Job Description
We are seeking an experienced and strategic Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to lead the organization’s administrative operations, corporate services, facilities, procurement, vendor management, business support, and operational governance.
The CAO will be responsible for establishing efficient administrative systems, controlling operational costs, ensuring statutory and internal compliance, and providing reliable support to all departments. The role requires a strong leader capable of managing multiple locations, coordinating with senior management, and improving organizational efficiency.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Administrative Leadership and Strategy
- Develop and implement the organization’s administrative strategy, policies, and standard operating procedures.
- Provide strategic administrative support to the Managing Director, CEO, and senior leadership team.
- Ensure administrative operations are aligned with organizational objectives.
- Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, service quality, and cost-effectiveness.
- Establish clear governance, accountability, and performance standards for administrative functions.
2. Office and Facilities Management
- Oversee the maintenance and administration of corporate offices, branches, and other facilities.
- Ensure offices provide a safe, secure, professional, and productive working environment.
- Manage office infrastructure, utilities, housekeeping, security, transportation, and workplace services.
- Coordinate office expansions, relocations, renovations, and infrastructure projects.
- Ensure preventive maintenance schedules and facility-related records are properly maintained.
3. Procurement and Vendor Management
- Oversee the procurement of office supplies, equipment, services, and administrative resources.
- Establish transparent vendor selection, evaluation, approval, and renewal processes.
- Negotiate contracts and commercial terms with service providers and suppliers.
- Monitor vendor performance against agreed service levels and contractual obligations.
- Ensure procurement activities comply with approved budgets, policies, and authorization limits.
4. Budgeting and Cost Control
- Prepare and manage annual administrative and facilities budgets.
- Monitor administrative expenses and identify cost-optimization opportunities.
- Review and approve expenses according to the organization’s delegation-of-authority framework.
- Coordinate with the Finance Department for budgeting, payments, audits, and financial reporting.
- Provide periodic administrative cost and utilization reports to management.
5. Policy, Compliance and Governance
- Develop, implement, and regularly review administrative policies and SOPs.
- Ensure compliance with applicable statutory, regulatory, safety, environmental, and organizational requirements.
- Maintain contracts, licenses, registrations, insurance documents, and other administrative records.
- Support internal and external audits by providing accurate documentation and implementing corrective actions.
- Ensure confidential organizational and employee information is appropriately protected.
6. Security, Safety and Business Continuity
- Establish and monitor workplace security, access control, emergency response, and visitor-management systems.
- Coordinate fire safety, emergency preparedness, evacuation drills, and workplace safety inspections.
- Develop business continuity and disaster-recovery arrangements for administrative operations.
- Ensure incidents are documented, investigated, escalated, and resolved appropriately.
- Liaise with government authorities, emergency services, and external agencies when required.
7. Travel, Transport and Logistics
- Oversee corporate travel, accommodation, transportation, courier, and logistics arrangements.
- Ensure travel and transportation services are cost-effective and compliant with company policies.
- Monitor vehicle utilization, maintenance, insurance, and statutory documentation where applicable.
- Establish effective systems for managing employee and business travel requirements.
8. Asset and Inventory Management
- Establish systems for recording, allocating, maintaining, transferring, and disposing of organizational assets.
- Ensure periodic physical verification of assets and inventories.
- Coordinate with Finance and IT teams to maintain accurate asset registers.
- Ensure asset purchases and disposals follow approved policies and authorization procedures.
9. Stakeholder and Government Liaison
- Maintain professional relationships with government departments, local authorities, landlords, consultants, and service providers.
- Coordinate applications and renewals for relevant licenses, permissions, and registrations.
- Represent the organization in administrative discussions and negotiations when authorized.
- Ensure all external coordination is conducted ethically and in compliance with company policies.
10. Team Leadership and Performance Management
- Lead, mentor, and develop administration, facilities, security, procurement, travel, and support teams.
- Define team objectives, responsibilities, service standards, and key performance indicators.
- Conduct regular performance reviews and identify training and development needs.
- Promote accountability, professionalism, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Ensure adequate staffing and succession planning for critical administrative roles.
11. Reporting and Management Support
- Present regular administrative performance reports to senior management.
- Track budgets, vendor performance, facility issues, compliance requirements, and operational risks.
- Escalate critical administrative, safety, legal, or business-continuity concerns promptly.
- Participate in leadership meetings and support organization-wide strategic initiatives.
- Carry out additional responsibilities assigned by the Managing Director or CEO.
Educational Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, Commerce, Operations, or a related discipline.
- Master’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field is preferred.
- Professional certification in facilities management, procurement, project management, safety, or corporate administration would be an advantage.
Experience Requirements
- 12–18 years of progressive experience in administration, facilities, corporate services, or operations.
- At least 5 years of experience in a senior administrative or leadership position.
- Demonstrated experience managing budgets, vendors, facilities, procurement, compliance, and multidisciplinary teams.
- Experience handling multiple offices or geographically distributed operations is preferred.
- Strong exposure to policy development, audits, operational controls, and senior stakeholder management.
Required Skills and Competencies
- Strategic and operational leadership
- Corporate administration and facilities management
- Budget planning and cost optimization
- Procurement, negotiation, and vendor management
- Policy development and SOP implementation
- Compliance and risk management
- Project and change management
- Crisis management and business continuity
- Team leadership and people development
- Strong analytical and decision-making abilities
- Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills
- High standards of integrity, confidentiality, and professional judgment
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, ERP platforms, and administration-management systems
Key Performance Indicators
- Administrative budget adherence and cost savings
- Facility uptime and service-quality levels
- Vendor performance and contract compliance
- Timely completion of licenses and regulatory renewals
- Closure of audit findings and corrective actions
- Workplace safety and incident-reduction performance
- Internal stakeholder satisfaction
- Procurement turnaround time
- Asset and inventory accuracy
- Completion of administrative projects within approved timelines and budgets
Preferred Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate will be a mature, commercially aware, and results-oriented administrative leader who can balance strategic planning with hands-on execution. The candidate should demonstrate strong governance, negotiation, problem-solving, and team-management capabilities and be comfortable working closely with executive leadership in a dynamic organizational environment
Benefits:
- Provident Fund
- Work from home
Work Location: Remote
