Chief administrative officer
Encyclopedia
A chief administrative officer (CAO) is responsible for administrative management of private, public or governmental corporations. The CAO is one of the highest ranking members of an organization, managing daily operations and usually reporting directly to the chief executive officer
. In some companies, the CAO is also the president. It is very similar to a chief operating officer
and is not the same as a CEO, which is a more senior title.
In a municipal context, the title is usually used as an alternative for city manager
or county executive
, particularly in cases where the position does not include powers such as the authority to appoint or dismiss department heads.
In the United Kingdom
, CAOs of public companies
must be chartered secretaries (Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators
), lawyers, certified/chartered accountants, or others with equivalent experience.
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
. In some companies, the CAO is also the president. It is very similar to a chief operating officer
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
and is not the same as a CEO, which is a more senior title.
In a municipal context, the title is usually used as an alternative for city manager
City manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
or county executive
County executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
, particularly in cases where the position does not include powers such as the authority to appoint or dismiss department heads.
In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, CAOs of public companies
Public company
This is not the same as a Government-owned corporation.A public company or publicly traded company is a limited liability company that offers its securities for sale to the general public, typically through a stock exchange, or through market makers operating in over the counter markets...
must be chartered secretaries (Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators
Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators
The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators is an international professional membership body and a recognised authority on corporate governance.-History:The organisation was founded in 1891 and incorporated by Royal Charter in 1902...
), lawyers, certified/chartered accountants, or others with equivalent experience.
See also
- Office manager
- Chief Administrative Officer of the United States House of RepresentativesChief Administrative Officer of the United States House of RepresentativesThe Chief Administrative Officer of the United States House of Representatives is the chief administrative officer of the United States House of Representatives, charged with carrying out administrative functions for the House, including human resources, information resources, payroll, finance,...