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Postmasters and Mail Supervisors are responsible for the coordination of day-to-day operations of the post office, for hiring and promoting employees, and for setting up work schedules.

JOB DUTIES 

Postmasters may:

Direct such activities as processing incoming and outgoing mail, issuing and cashing money orders, selling stamps and certificates, and collecting post office box rental fees

Resolve customer complaints

Arrange work schedules

Inform the public of postal laws and regulations

Confer with suppliers for bids for proposed purchases of supplies

Prepare and submit detailed and summary reports of post office activities to management sectional centers and postal data centers

Hire and train employees and evaluate their work performance

Coordinate the purchase and sale of food stamps

Postmasters in small rural post offices may do most or all of these day-to-day duties themselves.

Mail Supervisors may:

Coordinate and supervise activities of workers processing mail

Keep records of processed mail, mail in-process, and changes in worker assignments

Analyze and recommend changes in distribution procedures and boundaries

The tools, equipment, and materials used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

Postmasters & Mail Supervisors may specialize in these areas:

188.167-066 POSTMASTERS supervise and coordinate the activities of postal workers in an assigned post office.

230.137-018 MAIL CARRIER SUPERVISORS coordinate and supervise the activities of workers engaged in collecting, sorting, and delivering mail. They also receive and investigate patrons' complaints.

243.137-010 MAIL SUPERVISORS coordinate and supervise the activities of workers processing mail in post offices. They keep records of processed mail, mail in-process, and changes in worker assignments. In addition, they may analyze and recommend changes in distribution procedures and boundaries.

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Postmasters supervise all employees within a post office. Mail Supervisors work under the direction of a Postmaster to supervise other postal employees. In small rural post offices, the Postmaster may work alone. They both work indoors in post offices that are generally clean and well lighted. They may have frequent contact with the public.

Most work an 8-hour day, 5 days a week. Saturdays and some nights are often part of the weekly work schedule at large facilities. They may work overtime to handle large volumes of mail, especially during peak periods such as the Christmas holiday season.

Postmasters are not required to wear uniforms unless they work in small post offices where they must perform many tasks. Supervisors who perform window services at least 4 hours per day are eligible to receive a uniform allowance.

Postal employees including Postmasters and Mail Supervisors are not required to join unions.

You Should Prefer:

• Activities which require communicating information and ideas

• Activities involving business contact with people

You Should Be Able To:

• Perform a variety of duties which may change often

• Deal effectively with people beyond giving and receiving instructions

• Rate information by personal judgment/standards that can be measured

• Direct, control, and plan the activities of others

• Present information clearly and accurately

• Perform arithmetical operations quickly and accurately

• See details/recognize errors in numbers, spelling, and punctuation

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

If 4000 letters are processed every 30 minutes in your post office, what is your output during an eight hour work day?

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

Postal rates for this fiscal year will be determined based on poundage, package bulk, point of origin, point of destination and insurance rate.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

You should be able to write a flyer explaining to the public the reasons for the increase in postal rates.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

You should be able to decide the best way to operate the post office so it is as productive as possible.

You usually must be a postal employee to be eligible for the position of Postmaster or Mail Supervisor. You meet certain experience requirements. If there is no postal applicant for one of these positions, appointments may be made from outside the Postal Service.

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EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: On-The-Job Training provided by the employer and a High School Diploma or Equivalent, an Associate Degree (two years of study beyond high school), and/or a Bachelor's Degree (four years of study beyond high school) may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0600 BUSINESS , 0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1000 COMPUTERS , 1100 ECONOMICS , 1700 GOVERNMENT , 2200 MATH , 3300 TECHNOLOGY

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this MOIScript

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

There are no Postsecondary Programs related to this MOIScript

Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***

Please check the Military web site at http://www.myfuture.com

POSTAL DIRECTORS

The military operates its own postal system, which is an extension of the U.S. Postal Service. This system handles mail sent between the service and civilians. Postal directors manage the postal operations for military bases and naval fleets.

What They Do

Postal directors in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

• Direct the operation of post offices and mail rooms on military bases and ships

• Work with the U.S. Postal Service to forward service mail

• Keep information on the location and mailing addresses of military personnel

• Prepare reports on postal operations

• Inspect post office activities and records

• Investigate postal irregularities

Special Requirements

A 4-year college degree is normally required to enter this occupation.

Helpful Attributes

Helpful fields of study include business or public administration and transportation management. Helpful attributes include:

• Ability to plan and organize

• Interest in administrative work

• Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely

• Interest in working closely with others

Work Environment

Postal directors usually work in offices and postal facilities.

Training Provided

Job training consists of 4 weeks of classroom instruction. Course content typically includes:

• Organization of postal operations

• Post office services, such as money orders and certified mail

• Procedures for handling international mail

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian postal directors work for the U.S. Postal Service. Also called postmasters, they perform duties similar to those performed by military postal directors.

Opportunities

The services have about 100 officers working as postal directors. On average, they need 10 new postal directors each year. Postal directors are usually selected from among officers who make their career in the various administration or management fields. Postal operations is only on of many administrative specialists they may work in at some time during their military career. Officers normally do not have a career exclusively in postal operations.

E-Learning Courses and Programs

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OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Individuals might find some full-time, part-time and summer work in the postal service. Many opportunities for part-time work as mail clerks or mail handlers are available, especially during the Christmas season. Related experience may also be gained in military service.

                School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships

mentorships

job shadowing experiences

touring a local Postmaster & Mail Supervisor employer

internships

volunteer work with a Postmaster & Mail Supervisor employer

community service work with an agency

Entry-level positions with the Postal Service are obtained by applying directly to the post office and passing both a written and a physical exam. Supervisory positions, such as Postmaster, are filled from within the post office unless there are no applicants for the position. Entry into supervisory positions requires satisfactory job performance and varying amounts of experience. Assistance in locating a job may be available from your local post office or a local office of Michigan Works!. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:

Michigan Talent Bank  

Classifieds Employment

Yahoo! Careers

Michigan Works!

You should also enter your electronic resume on these on-line services.

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EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Earnings for Postmasters and Mail Supervisors vary according to their total length of employment and grade in the post office. Positions are graded depending on the volume of mail handled and the number of positions supervised. They also receive periodic "step" increases up to a specified maximum within their grade if their job performance is satisfactory.

The annual salary ranges (early 1999) for Postmasters and Mail Supervisors nationally and in Michigan were:

Postmasters and Mail Supervisors receive 13 to 26 days of paid vacation and 13 days of paid sick leave per year. Other benefits include life, health, and disability insurance; survivorship annuities, paid holidays; and a retirement plan. The benefits are paid for, at least in part, by the postal service.

Advancement opportunities are available for most postal workers because management is committed to career development. They are trained either on the job by supervisors or in local training centers. A possible career ladder might include mail carrier or postal clerk, Mail Supervisor, postal manager, and Postmaster. Advancement depends on experience and education, satisfactory job performance, interviews, and to a lesser extent on seniority.

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EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

According to the U.S. Postal Service, there were 60,700 Postmasters and Mail Supervisors employed by the Postal Service nationally in 1998. Some openings will occur each year to replace those who retire, die, or leave the labor force for other reasons. Most of these openings will be filled by internal promotions. Many businesses use cheaper private delivery services for regular mail and to distribute advertisements. Electronic telecommunication systems enable users to send printed materials instantly using telephone lines.

Approximately 800 Postmasters and Mail Supervisors were employed in Michigan. All were employed by the Postal Service.

Employment of Postmasters and Mail Supervisors in Michigan is expected to increase more slowly than the average for all occupations through the year 2005. An average of 20 openings should occur annually, with all due to replacement of those who retire, die, or leave the labor force for other reasons.

Additional openings will occur as workers change jobs or occupations. Although increased mechanization and efficiency, should enable the Postal Service to handle more mail population growth and expansion of suburban areas will result in a moderate growth in employment.

MICHIGAN'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2000

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.

SUMMARY PROFILE

The occupation of Postmaster and Mail Supervisor can be summarized by the following:

MOISCRIPTS are Copyright 2003, Michigan Department of Career Development