The Role: SVP and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)

Location: Newark, NJ

Reports To: President and Chief Executive Officer

Supervises: VP & Chief Financial Officer; VP & Chief Technology Officer; VP & Chief People Officer; Executive Assistant

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) is the premier anchor cultural institution in the state, distinguished not only by the world-class performers presented on its stages but by an extensive arts education program, robust community engagement initiatives that bring the arts into parks, schools, libraries and houses of worship across Greater Newark, a track record of developing new productions that tour the country; and a multifaceted mission that emphasizes the revitalization of its home city, Newark, through the power of the performing arts.

In this, its 25th anniversary season, the Arts Center is growing in exciting new directions as it expands its work with the construction of a school for its arts education programs and professional rehearsal studios for the development of new work; new partnerships with community groups; and the redevelopment of its extensive riverfront campus into a live-work-play neighborhood that includes homes, restaurants, shops and arts venues.

Thanks to unique broadcast capabilities, the Arts Center’s theaters are a favored venue for television and film production, with Netflix, HBO, BET, and others filming multiple projects here. In addition, NJPAC was central to the establishment of the Lionsgate Newark TV and film studio, and will be continuously engaged with the studio upon its construction in 2024.

NJPAC has attracted more than 10.5 million visitors since opening its doors in 1997 and has reached almost two million children and families through its education and community programs. The Arts Center also offers multiple public forums for civic discussion (including everything from community conversations about social justice to New Jersey’s gubernatorial debates) and is proud to serve as a leading venue for corporate gatherings, charitable events and graduation ceremonies for many New Jersey universities.

NJPAC prioritizes diversity, equity and inclusion in every aspect of its mission, attracting the most diverse audiences and programming lineups in the country. Performers who have appeared in the acoustically superb, 2,800-seat Prudential Hall, the largest of its theaters, include Joshua Bell, Aretha Franklin, Yo-Yo Ma, George Clinton, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Stephen Colbert and Jerry Seinfeld, among many others.

Position Summary:

The Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) is the senior executive responsible for the Arts Center’s business affairs. The CAO supervises the three C-Suite executives who manage the Arts Center’s finances, technology and human resources. In addition, the CAO has primary accountability for legal affairs, including management of all outside counsel. The CAO provides leadership and governance for enterprise-wide strategic and functional activities, works with department heads across the business, and devises policies to meet organizational goals. The CAO is a member of the executive management team for the organization and has a detailed understanding of the inner workings of the organization and its departments, especially finance.

Key Responsibilities:

Financial:

Provide strategic leadership and general oversight to the financial department with a particular focus on:

– GAAP reporting

– Cash management and liquidity

– Financial forecasting and strategic financial planning

– Grant and financial compliance

– Risk management

• Partner with CEO and Executive Producer to create new programs, real estate

development, and fundraising strategies

• Implement strategies and systems to improve financial performance
• Schedule and manage NJPAC committees:
• Investment Committee
• Operations and Finance Committee
• Audit Committee

Strategy:

• Translate CEO and Board guidance into a clear strategic roadmap and revisit plans with leadership as needed
• Orchestrate and define operating model transformations to support the enterprise
• Foster organization-wide stakeholder engagement and alignment across practices and priorities
• Socialize strategic objectives to enterprise leadership and support development and validation of individual functions, strategic plans and roadmaps
• Track high-level progress of strategic initiatives, flag risks to major milestones, escalate as needed
• Prioritize activities requested by the Executive Committee and materials for leadership

Functional Processes:

• Full oversight and supervision of NJPAC executives responsible for Finance, HR and IT
• Member of executive leadership team providing guidance and planning for strategic initiatives, administrative policies and business planning
• Oversight of budgeting and target-setting in relation to individual functions
• Provide guidance for escalated operational issues across functions
• Manage a team of employees, contractors, and strategic partners, including oversight of contractor/partner relationships and Service Level Agreements, staff satisfaction metrics, learning/training opportunities, and retention.

Business processes:

• Assist in management and planning of Board & Committee materials, primarily working with Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives and Institutional Governance and CEO
• Provide guidance to CEO on annual compensation, performance, and hiring needs
• Influence organizational governance, policies, and staff development
• Contribute to important fundraising strategies and pitches as needed

Legal:

• Set and enforce policy as to when outside counsel should be consulted, and the choice of firms
• Review major legal documents to ensure compliance with NJPAC policy and advice from outside counsel
• Manage contracts and billing with law firms
• Manage key contract negotiations, including working with outside counsel to develop contracts

Key Decision Rights:

• Co-own strategy management and planning with CEO
• Risk management and compliance
• Set annual strategic dashboard targets, and evaluate results
• Socialize strategic priorities throughout the enterprise
• Target setting, forecasting, and reporting
• Direct oversight of IT, Finance and HR, including ultimate accountability for Finance

Professional Experience:

• Minimum 10+ years in senior leadership roles
• Minimum 5+ years as a CFO
• Minimum 5+ years in the non-profit sector (experience at a performing arts center is a plus, but not a requirement)
• Experience directly operating or supervising Finance, HR and IT functions in high-performing organizations
• Strong finance expertise, including an understanding of IRS regulations as they pertain to non-profits, experience working with auditors, understanding of budgeting, projections, board reporting and business planning
• Strong HR expertise, including experience working in complex organizations with a diverse workforce, understanding of labor laws, and experience in developing HR policies
• Excellent IT expertise: Knowledge of databases (Salesforce a plus), financial systems, network infrastructure, cybersecurity, and common user applications such as Microsoft and Google. Experience with donor databases (such as Raiser’s Edge) is a plus
• Basic knowledge of business law, including experience reviewing business contracts from a business-terms perspective and experience managing outside counsel
• Develop strong relationships with senior management, external partners and stakeholders

Personal Attributes:

• Unimpeachable integrity and ethical behavior; strong ethical sense to handle confidential and sensitive information in a discreet manner
• Commitment to the mission and values of NJPAC
• Functional knowledge: Ability to generate and oversee actionable and impactful strategy that effectively engages the organization to achieve strategic milestones
• Analytical prowess: Superior analytical skills for developing insights and recommendations from data
• Industry and business knowledge: Deep knowledge of non-profit business operations; strong business operations, budgeting, and management skills
• Empathetic listener and communicator: Effective executive communication skills, ability to clearly articulate vision and lead effective teams across the enterprise; capacity to listen without an agenda; bring valuable insights
• Coaching and development: Outstanding interpersonal abilities; skilled in assessing employees’ strengths and weaknesses, and helping them recognize and fulfil their potential in a gracious manner
• Leadership capabilities: Excellent organizational and leadership skills, ability to strong function collaboration and lead by example; strong project management and talent management experience
• A self-starter with a results-oriented and productive workstyle, at ease in a fast-paced, highly visible, entrepreneurial and ever-changing environment

Education:

• Bachelor degree or above (MBA preferred)
• Preferred Major: Business Administration or a related major

Send resume and cover letter via email to jobopportunities@njpac.org, with a subject line of “SVP and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)”. If your application meets our needs, we’ll reach out to continue the process. Thanks for your interest! We look forward to hearing from you.

NJPAC requires all employees to be fully vaccinated (including booster vaccination) for COVID-19 prior to starting work, unless precluded from doing so by applicable law. The CDC currently defines “fully vaccinated” as two weeks after the second dose for Pfizer and Moderna, and two weeks after the single dose of Johnson & Johnson. Proof of vaccination is required prior to the applicant’s first day of work.

NJPAC is an Equal Opportunity Employer