Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)

TSC•Arlington, VA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

FALCATA is seeking a hands-on, business-oriented Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to lead and scale the Contracts function and core administrative operations in support of rapid growth, acquisition activity, and a more mature platform operating model. The CAO will serve as a builder, operator, and enterprise partner, providing executive leadership for Contracts while strengthening policies and controls, integrating acquired administrative functions, improving service delivery, and addressing operational issues that affect contract performance, compliance, risk, and scalability. The role has executive ownership of Contracts and related administrative functions assigned to the position, which may include Facilities and Real Estate, Physical Security, Records and Administrative Services, and other enterprise support capabilities. Legal remains a separate function. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the CAO reports to the CEO and works closely with senior leaders and teams across finance, operations, human capital, growth, corporate development, legal, IT and cybersecurity, industrial security, program management, and business units. The CAO will establish a scalable Contracts and Subcontracts operating model; oversee the full contract lifecycle; develop governance, policies, metrics, and controls; and provide executive visibility into material contractual risks and decisions. The position also leads assigned administrative services, physical security, and functional integration for acquisitions, coordinating with the COO-led Integration Management Office while owning integration of assigned functions. The role requires significant federal government contracting leadership and supports a defense technology company serving U.S. Government customers. The position is based in Arlington, Virginia, with hybrid or remote work listed as options. Travel is approximately 20–30%, depending on acquisition activity, business-unit needs, customer requirements, and leadership meetings. U.S. citizenship is required, and the candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance. Employment is contingent on successful completion of background check, security investigation, and drug screening requirements. Relocation assistance is not currently available.

Requirements

15 or more years of progressive leadership experience in Contracts/Subcontracts, Administration, Operations, or related government-contracting functions, including significant responsibility for federal government contracting.
At least 5 years in a senior executive or enterprise functional leadership role, such as Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Contracts Officer, SVP/VP Contracts, VP Administration, or equivalent.
Demonstrated experience leading the full government-contract lifecycle in a complex defense, aerospace, technology, engineering, or professional-services environment.
Deep working knowledge of FAR, DFARS, agency supplements, contract types, flow-down requirements, subcontracting, procurement controls, change management, claims/disputes support, and audit readiness.
Experience with commercial item justification under FAR 2.101 and receiving commercial item determinations.
Experience building or scaling Contracts and administrative operating models, including policies, systems, metrics, delegations, service delivery, and functional teams.
Proven experience supporting M&A diligence and post-close integration involving contracts, novations or consents, administrative functions, facilities, security, procurement/subcontracts, or related infrastructure.
Ability to work effectively with P&L leaders, program managers, engineers, growth leaders, Finance, Legal, Human Capital, IT, Security, customers, contracting officers, advisors, and Board or sponsor stakeholders.
Strong analytical, organizational, negotiation, communication, executive-influence, and problem-solving skills, with a practical, business-oriented approach to risk.
Experience developing and managing functional budgets, vendors, priorities, systems, and staffing in a growth or integration environment.
U.S. citizenship.
Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
Successful completion of background check, security investigation, and drug screening requirements.

Nice To Haves

Experience in defense, aerospace, government contracting, advanced manufacturing, electronics, hardware/software, engineering services, or other complex technical businesses.
Experience in a private-equity-backed company or an organization scaling through organic growth and multiple acquisitions.
Experience with DCAA/DCMA audits, purchasing systems, subcontract compliance, and government-property or related administrative requirements.
Experience overseeing Facilities/Real Estate, Physical Security, Records Management, Procurement/Subcontracts, or other shared administrative services in addition to Contracts.
Experience with Deltek Costpoint, contract-management/procurement systems, analytics tools, and integration of acquired administrative systems.
Advanced degree in Business, Contracts/Acquisition Management, Finance, Public Administration, or a related field.
Relevant NCMA, CPCM, CFCM, or equivalent certification.

Responsibilities

Provide executive leadership for the Contracts and Subcontracts function and establish a scalable operating model aligned with growth strategy, customer commitments, acquisition activity, and risk.
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 assess contractual terms, risks, pricing and business assumptions, customer requirements, and execution obligations.
Establish contract and subcontract policies, delegations of authority, review thresholds, approval workflows, templates, playbooks, metrics, and escalation protocols.
Develop metrics and dashboards to measure organizational goals, performance, and productivity.
Ensure appropriate interpretation and administration of FAR, DFARS, agency supplements, contract clauses, flow-down requirements, representations and certifications, and other government-contracting obligations, coordinating with Legal and subject-matter experts.
Build relationships with contracting officers, customers, prime contractors, subcontractors, and internal stakeholders while maintaining appropriate separation between business, contractual, and legal decision-making.
Oversee Subcontracts, including subcontract administration, subcontractor performance, compliant file documentation, and applicable FAR/DFARS, CPSR, small-business, cost/price analysis, consent, flow-down, and recordkeeping requirements.
Work with Supply Chain to align and consistently implement policies, procedures, and practices.
Provide the CEO and Executive Leadership Team visibility into material contractual risks, disputes, obligations, trends, and decisions requiring executive attention.
Lead assigned administrative functions, such as Facilities and Real Estate, Physical Security, Records and Administrative Services, and other shared support capabilities designated by the CEO.
Develop service standards, policies, budgets, vendor-management practices, performance metrics, and escalation paths across assigned functions.
Partner with business-unit and functional leaders on facility capacity, office and site requirements, leases, relocations, acquired locations, workplace services, and infrastructure needs.
Ensure assigned administrative functions have clear ownership, practical controls, responsive service delivery, business continuity, and risk-management practices.
Provide executive oversight of enterprise physical security, including site access controls, visitor management, physical protection standards, and coordination of security requirements across facilities.
Coordinate with Facilities, Industrial Security, IT/Cybersecurity, Legal, and business leaders to align physical security controls with classified-program, customer, regulatory, and business-continuity requirements.
Integrate physical security requirements into new facilities, relocations, and acquired locations, with consistent standards, accountability, incident escalation, and vendor oversight.
Partner across the M&A lifecycle on diligence, Day 1 readiness, integration planning, and post-close execution for Contracts and assigned administrative functions.
Assess acquisition targets’ contract portfolios, customer and prime relationships, subcontract and procurement practices, facilities, security posture, administrative systems, policies, staffing, and related risks.
Develop and execute functional integration plans covering contract novations and consents, policies, systems, delegations, facilities, security, procurement and subcontracts, records, and acquired-team transitions.
Establish repeatable administrative integration playbooks, decision rights, metrics, and reporting routines that support multiple acquisitions and preserve customer and program continuity.
Coordinate with the COO-led Integration Management Office, sponsor resources, and functional executives; own integration of assigned administrative functions while the COO retains accountability for the enterprise integration model.
Partner with Legal, as a separate enterprise function, on legal interpretation, disputes, investigations, claims, litigation, regulatory matters, and issues requiring legal judgment or privilege.
Partner with Finance on DCAA/DCMA-sensitive processes, purchasing-system requirements, cost allowability considerations, indirect-rate implications, and audit support related to Contracts and assigned administrative functions.
Partner with Human Capital on workforce policies and with IT/Cybersecurity and Industrial Security on contractual, CMMC, classified, facility-clearance, export-control, personnel-security, and customer-security obligations, while retaining CAO accountability for physical security.
Establish risk-based governance to identify material administrative and contractual issues early, assign accountable owners, and escalate decisions to the appropriate executive forum.
Maintain audit-ready documentation, records-retention practices, policies, and controls across assigned functions.
Serve as a trusted business partner to the CEO on contracting, administrative infrastructure, enterprise risk, scalability, and operating effectiveness.
Build and lead a high-performing administrative organization with clear accountability, succession depth, talent development, operating cadence, and continuous-improvement discipline.
Develop budgets, staffing plans, vendor strategies, systems roadmaps, and investment priorities for assigned functions.
Use data and operating metrics to identify bottlenecks, improve cycle time and service quality, and create scalable processes without unnecessary bureaucracy.
Present material risks, trends, performance, and recommendations to executive leadership, the Board, sponsor representatives, customers, or advisors as appropriate.