The Opportunity
The University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business seeks a strategic, forward-looking leader to serve as its next Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). As a core member of the Dean’s senior leadership team and direct report to the Dean, the CAO leads the School’s financial and operational strategy, ensuring that resources are deployed effectively to advance Darden’s academic mission and strategic priorities.
This opportunity comes at a moment of historic momentum for the school as Darden welcomes its 10th dean, Yael Grushka-Cockayne. The School is celebrating record enrollments; the growth of UVA Darden DC Metro in Rosslyn, Virginia; a triumphant $632 million campaign; the execution of an ambitious master plan; and a sustained position as the No. 1 global public Full-Time MBA program.
By aligning resources with bold academic ambitions and supporting a culture of collaboration and excellence across the enterprise, the CAO’s role is critical to ensuring Darden’s continued strength and future impact.
This senior executive role has direct oversight of Finance, Human Resources, Facilities, Information Technology, Compliance, and Financial Aid. They will partner with the Dean and other senior leaders to ensure that each of these functions support the School’s operations and continued excellence and growth.
Portfolio Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
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Serve as a key member of the School’s leadership team, partnering with the Dean and senior faculty and staff leaders to develop and shape strategic plans and align academic, financial and operational strategies with Darden’s long-term vision and mission.
- Lead the development and execution of multi-year financial and operational plans that support the School’s strategic goals.
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Partner with the Advancement team to identify and prioritize strategic funding opportunities, helping align philanthropic investments with Darden's highest priorities.
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Anticipate challenges and opportunities, using scenario planning and data analysis to inform decision-making.
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Represent Darden to University leadership and external stakeholders on financial and operational matters.
Financial Stewardship
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Advise the Dean on all relevant financial matters with a bias toward proactive planning and analysis.
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Provide executive leadership to the Finance team on financial management issues, including budgeting, forecasting, risk management, reporting, and compliance.
- Provide leadership for Financial Aid resources and services that expand access, support affordability, and ensure transparency and equity in funding opportunities.
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Partner with the Finance team and the Darden Foundation to support alignment, operational efficiencies, and effective stewardship of resources, including the strategic use of endowment funds and management of gift agreements.
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Monitor financial performance, identify trends, and recommend strategies to align financial resources with the school’s long-term goals.
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Ensure robust systems, processes, and controls are in place to safeguard assets and support accurate reporting.
Operations & Master Plan
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Provide strategic guidance to the leaders of Facilities, Information Technology, Human Resources and Compliance to develop goals that align each unit’s work with the School’s mission and strategic priorities, and partner with them to achieve measurable outcomes.
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Ensure resourcing for capital projects, renovations, maintenance, and space planning to create exceptional learning and working environments.
Technology, Data, and Innovation
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Collaborate strategically with the Chief Digital Officer to support the adoption of technologies that advance the School’s strategic priorities, operational improvements, and data practices to enhance efficiency and service quality.
- In conjunction with technology leadership, evaluate and champion the implementation of artificial intelligence and emerging digital tools that improve administrative efficiency, strengthen analytics capabilities, and support scalable operations.
- Promote secure, reliable, and user-centric technology services for faculty, staff, and students.
Talent & Culture Leadership
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As Darden’s senior administrative leader for people management, partner with the Dean, School leaders, and UVA HR to shape and advance Darden's people strategy, providing executive leadership on employee relations, organizational development, performance management and feedback, merit and promotion processes and policy implementation in support of the School's strategic priorities.
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Shape and advance talent strategies that attract, retain, and develop top talent, partnering closely with Darden’s HR Business Partner and Darden’s Senior Director of Strategic Talent Initiatives.
- Lead a high-performance culture in partnership with leaders and managers across the enterprise, providing mentorship, guidance, and opportunities that empower staff growth and enhance operational effectiveness.
- Anticipate and address workforce needs and challenges, ensuring a productive, engaged, and resilient team across operational units.
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate will be an inspiring leader of people, a culturally adept diplomat, and a sharp, metrics-driven strategist who thrives in a collaborative academic environment.
Required Education & Experience
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Master’s degree and minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible administrative leadership experience, preferably in higher education or large complex organizations.
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Significant senior leadership experience in financial and administrative roles within large, complex, or mission-driven organizations.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Executive-level Experience:
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Proven ability to serve as a trusted strategic advisor to senior leadership, influencing organizational direction through data-driven insight, cross-functional collaboration, and innovation.
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Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex issues clearly and serve as an effective spokesperson.
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High emotional intelligence, integrity, sound judgment, and discretion in navigating complex and sensitive matters.
People Leadership & Talent Development:
- Proven ability to build, lead, and inspire high-performing, multidisciplinary teams by fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, continuous learning, and professional growth.
Operational Excellence:
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Experience leading and integrating diverse operational functions (e.g., finance, facilities, IT, HR) within higher education or a comparably complex, mission-driven organization.
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Demonstrated success leading technology adoption and digital transformation initiatives.
Strategic Vision:
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Strategic thinker with the ability to build consensus, lead change, and inspire action across varied stakeholder groups.
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Strong analytical capability, with a commitment to data-informed decision-making, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.
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Demonstrated success in multi-year financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and resource allocation, including oversight of substantial and complex budgets.
About the Darden School of Business
The University of Virginia Darden School of Business prepares responsible leaders through unparalleled, transformational learning experiences.
Darden offers top-ranked graduate degree programs—including the Full-Time MBA, Part-Time MBA, Executive MBA, MSBA, and Ph.D.—as well as Executive Education & Lifelong Learning delivered by the Darden School Foundation. Darden's faculty is renowned for teaching excellence and is consistently ranked No. 1 in the world for bringing out the best in learners.
Darden has Grounds in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the Washington, D.C., area, with representation in Shanghai, China, and Mumbai, India. Its Charlottesville campus spans approximately 560,000 gross square feet across a 20-acre site, providing an inspiring environment for learning, research, and collaboration. The Charlottesville learning hub includes The Forum Hotel operated by Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants and the Tahija Arboretum and LaCross Botanical Gardens. Darden is preparing to open its first on-Grounds student housing in Charlottesville in summer 2027, a major investment in the Full-Time MBA experience. The two buildings will total nearly 250,000 square feet and include 216 apartment-style units and more than 325 beds. UVA Darden DC Metro is located in Rosslyn, Virginia, in a high-rise with 360-degree views of the capital region.
Darden is supported by an annual operating budget of approximately $160 million and a dedicated community of more than 300 faculty and staff. The School serves approximately 1,250 degree-seeking students, welcomes more than 4,000 Executive Education participants annually, and is connected to a global network of 20,000 alumni across 90 countries, as well as millions of online learners.
This is a pivotal moment for Darden as the School continues to build on extraordinary momentum. Darden has reached record enrollments, recently launched a Part-Time MBA, and expanded its Executive MBA presence in the Washington, D.C., metro area. With record rankings as the No. 1 global public full-time MBA program, record-setting philanthropic success with $632 million raised through its recently concluded capital campaign, and unprecedented scholarship resources available to attract top talent, Darden continues to innovate in an increasingly competitive global landscape.
Driven by innovation and a bold vision reflected in the brand mantra, "Not business school as usual," Darden serves a global network of students, alumni, faculty, and partners through world-class degree programs and lifelong learning.
Salary will be commensurate with education and experience.
Position Type & Work Location
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This position is an Executive & Senior Administrative appointment. Initial appointments are for a defined term and are subject to renewal in accordance with University policy.
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This is an exempt-level, benefited position. Learn more about UVA benefits.
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This position requires in-person presence in Charlottesville, Virginia based at Darden’s Goodwin Family Grounds.
Application review will begin on August 3, 2026 and will continue through September 1, 2026.
Additional Requirements
- Background checks will be conducted on all new hires prior to employment.
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This position will not consider candidates who require immigration sponsorship now or in the future.
How to Apply
Please apply online, by searching for requisition number R0085722. Complete an application with the following documents:
Upload all materials into the resume submission field. You can submit multiple documents into this one field or combine them into one PDF. Applications without all required documents will not receive full consideration.
Internal applicants may search and apply for jobs on the UVA Internal Careers website.
Reference checks will be completed by UVA’s third-party partner, SkillSurvey, during the final phase of the interview. Five references will be requested, with at least three responses required.
For questions about the position, please contact Mary Jones at [email protected].
For questions about the application process, please contact Jessica Russo, Senior Recruiter, [email protected].
The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.
