A licensing administrator is a staff member who makes sure that a company has all applicable licenses it needs under the law to engage in operations. There are several different kinds of licensing administrator positions. In settings where people must have licenses to work, like health care facilities and insurance agencies, this staff member is responsible for confirming that licenses are current, reminding personnel when they need to renew, and keeping up with regulatory changes. Other workplaces may need licenses to use copyrighted material or patented equipment, and this person is in charge of securing the appropriate licenses.
Health care providers, insurance agents, real estate agents, and people in many other professions need licenses before they can offer services to clients. In a busy office, a licensing administrator keeps track of the licenses of all the personnel. She may maintain a database and regularly check it to confirm that the office in in regulatory compliance. When someone's license is about to expire, she needs to remind him of this fact so he can take appropriate steps to renew it.
If the office itself also needs a license, this is the responsibility of the licensing administrator. This member of the staff also updates information with regulatory agencies when members of the staff or the office move. In addition, it is usually necessary to keep up with regulations in the industry. Changes in the law may result in new licensing needs and other issues that need to be resolved. The licensing administrator may subscribe to trade publications and attend conferences to stay familiar with the field.
To use copyrighted material, it is necessary to negotiate a license to do so. A licensing administrator at a film and television studio, record company, or publishing house is responsible for tracking down licenses to use any excerpts or clips. She secures the licenses and negotiates fees for the use of the material. If the material is too expensive or not available, the licensing administrator may propose alternatives and work with the artist to achieve a reasonable resolution.
Licensing administrators can also work in settings like pharmaceutical and scientific research. Researchers may share inventions with each other but still retain the rights to license their work. When an organization like a university agrees to allow a private company to use a new compound its researchers have developed, for instance, a licensing administrator is in charge of the negotiations and must maintain the documentation for the license.
A high school diploma is required at a minimum to work in this field. It may also be necessary to have a bachelor's degree in a relevant field. The administrator must be thoroughly familiar with any relevant laws so he can keep his employers in compliance.