TS 13033

TS 13033 is a professional standard for the secretarial role within administrative services. A secretary supports office communication, record handling, correspondence, scheduling, and the orderly flow of administrative work. This standard covers the definition and classification of the secretary role, the required characteristics, and the measurement and evaluation of those characteristics.

How secretarial competence is framed

In a professional-standard context, definition and classification clarify the scope of the occupation, while required characteristics describe the knowledge, skills, and work behaviours expected for the role. In secretarial work, this generally relates to communication, written and spoken expression, filing discipline, meeting and appointment tracking, confidentiality, representational conduct, and support for workflow. The standard’s focus is to provide a vocational reference for measuring and evaluating these qualities.

General technical context in office and administrative services

From a general technical perspective, secretarial work is more than typing or clerical support; it helps organise information flow, assist management processes, and maintain coordination within an organisation. Office equipment, communication tools, record systems, and document-handling practices are part of the everyday working environment. For that reason, a secretarial standard typically anchors the profession in clear expectations of organisation, attention, and communication quality across different duty levels.

• Provides a common frame for defining and classifying the occupation.
• Addresses the characteristics to be possessed and how they are assessed.
• Clarifies the technical profile of the secretary role in administrative services.
• Supports professional expectations for office communication, records, and organisation.