Chief Administrative Officer
Location: Cleveland, OH (Hybrid)
Status: Full-Time, Exempt
JumpStart is a nonprofit entrepreneurial support organization whose mission is to drive economic vitality by connecting entrepreneurs to the opportunities and resources they need to succeed. When Ohio’s entrepreneurs thrive, its communities benefit.
Key to JumpStart’s success is its ability to leverage the skills, experience and creativity of its inspired team to transform entrepreneurial aspirations into actions with measurable impact. Associates take great pride in making JumpStart a highly demanding yet incredibly fun place to work.
The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) serves as JumpStart's senior operational executive and Company integrator, responsible for translating organizational strategy into operational execution. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the CAO oversees the organization's administrative functions, Company operations, technology, human resources, legal and compliance, facilities, organizational performance and strategic initiatives.
As a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, the CAO ensures alignment across people, processes, technology and infrastructure while fostering a culture of operational excellence, accountability, innovation and continuous improvement. The CAO partners closely with executive leaders to remove barriers, improve organizational effectiveness and build the operational capabilities necessary to scale JumpStart's mission and long-term impact.
The CAO serves as the CEO's principal operational advisor and may act on behalf of the CEO when designated.
- Serve as a strategic advisor and operational partner to the CEO
- Translate organizational strategy into company-wide execution
- Coordinate priorities across the Executive Leadership Team to ensure organizational alignment
- Facilitate executive operating rhythms, leadership meetings and strategic planning processes
- Drive company accountability through measurable goals, executive scorecards and organizational dashboards
- Serve as CEO designee when appropriate
- Support Board governance, executive reporting, strategic planning, policy development and CEO succession planning
- Improve executive accountability and cross-functional collaboration
- Oversee facilities, workplace safety, business continuity, company risk management, supply procurement, vendor management and operational budgeting in partnership with the Finance department
- Oversee workforce planning, talent acquisition, performance management, compensation, employee engagement and leadership development
- Lead leadership development, succession planning, change management, employee engagement and organizational effectiveness
- Strengthen organizational culture and executive leadership capability through targeted professional development engagements
- Provide executive leadership for Human Resources, Information Technology, Legal & Compliance and Administrative Operations
- Lead company technology strategy, cybersecurity, AI governance and business systems
- Oversee corporate governance, contracts, compliance, company risk, insurance and policy development
- Lead vendor management and procurement for JumpStart and workspace incubator clients
- Build a scalable operational infrastructure that is easy to comprehend and follow
- Lead project management efforts to drive consistent performance results
- Oversee strategic initiatives approved by the CEO and Board
- Build executive dashboards, KPIs and organizational performance metrics
- Establish company-wide performance dashboards
- Standardize business processes and drive continuous improvement through policy
- Develop the organization’s digital transformation roadmap
- Foster and nurture the company’s AI strategy and governance
- Identify automation opportunities that improve operational efficiency
- Partner with leaders to implement company-wide revenue-generating innovations
- Travel when required to attend local and out-of-state meetings, conferences, workshops and special events
- Occasional modest physical activity required for lifting and moving office supplies, equipment and furniture
- Must reside in Cleveland, Ohio
- Supervisory responsibility for 4 direct reports
- Strategic Planning & Execution
- Business Process Improvement
- Governance & Risk Management
- Bachelor’s degree required; MBA, MPA, JD or related advanced degree preferred
- 10+ years of leadership experience in similarly complex organizations; at least 5 years at the C-suite level
- Demonstrated success leading company operations across multiple functional areas
- Experience partnering with Boards of Directors and executive leadership teams and using influence to drive results
- Accountability: Act to deliver on commitments and generate results, and if expectations aren’t clear, ask
- Entrepreneurial: Embrace opportunity, continuous improvement and change, and contribute to the solution as we evolve
- Equity: Committed to corrective action regarding historically underserved and underrepresented populations through entrepreneurship and innovation
- Energy: Address our work with focus, grit and enthusiasm
- Collaboration: Collaborate with others to play our most helpful role(s) and to increase effectiveness
- Humility: Balance self-assurance with listening to understand, having an open mind and demonstrating patience
JumpStart team members are expected to be:
- Honest: We speak the truth, plainly and simply, kindly and considerately. We will challenge you as we seek to accomplish great things, and we hope you will do the same with us.
- Responsive: We respond rapidly to your inquiries and actively communicate so we are all on the same page.
- Resourceful: We will be creative and efficient in helping you access relationships, contacts and other resources to help you succeed.
- Insightful: We will provide the knowledge and insight about entrepreneurship and innovation you aren’t able to easily get from others.
This position description is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required for the job and is subject to review and change at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with the needs of JumpStart. Since no position description can detail all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time in the performance of a job, duties and responsibilities that may be inherent in a job, reasonably required for its performance, or required due to the changing nature of the job shall also be considered part of the jobholder’s responsibility.
JumpStart Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
- Bachelor's degree required; MBA, MPA, JD or related advanced degree preferred.
- 10+ years of leadership experience in similarly complex organizations. At least 5 years at the C-suite level.
- Demonstrated success leading company operations across multiple functional areas
- Experience partnering with Boards of Directors and executive leadership teams and using influence to drive results.
