Chief Administrative Officer, University College

University of Toronto; Toronto; On-site; CAD 132,000 - 155,000; Full time

Job summary

A major educational institution in Toronto is seeking a Chief Administrative Officer to lead operations and strategy within University College. The ideal candidate will manage human resources, finance, and IT services for a vibrant community of students and staff, ensuring administrative excellence across various educational programs. This full-time role offers a competitive salary range and seeks a dedicated professional committed to equity and diversity.

Qualifications

• 5-7 years of experience overseeing HR, operations, finance, and IT.
• Experience managing teams in a unionized setting.
• Ability to analyze financial matters and collaborate with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative leadership and strategic direction for University College.
• Streamline administrative services across various internal units.
• Manage financial, human resource, and IT standards.

Skills

Budget planning

Financial management

Team building

Excellent communication

Problem-solving

Leadership

Equity and diversity commitment

Education

University degree in Commerce or Business Administration

Professional accounting designation (CA, CMA or CGA)

Tools

AMS/FIS/HRIS

Job description

Date Posted: 10/10/2025
Req ID:45470
Faculty/Division: University College
Department: College Administration
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Description:

About Us

University College (UC) is the founding college of the University of Toronto. UC is home to over 5500 undergraduate students, who may study in any of the 330 academic programs offered by the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Toronto (U of T). The college also directs Canadian Studies, Cognitive Science, and Public Health — interdisciplinary Arts and Science programs that challenge our students to excel intellectually — and a suite of seminar courses called UC One: Engaging Toronto, which enable first-year students to apply their learning to the city around them.

University College is located at the historic heart of U of T’s St. George campus in downtown Toronto. Our beautiful campus comprises the University College building, an architectural marvel and National Historic Site, as well as our three residences, and the UC Union. Affiliated with UC and sharing our spaces are the Centre for Drama, Theatre, and Performance Studies, the Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, and the Art Museum.

UC’s founding values and support for academic excellence have laid the groundwork for the inclusive and stimulating community that our students, faculty, alumni, and staff continue to enjoy today.

Your Opportunity

As part of University College’s senior management team, and reporting to the Principal, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) provides administrative leadership, sound management and strategic direction to operations and business administration within University College. The CAO is responsible for creating excellent standards of financial, human resource, physical space and information technology, and for coordinating and streamlining administrative services across the College’s numerous internal units. These include student advising and student life services for approximately 5500 undergraduate students as well as the Student Success Commons and the Writing Centre, extensive residence and food service ancillary operations, the UC Library, four interdisciplinary academic programs highly-utilized event spaces and an active Advancement unit.

Education:

• University degree in relevant field of Commerce or Business Administration, or an acceptable equivalent of education and experience.
• A professional accounting designation (CA, CMA or CGA) is an asset.

Experience:

• Five to seven (5-7) years’ relevant progressive experience in overseeing a portfolio of the combined areas of human resources, space operations; and finance and information technology.
• Prior staff management experience in a unionized environment, experience and success motivating and mentoring staff and teams.
• Experience and working in a cross-functional environment and administering complex financial and human resources matters applying a variety of policies, procedures and collective agreements.

Skills:

• Demonstrated expertise in budget planning, financial management and control, as well as administration of budget and financial resources. Demonstrated experience in managing operating and ancillary funds.
• Experience preparing financial statements for capital and other projects of fund accounting, examining, and analyzing financial records to ensure accuracy and compliance with established accounting standards and procedures. Experience working with internal and external auditors.
• Proven ability to work at a strategic level and work collaboratively with stakeholders at all levels of the organization, work independently as well as part of a team, and ability to be self-directed and take initiative.
• Ability to analyze and understand financial matters from multiple perspectives, in order to understand the impact on multiple areas and determine the optimal solution, ability to balance different interests and perspectives and find solutions in a positive, consensus-building manner.
• A collaborative and consultative style as well as the ability to foster and maintain effective relationships, excellent oral and written communication skills.
• High level of initiative, tact and diplomacy, ability to work at the highest strategic levels and to take strategy and move it through to tactics and action.
• Proven leadership skills and experience in team building, managing change and adapting to new technologies.
• Highly developed and effective problem-solving skills and ability to exercise sound judgment.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity and diversity.
• Commitment to Indigenous partnerships across and beyond campus and to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

Other:

• Demonstrated ability to apply organizational policies, collective agreements and practices to a variety of situations in a fair and equitable manner.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment driven by competing tasks and deadlines.
• Strong computer skills; knowledge of AMS/FIS/HRIS or equivalent.

Note: Applicants are encouraged to apply by October 27, 2025; posting will remain open and applications will continue to be reviewed until filled

Closing Date:10/27/2025, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: Salaried
Personnel Subarea:PM
Appointment Type: Budget - Continuing
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:PM 6 -- Hiring Zone: $132,351 - $154,409 -- Broadband Salary Range: $132,351 - $220,587
Job Category: Administrative / Managerial