Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)

Technology Service Corporation Defense Services; Arlington (VA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Technology Service Corporation Defense Services in Arlington, VA, seeks a hands-on Chief Administrative Officer to lead Contracts and core administrative operations in support of rapid growth and acquisitions. The CAO will build an enterprise contracting function, strengthen policies and controls, and ensure compliance with FAR/DFARS while coordinating with Legal, Finance, and Operations.

As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the CAO reports to the CEO and partners with the CFO, COO, and

Qualifications

• Provide executive leadership for Contracts and Subcontracts function.
• Oversee full contract lifecycle including proposal and pre-award support, contract review and negotiation, administration, modifications, change management, claims support, compliance, closeout, and records.
• Ensure FAR/DFARS, agency supplements, and GovCon obligations are interpreted and administered appropriately in coordination with Legal and subject-matter experts.
• Collaborate with Growth, Finance, Operations, Program Management, and Legal to evaluate terms, risk, pricing, and execution obligations.
• Establish metrics, thresholds, templates, playbooks, and dashboards to measure performance and risk.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership for Contracts and Subcontracts function.
• Oversee full contract lifecycle including proposal and pre-award support, contract review and negotiation, administration, modifications, change management, claims support, compliance, closeout, and records.
• Establish contract/subcontract policies, delegations of authority, review thresholds, approval workflows, templates, playbooks, metrics, and escalation protocols.
• Identify and establish metrics and dashboards to measure organization goals and productivity.
• Build strong relationships with contracting officers, customers, prime contractors, subcontractors, and internal stakeholders.
• Provide executive oversight for Subcontracts and ensure compliant file documentation.
• Ensure subcontracting practices meet FAR/DFARS, CPSR, small-business, cost/price analysis, consent, flow-down, and recordkeeping requirements.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain to align policies and practices.
• Provide visibility into material contractual risks, disputes, obligations, trends, and decisions requiring executive attention.
• Lead enterprise administrative functions such as Facilities and Real Estate, Physical Security, and Records and Administrative Services.

Skills

Executive leadership

Contract management

Governance

Risk management

Compliance

Job description

Position Location

Arlington, VA / Hybrid / Remote

Reports To

Chief Executive Officer

Travel

Approximately 20-30%, based on acquisition activity, business-unit needs, customer requirements, and leadership meetings.

Citizenship / Clearance

U.S. citizenship required. Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.

Role Type

Executive leadership role

Company Context

Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, TSC-operating under the Falcata brand-is a defense technology company with more than 50 years of experience providing technical services and solutions to U.S. Government customers. The company supports mission-critical capabilities across airborne sensors and ISR, electronic warfare, precision weapons, radar, air and missile defense, space, and intelligence and information systems.

As Falcata enters its next stage of significant organic growth, acquisition activity, and private-equity-backed platform development, the company requires an enterprise marketing and communications leader who can sharpen market positioning, strengthen the brand, build scalable communications capabilities, and support growth and integration across an increasingly complex organization.

Position Summary

Falcata is seeking a hands-on, business-oriented Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to lead and scale the company's Contracts function and core administrative operations in support of rapid growth, active acquisition activity, and a more mature platform operating model.

The CAO will serve as a builder, operator, and enterprise partner. The successful candidate must be equally comfortable providing executive leadership to Contracts, strengthening policies and controls, integrating acquired administrative functions, improving service delivery, and solving detailed operational issues that affect contract performance, compliance, risk, and scalability.

The CAO will have executive ownership of Contracts and related administrative functions assigned to the role, including Facilities and Real Estate, Physical Security, Records and Administrative Services, and other enterprise support capabilities. Legal will remain a separate function. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the CAO will report to the CEO and work closely with the CFO, COO, CPO, CGO, Corporate Development, Legal, IT/Cybersecurity, Industrial Security, P&L leaders, Program Management, Finance, and the broader Executive Leadership Team.

Key Responsibilities

Contracts and Subcontracts Strategy, Governance, and Execution

• Provide executive leadership for the Contracts and Subcontracts function and establish a scalable operating model aligned with TSC's growth strategy, customer commitments, acquisition activity, and risk profile.
• Oversee the full contract lifecycle, including proposal and pre-award support, contract review and negotiation, administration, modifications, change management, claims support, compliance, closeout, and records.
• Partner with Growth, Finance, Operations, Program Management, and Legal to evaluate contractual terms, risk, pricing and business assumptions, customer requirements, and execution obligations before commitments are made.
• Establish contract/subcontract policies, delegations of authority, review thresholds, approval workflows, templates, playbooks, metrics, and escalation protocols that improve speed, consistency, accountability, and risk management.
• Identify and establish metrics and dashboard to measure organization goals, performance, and overall productivity.
• Ensure appropriate interpretation and administration of FAR, DFARS, agency supplements, contract clauses, flow-down requirements, representations and certifications, and other GovCon obligations in coordination with Legal and subject-matter experts.
• Build strong relationships with contracting officers, customers, prime contractors, subcontractors, and internal stakeholders while maintaining appropriate separation between business, contractual, and legal decision-making.
• Provide executive oversight for Subcontracts, with clear accountability for subcontract administration, subcontractor performance, and compliant file documentation.
• Ensure subcontracting practices support program execution while meeting applicable FAR/DFARS, CPSR, small-business, cost/price analysis, consent, flow-down, and recordkeeping requirements.
• Work with Supply Chain to ensure that policies, procedures, and practices are aligned and consistently implemented between the two organizations.
• Provide the CEO and Executive Leadership Team with visibility into material contractual risks, disputes, obligations, trends, and decisions requiring executive attention.

Administrative Operations, Facilities, and Enterprise Services

• Lead assigned enterprise administrative functions such as Facilities and Real Estate, Physical Security, Records and Administrative Services, and other shared support capabilities designated by the CEO