POSITION SUMMARY

The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) is responsible for the efficient, compliant, and cost-effective running of the organizations administrative, facilities, procurement, and corporate support functions. The role acts as the operational backbone of the company, ensuring that offices, plants, and branch locations are well-run, adequately resourced, secure, and compliant with all statutory and regulatory requirements. The CAO partners closely with the CEO, COO, and CFO to drive administrative efficiency, vendor and contract governance, workplace safety, and corporate services excellence, enabling the core business functions to operate smoothly and scale effectively.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Administrative Strategy & Corporate Services Leadership

- Define and execute the organization’s overall administrative strategy, ensuring alignment with business growth plans and operational priorities.
- Serve as a key member of the executive leadership team, advising the CEO on infrastructure, facilities, and administrative resourcing decisions.
- Establish policies, SOPs, and service standards across administration, facilities, travel, procurement, and corporate support functions.
- Drive standardisation and process improvement across all office, plant, and branch locations.

2. Facilities, Infrastructure & Workplace Management

- Oversee the setup, maintenance, and upkeep of all corporate offices, project sites, and branch locations, ensuring a safe, productive, and well-maintained work environment.
- Manage lease negotiations, renewals, and facility expansion or relocation projects in coordination with legal and finance teams.
- Ensure robust health, safety, and security protocols are implemented and monitored across all facilities.
- Oversee housekeeping, cafeteria, security, and other soft-services vendors to maintain service quality within budget.

3. Procurement & Vendor Management

- Own the non-technical procurement strategy, including office supplies, facility services, travel, and administrative vendor contracts.
- Establish vendor empanelment, evaluation, and performance-review processes to ensure cost efficiency and service quality.
- Negotiate contracts and service-level agreements (SLAs) with vendors,



ensuring favourable commercial terms and risk mitigation.
- Drive cost optimisation initiatives across administrative spend without compromising service standards.

4. Travel, Events & Employee Services

- Oversee corporate travel policy and booking operations, ensuring cost-effective and employee-friendly travel arrangements.
- Lead planning and execution of company events, offsites, Board meetings logistics, and leadership visits.
- Ensure smooth onboarding logistics (workstations, ID cards, access, seating) in coordination with HR and IT.
- Manage employee transport, cafeteria, and other administrative welfare services where applicable.

5. Compliance, Risk & Governance

- Ensure all administrative functions comply with local municipal, labour, fire, safety, and environmental regulations across all locations.
- Maintain statutory licenses, registrations, and renewals (trade licenses, fire NOCs, pollution clearances, etc.) in coordination with legal counsel.
- Implement business continuity and disaster recovery plans for facilities and administrative operations.
- Support internal and statutory audits by ensuring administrative records, contracts, and approvals are well-documented and audit-ready.

6. IT Infrastructure & Corporate Systems Support

- Coordinate with IT teams to ensure office infrastructure (network, hardware, telephony) supports business operations effectively.
- Oversee digitisation of administrative processes, including procurement, facility requests, and vendor management systems.
- Ensure data security and access-control protocols are followed for physical premises and administrative systems.

7. Budgeting & Cost Management

- Own the annual administrative and facilities budget, tracking spend against plan and identifying cost-saving opportunities.




- Provide regular MIS on administrative costs, vendor performance, and facility utilisation to the CEO and CFO.
- Evaluate build-vs-lease and outsource-vs-in-house decisions for facilities and administrative services.

8. Team Leadership & Capability Building

- Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing administration, facilities, and procurement team.
- Define clear roles, KPIs, and service standards for the administrative function, fostering accountability and responsiveness.
- Champion a culture of service excellence, safety, and cost-consciousness across all support functions.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

- Education: Graduate/Postgraduate degree in Business Administration, Facilities Management, Operations, or a related field; an MBA is preferred.
- Experience: 15+ years of progressive experience in administration, facilities, or corporate services, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role overseeing multi-location operations.
- Industry Exposure: Prior experience in renewable energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, or technology/IT sectors with multi-site facilities is highly preferred.
- Operational Experience: Demonstrated track record of managing large-scale facility setups, vendor contracts, and administrative cost optimisation.
- Regulatory Knowledge: Working knowledge of labour laws, municipal/fire/safety regulations, contract law fundamentals, and statutory compliance requirements relevant to facilities and administration.

KEY SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

- Strong operational and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple sites and priorities simultaneously.
- Excellent vendor negotiation and contract management capabilities.
- Sound judgement on risk, safety, and compliance matters affecting people and property.
- Strong leadership and cross-functional collaboration skills, working closely with HR, Finance, Legal, and Operations.
- Cost-conscious mindset with a strong focus on service quality and employee experience.
- Proficiency with facility and procurement management systems, along with solid MS Office/ERP skills.
- Calm, solutions-oriented approach in handling emergencies, escalations, and facility-related crises.

📌 Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) (Delhi)
🏢 Aelius Consultants Delhi
📍 Delhi