Chief Administrative Officer

• 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.

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.

• 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.

• 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…