Chief Administrative Officer

Lifeworks • Austin, TX

6h • $160,479 - $175,369

About The Position

LifeWorks of Austin, TX is looking for a Chief Administrative Officer, to join our Executive team! The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) is a senior executive leader responsible for stewarding and strengthening LifeWorks’ operational, administrative, and risk infrastructure in service of the organization’s mission, strategy, and long-term sustainability. The CAO provides executive oversight of Technology, Asset & Facilities Management, Administrative, and Risk Management functions, ensuring these complex, interdependent systems operate cohesively, efficiently, and in alignment with organizational priorities Owns and continuously improves the agency’s operating model, including cross-functional workflows, processes and service standards to drive efficiency, consistency and staff and client experiences. The CAO balances strategic leadership with disciplined execution, ensuring compliance, safety, and operational excellence across a multi-site, multi-program nonprofit environment. This full time, exempt position earns a competitive rate ranging from $160,479.44-$175.369.29 depending upon experience. Benefits are also included, which consist of 24 PTO days per year (accrued); 11 paid holidays per year; a premium-free employee medical plan with $100 per month HSA contribution (plus other affordable employee or family medical, dental, and vision options!); a retirement savings plan with 50% match on the first 6% of contributions, and much more!

Requirements

• Requires a Bachelor’s degree in business, public administration, nonprofit management, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• Requires 8+ years of progressive leadership experience in administrative, operational, or organizational management roles
• Minimum 5 years of senior-level management experience overseeing multiple functional areas; or Equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 5 years supervisory experience.
• Sound judgment and experience navigating organizational risk, compliance, and crisis situations.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, cross-functional teams in a multi-site, multi-program organization.
• Strong strategic thinking and systems-level problem-solving skills.
• Ability to lead through influence, collaboration, and clear accountability.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex issues for diverse audiences both verbally and in writing.
• High degree of integrity, discretion, and professionalism.

Nice To Haves

• Nonprofit, public sector, or human services experience preferred.
• Experience with risk management, facilities or asset oversight, and technology governance strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to balance operational detail with executive-level perspective.

Responsibilities

• Executive leadership and strategic partnership: Acts as a strategic thought partner to the CEO on operational risk, infrastructure investments, and enterprise-wide initiatives. Serves as a key member of the Executive Team, participating in organizational strategy, policy development, and long-term planning. Translates organizational strategy into clear administrative, technology, facilities, and risk management priorities and execution plans. Oversees enterprise vendor governance, including contract standards, monitoring, and risk management, in partnership with the CFO, CEO, and CPO. Establishes and monitors operational performance metrics to assess effectiveness, identify risks, and inform decision making. Provides clear, data-informed recommendations to executive leadership and the Board as appropriate. Participates in Board meetings or committees as requested by the CEO.
• Oversight of asset & facilities management : Provides executive oversight and strategic direction to the Vice President of Asset & Facilities Management across the full lifecycle of LifeWorks’ real estate assets, affordable housing developments, and agency facilities. Partners with leadership, the Board of Governors, and the LifeWorks Affordable Housing Corporation to support long-term capital planning, major development initiatives, and facilities investment decisions aligned with organizational strategy and client needs. Ensures effective planning, development, and management of new housing projects and facilities, including needs assessment, site acquisition, financing strategies, and pro forma development. Partners with the CFO on financial strategies, budgeting, and pro forma development, while responsible for planning, execution, and risk oversight of capital projects. Oversees organizational risk, governance, and executive decision-making related to design development, contractor and vendor selection, construction management, and lease-up activities. Ensures appropriate controls are in place for project budgets, timelines, and performance to support timely, cost-effective, and compliant delivery of capital and facilities projects. Oversees ongoing property management and facilities operations, including maintenance, safety, security, and compliance with regulatory, accreditation, and funder requirements.
• Oversight of technology: Provides executive oversight and strategic direction to the Vice President of Technology. Ensures the agency’s technology strategy aligns with organizational goals, program needs, and future growth. Oversees organizational risk related to cybersecurity, data privacy, system reliability, and business continuity. Ensures appropriate governance, controls, and accountability for technology investments, vendors, and major system initiatives. Partners with executive leadership to assess and prioritize digital transformation initiatives, including CRM optimization, data analytics, and emerging technologies.
• Administrative operations & risk management: Provides executive oversight and strategic direction to the Vice President of Administration & Risk. Oversees enterprise-wide business continuity and emergency response and recovery planning to ensure continuity of critical operations across programs, sites, facilities and systems. Ensures the agency maintains effective risk management frameworks, policies, and procedures to protect staff, clients, assets, and reputation. Ensures appropriate response, review, and learning from critical incidents, with a focus on continuous improvement and risk mitigation. Oversees agency-wide front- and back-of-house administrative operations, in alignment with program leadership, including front-desk staffing, office management, administrative support services, vendor coordination, and records handling—to ensure consistent, welcoming, and effective administrative support for clients, staff, and visitors across all sites, without directing/overseeing clinical or programmatic services. Ensures administrative staffing models, workflows, and service standards are aligned with organizational needs, site complexity, and client volume.
• People leadership and organizational accountability: Responsible for the hiring, orientation, training, supervision, evaluation, and dismissal of direct reports, including senior leadership positions, in accordance with Agency policies and procedures. Ensures staff are informed, their activities are well coordinated, and they have the necessary resources to carry out their work. Establishes and maintains clear governance structures, decision rights, and escalation pathways across administrative functions. Promotes strong cross-functional collaboration between technology, facilities, administration, programs, and other departments to ensure coordinated and defensible organizational practices. Ensures their departments comply with all requirements outlined by funding sources, licensure and accrediting bodies, the program, and the agency. These requirements may pertain to data, paperwork, training, processes, and procedures, among other things. Represents their departments at leadership meetings as appropriate and communicates agency and leadership decisions to their teams. Prepares for and actively participates in supervision meetings and all other required meetings or trainings.

Benefits

• 24 PTO days per year (accrued)
• 11 paid holidays per year
• a premium-free employee medical plan with $100 per month HSA contribution (plus other affordable employee or family medical, dental, and vision options!)
• a retirement savings plan with 50% match on the first 6% of contributions

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive