Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)

Title: Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)

Location: Upper East Side

Org Unit: Neurological Surgery

Work Days:

Weekly Hours: 35.00

Exemption Status: Exempt

Salary Range: $231,877.00 - $350,000.00

• As required under NYC Human Rights Law Int 1208-2018 - Salary range for this role when Hired for NYC Offices

Position Summary

The Chief Administrative Officer serves as the Departments senior administrative executive and strategic partner to the Department Chair, providing leadership across all administrative, financial, operational, and business functions in support of the Departments clinical, research, and educational missions. As a member of the Departments executive leadership team, the CAO partners closely with the Chair, Vice Chairs, institutional leadership, and colleagues across the Medical College and affiliated hospital partners to advance departmental priorities while contributing to broader institutional goals.

The CAO provides visionary leadership for the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of administrative systems that support a complex academic department. The role requires balancing strategic planning with operational execution while fostering innovation, organizational effectiveness, financial stewardship, and operational excellence. The CAO maintains a comprehensive understanding of the academic healthcare environment, including faculty affairs, clinical operations, research administration, finance, human resources, compliance, information technology, and institutional governance.

The CAO serves as a trusted advisor to the Chair, translating institutional priorities into departmental strategy while ensuring that departmental initiatives are aligned with the Medical Colleges strategic plan and the shared missions of patient care, scientific discovery, education, and community engagement.

Job Responsibilities

• Serves as the Departments senior administrative leader, partnering with the Chair to establish and execute the Departments strategic vision, operational priorities, and long-term business objectives.
• Collaborates with institutional leadership, affiliated hospital partners, department leaders, and administrative colleagues to advance shared strategic initiatives and strengthen alignment across the academic medical center.
• Provides executive leadership in organizational planning, change management, and implementation of institutional initiatives that advance the missions of the Department and the institution.
• Advises the Chair and executive leadership on emerging opportunities, risks, healthcare trends, regulatory changes, and organizational strategy.
• Demonstrates a deep understanding of the operational, financial, & regulatory complexities of a leading academic research enterprise, integrating the needs of clinical care, education, & scientific discovery into departmental strategy and decision-making.
• Oversees all administrative and operational functions supporting the Departments clinical, research, and educational enterprises, ensuring efficient, high-quality, and patient-centered operations.
• Develops and implements operational strategies that improve performance, enhance productivity, optimize resource utilization, and support sustainable growth.
• Leads continuous improvement initiatives that promote innovation, operational efficiency, quality, collaboration, and service excellence across all areas of the Department.
• Evaluates existing clinical and administrative operations and develops scalable service delivery and staffing models that meet evolving institutional and patient care needs.
• Provides executive oversight of the Departments financial strategy, budgeting, forecasting, and financial performance.
• Ensures transparent financial reporting, sound fiscal management, regulatory compliance, and responsible stewardship of departmental resources.
• Partners with institutional finance leadership to develop financial strategies that support departmental growth, capital planning, investments, and long-term sustainability.
• Uses data analytics and financial modeling to support strategic decision-making and resource allocation.
• Provides leadership and direction to administrative leaders responsible for finance, human resources, compliance, research administration, faculty affairs, information technology, facilities, communications, and business operations.
• Builds a high-performing administrative leadership team through talent development, succession planning, mentoring, and organizational design.
• Establishes performance expectations and accountability measures for divisional and administrative leaders while fostering a culture of collaboration, inclusion, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Promotes effective communication and partnership among faculty, staff, trainees, and institutional stakeholders.
• Cultivates an administrative culture that supports faculty success across the clinical, research, and educational missions, recognizing the unique operational, financial, regulatory, and infrastructure needs of a large academic research enterprise
• Represents the Department in institutional committees, governance bodies, and cross-functional initiatives.
• Cultivates collaborative relationships with Medical College leadership, affiliated hospital executives, central administrative offices, and external partners to advance shared priorities and improve organizational effectiveness.
• Serves as a key liaison between departmental leadership and institutional administrative functions, facilitating alignment, communication, and coordinated decision-making.
• Partners across departments to identify opportunities for operational integration, shared services, interdisciplinary collaboration, and institutional innovation.
• Oversees departmental administrative policies, governance processes, and operational standards to ensure compliance with institutional policies and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Assists the Chair in developing and implementing departmental policies, administrative procedures, and governance structures that support effective decision-making and organizational accountability.
• Ensures administrative systems and internal controls promote transparency, integrity, operational resilience, and effective risk management.
• Monitors organizational performance through meaningful operational, financial, and strategic metrics, using data to inform continuous improvement and executive decision-making.

Education

• Bachelors Degree

Experience

• Approximately 6 years of senior management experience in the health care field.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Regulatory compliance responsibility experience.
• Financial acumen.
• Insight into research administration and academic research organizational structure is a plus.
• Experience interfacing with a board/governing body.
• Past experience overseeing daily operations of a high-volume clinical operations.

Licenses and Certifications

Working Conditions/Physical Demands

Standard office work.

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