Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)

About Umoja Community Foundation

Umoja is a community of educators and learners committed to the academic success, personal growth, and self-actualization of African American and other students. The Umoja Community seeks to educate the whole student–body, mind, and spirit. Informed by an ethic of love and its vital power, the Umoja Community will deliberately engage students as full participants in the construction of knowledge and critical thought. The Umoja Community seeks to help students experience themselves as valuable and worthy of an education.

Position Overview

The Chief Administrative Officer is Umoja’s primary management and execution authority, responsible for translating strategy into operational reality across the organization. The CAO ensures that people, systems, policies, infrastructure, and workflows function cohesively to support program delivery, fundraising execution, compliance, and organizational sustainability.

Reporting directly to the CEO, the CAO exercises cross-functional operational authority and serves as the central steward of how work gets done across Umoja. This role is responsible for building the operational backbone that enables strategy, programs, and revenue to succeed at scale.

Strategic Scope and Authority

Within Umoja’s operating framework, the CAO occupies the execution function. Strategy is set by the CEO, tracked and integrated by the Chief of Staff, and executed by the CAO through operational planning, staffing, systems, and enforcement of policies. Program strategy is owned by the Chief Program & Learning Officer and enabled operationally by the CAO. Revenue strategy is owned by the Chief Development Officer and supported operationally through systems and communications overseen by the CAO.

Core Responsibilities

The Chief Administrative Officer develops and leads execution of the operational plan aligned to Umoja’s strategic priorities. The role translates strategy into staffing models, workflows,

timelines, and systems that support statewide operations. The CAO oversees human resources, compliance, risk management, office operations, information technology, and internal administrative systems, ensuring organizational readiness and consistency.

The CAO manages organizational communications infrastructure and staff, ensuring that internal and external communications systems support program delivery, fundraising execution, and stakeholder engagement. In partnership with Finance, the CAO enforces adherence to financial policies, internal controls, and budget discipline at the operational level.

The role enables program and fundraising success by ensuring that teams are properly resourced, systems function effectively, and operational barriers are addressed promptly. The CAO leads policy development and enforcement, strengthens internal processes, and continuously improves operational effectiveness as the organization evolves.

Explicitly Not Responsible For

The Chief Administrative Officer does not set organizational strategy, does not define program pedagogy or outcomes, does not own fundraising strategy or donor relationships, and does not manage Board governance or Board relationships.

Leadership Profile

The successful CAO will be a disciplined, systems-oriented leader who thrives in complexity and execution. This leader will combine operational rigor with relational leadership, bringing clarity, consistency, and accountability to how Umoja operates, while remaining aligned with the organization’s equity-centered mission.

Requirements

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Nonprofit Management, or related field. Master's degree preferred.
• The ideal candidate brings at least ten years of senior operations or management leadership experience, with demonstrated success leading complex nonprofit or mission-driven organizations.
• Strong experience in HR, compliance, systems development, and cross-functional execution is required, along with the ability to manage ambiguity and organizational growth.
• Strong financial acumen with experience in budgeting, financial analysis, and resource allocation.
• Excellent leadership and team management skills, with the ability to motivate and inspire diverse teams.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships and engage stakeholders.
• Commitment to social impact and community development.
• Knowledge of nonprofit compliance, regulations, and risk management.
• Proficiency in relevant software and tools for financial management and reporting.

Benefits

Competitive salary commensurate with experience, along with a comprehensive benefits package including health and dental.

Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and 401(k)

Paid holidays and generous PTO

Professional development support

Inclusive, mission-driven workplace culture

Salary Range

120,000 - 135,000 Annually