Chief Administrative Officer

Columbia University; Northern, New York (KY, NY); Hybrid; USD 185,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbia University’s School of the Arts seeks a Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to serve as the Dean’s principal advisor on strategic, financial, facilities, and operational affairs. The CAO will provide executive leadership across administrative functions, drive strategic initiatives, and coordinate planning to ensure alignment with the University’s processes and the School’s mission.

As a senior leader, the CAO will shape priorities, manage cross‑functional teams, and lead risk management,

Qualifications

• Minimum qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree; MFA/PhD/Master’s degree preferred.
• Eight years of progressively responsible experience in higher education or arts administration.
• Experience with complex strategic planning and resource allocation.
• Excellent organizational, planning, and management skills; ability to build trust across departments.
• Ability to lead cross‑departmental teams and work with diverse groups.

Responsibilities

• Act as strategic and operational advisor to the Dean and senior School leader.
• Lead major School strategies and coordinate with university partners.
• Advise on workforce planning, organizational structure, and administrative practices.
• Oversee budget and resource planning in partnership with finance leadership.
• Coordinate facilities, capital projects, and technology needs.
• Represent School in senior University forums and reporting processes.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Executive partnership

Financial oversight

Organizational planning

Cross‑functional collaboration

Risk management

Staff development

Facilities oversight

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building:
• Salary Range: $185,000 - $210,000

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) serves as the principal advisor to the Dean on strategic, financial, facilities, and operational affairs for the School of the Arts. As a senior leader, the CAO helps shape the School’s strategy and priorities, makes recommendations to the Dean, and leads the implementation and execution of approved initiatives. The CAO provides executive leadership across the School’s administrative functions while working collaboratively with other senior leaders to coordinate planning, address complex operational challenges, and advance shared institutional priorities. The CAO helps ensure that School operations are effectively integrated with University processes while supporting the School's unique mission and goals. The CAO provides School-wide leadership and coordination across resource management, institutional practices, risk management, facilities, operational effectiveness, and organizational planning to support the School’s mission, priorities, and long‑term success.

Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership, Planning, and Executive Partnership – 15%

• Serve as a strategic and operational advisor to the Dean and a senior leader of the School of the Arts.
• Recommend, implement, and execute major School strategies, initiatives, and plans in partnership with the Dean and collaborate with university partners on matters of shared strategic and operational importance.
• Work with senior academic and administrative leaders and faculty to facilitate collaborative decision‑making and resolve cross‑functional issues.
• Partner with faculty Chairs and senior leaders to align priorities, investments, and administrative capacity across programs.
• Represent the School, as appropriate, in executive‑level committees and University meetings; manage senior operational relationships with Arts & Sciences leadership and provide executive‑level coordination on matters affecting the School.

2. Strategic Resource Planning, Financial Oversight, and Risk – 20%

• Provide strategic direction and administrative oversight for the School’s budget and resource planning in partnership with the Associate Dean of Finance and Arts & Sciences finance leadership.
• Develop resource‑allocation recommendations for review by the Dean, including priorities for academic programs, faculty and staff appointments, financial aid, technology, facilities, capital projects, and acquisitions.
• Review and interpret financial information prepared by Finance leadership to advise the Dean on strategic choices, resource tradeoffs, financial vulnerabilities, and institutional risk.
• Partner with faculty Chairs and senior leaders to assess priorities and investments across programs and incorporate financial implications into School planning.
• Provide administrative oversight of the School’s annual budget and the Lenfest Center of the Arts operating budget, while the Associate Dean of Finance retains primary responsibility for detailed budget development, forecasting, reporting, accounting operations, financial controls, and financial data integrity.
• Coordinate resource planning for new program initiatives with the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, faculty, and senior administrative staff.

3. Administrative Leadership, Workforce Planning, and Organizational Effectiveness – 15%

• Provide leadership and oversight for major administrative functions supporting the School, including academic administration, instructional technology, risk management, facilities, resource management, and organizational effectiveness.
• Advise the Dean on workforce planning, organizational structure, institutional practices, and administrative matters related to human resources.
• Work with the Dean and appropriate academic and administrative leaders on faculty recruitment and appointment‑related matters, with advisory input on workforce and resource implications and coordination with Arts & Sciences.
• Provide advisory oversight on workforce planning, employee‑related institutional practices, and payroll administration, working through Arts & Sciences and appropriate functional leaders for human resources and payroll activities.
• Support development of staff, effective cross‑functional collaboration, institutional change, and community building.

4. Facilities, Capital Projects, Space, and Technology – 20%

• Develop, in partnership with the Dean, a vision for the School’s physical and capital infrastructure and establish School‑wide priorities for facilities investment.
• Provide overall administrative oversight of offices, classrooms, work spaces, studios, and related technology environments, including efforts to upgrade and refresh learning and production facilities.
• Develop proposals and plans for relocation, adaptive reuse, repurposing, and reconfiguration of facilities for review by the Dean, University Facilities and Operations, and University Planning.
• Partner with the Director of Instructional and Motion Picture Technology and other functional leaders to identify and prioritize technology and capital needs across the School, consistent with School strategy and available resources.
• Serve as the School’s senior liaison to University Facilities and Operations and Environmental Health and Safety on facilities, safety, and compliance matters and work with the appropriate functional leaders to address identified risks and hazards.

5. Operational Effectiveness, Risk, and Continuity – 15%

• Anticipate, monitor, and evaluate the impact of School‑wide operating and administrative procedures and workflows.
• Identify friction points, reduce unnecessary redundancies, and implement streamlined workflows that improve efficiency, responsiveness, and service delivery.
• Lead acquisition, adoption, and training for tools that increase staff efficiency, including new software and AI‑enabled tools, in partnership with relevant functional leaders.
• Establish, document, and disseminate School‑level operational and administrative practices and policies to support consistency, institutional effectiveness, and best practices.
• Coordinate contingency operational and administrative plans for units with staff vacancies and other potential disruptions to maintain continuity of critical administrative and academic functions.
• Serve as the School’s primary liaison to the University Emergency Management Operations Team (EMOT) and coordinate School‑level operational response and continuity planning.

6. University Engagement, Governance, and Institutional Reporting – 15%

• Serve as the School's senior administrative liaison with Arts & Sciences and central University offices, building collaborative relationships and coordinating on matters affecting the School.
• Partner closely with Arts & Sciences and other University leaders to coordinate planning, resolve cross‑institutional operational issues, and advance initiatives requiring collaboration across organizational boundaries.
• Convene biweekly meetings of senior administrative leaders with the Dean of Student and Alumni Affairs and the Dean of Admissions and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs to coordinate School‑wide administrative matters.
• Represent the School in senior University forums and maintain executive‑level relationships with the Vice President of Arts & Sciences and other relevant University leadership and administrative offices.
• As delegated by the Dean, participate in preparing institutional reports, including reports required for re‑accreditation, the A&S Academic Review Committee (ARC), the Office of the Provost, and the EVP of Arts and Sciences.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; MFA/PhD/Master’s degree preferred.
• A minimum of eight years of progressively responsible experience in higher education or arts administration.
• Experience with complex strategic planning and resource allocation.
• Excellent organizational, planning, and management skills; ability to build trust and alignment across departments and functions.
• Ability to lead cross‑departmental teams in planning exercises employing a consensus‑building approach.
• Ability to interact positively with highly diverse groups and constituents.
• Ability to handle confidential matters with tact and discretion.

Preferred Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in higher education or arts administration, including significant experience with strategic planning, financial and resource management, facilities, operations, and organizational effectiveness. The candidate will possess strong organizational and strategic planning skills, demonstrated success implementing strategy and leading institutional change, and the ability to build effective relationships across complex academic and administrative environments.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.