Top in the administrative department (4)
I believe the answer is:
head
'top' is the definition.
(head is a kind of top)
'in the administrative department' is the wordplay.
'in' indicates a hidden word.
'HEAD' is hidden in the letters of 'the administrative department'.
(Other definitions for head that I've seen before include "Chief; promontory" , "Leader; promontory" , "River source; promontory" , "bean" , "John on board" .)