniques
• use research methodology procedures in health care
• use sanitation practices in health care settings
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use technical information in manufacturing or industrial activities
• maintain job descriptions
• manage contracts
• monitor operational budget
• negotiate labor agreements
• obtain information from individuals
• orient new employees
• oversee execution of organizational or program policies
• participate in staff training programs
• prepare or maintain employee records
• prepare reports for management
• present information on human resource management issues
• recommend action to ensure compliance
• recommend personnel actions, such as promotions, transfers, and dismissals
• recruit employees
• resolve personnel problems or grievances
• resolve worker or management conflicts
• seek out applicants to fill job openings
• use conflict resolution techniques
• use interpersonal communication techniques
• use interviewing procedures
• use knowledge of employee classification system
• use negotiation techniques
• use project management techniques
• write employee orientation or training materials
• schedule activities, classes, or events
• schedule employee work hours
• slaughter animals, fish, or poultry
• study production records
• transport passengers or cargo
• understand second language
• use animal disease control techniques
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use fish culturing techniques
• use hand or power tools
• use herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides or related products
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use plant disease control techniques

Overall Experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers.

Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.

Examples
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include funeral directors, electricians, forest and conservation technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$27.84
• Average annual wage (2007) - $57,900.00

• Employment (2006): 25,870

• Administrative Services Managers
• First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers
• Human Resources Managers
• Management Analysts
• Social and Community Service Managers
• Foresters
• Range Managers
• Storage and Distribution Managers
• Fishers and Related Fishing Workers
• Treasurers and Controllers