Chief Administrative Officer

The Position

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (the M-NCPPC) a 100-year-old bi-county agency is looking for a dynamic, strategic and energetic leader to be our new Chief Administrative Officer (CAO, aka the Executive Director). The new CAO will help lead the M-NCPPC's Central Administrative Services into our next century of service to the people of Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties. As an organization founded on planning, parks stewardship, and provision of recreation services, we need a leader who understands public service and organizational operations.

The CAO is an officer of the M-NCPPC under Section 15-109 of the Land Use Article of the Maryland Code and is one of three statutory officers of the M-NCPPC, serving as its senior administrative officer responsible for delivering efficient, coordinated, and policy-compliant services across finance, human resources, information technology, and enterprise systems. Reporting to the M-NCPPC Co-Chairs, the CAO provides direction to the leaders of these functions and works to align centralized administrative services with the needs of the M-NCPPC's four operating departments, its legal mandates, and its long-term goals. The position carries direct oversight of four functional leaders, each responsible for a distinct portfolio:

• the Deputy Director, who serves as the second-in-command to the CAO and provides high level oversight;
• the Corporate Budget Director, who leads budget and financial planning;
• the Director of Human Resources Management, who leads classification and compensation, benefits administration, labor and employee relations, talent acquisition and workforce planning, and HR operations and policy;
• the Director of Information Technology, who leads enterprise information technology, commission-wide IT projects, and CAS staff IT support; and
• the Director of Corporate Policy and Management Operations, who leads risk management, and provides strategic coordination of facilities management, fleet management, and supplier diversity.

The M-NCPPC expects its next CAO to approach this work deliberately and with excitement to assure us our success for the next 100 years. Enthusiasm for finding innovative solutions and modernizing organizational procedures is critical. The CAO will work closely and effectively with the Secretary-Treasurer on fiduciary alignment, with the General Counsel on compliance and legal policy, and with the Inspector General on internal controls and accountability.

Day to day, the CAO sets service standards for administrative functions that reach every corner of the M-NCPPC, from hiring and classification to purchasing, financial reporting, and enterprise technology. Success in the role may show up in various measurable ways including shorter and more transparent hiring timelines, consistent policy application across the organization, and faster financial transactions. The CAO also guides continuous improvement, modernization, and change management, working with department leaders to balance central policy with the operational autonomy each department needs to do its work.

The next CAO steps into an organization staffed by capable and dedicated professionals. The full position description is available at Chief Administrative Officer Position Description.

Qualifications

Minimum requirements include a bachelor's degree in public administration, business administration, finance, human resources, or a closely related field, and at least 14 years senior leadership experience across administrative functions such as finance, procurement, human resources, or information technology, including substantial experience directing and coordinating the work of functional leaders.

Preferred qualifications include a master's degree in a related field, experience in a large, complex public sector or intergovernmental organization, and a demonstrated record of leading organizational reform, shared-services consolidation, or change management in an environment governed by merit system and collective bargaining rules.

Selected individuals will be subject to extensive criminal background checks and will be required to be bonded.

Compensation and Benefits

The expected hiring range is $200,000-$250,000, depending on qualifications, with a comprehensive benefits package. Benefits offered to appointed officials include the following:

• Defined Benefit Plan (Plan E) retirement, with an optional MissionSquare 457 deferred compensation plan and Traditional and Roth IRA options
• Medical coverage through Kaiser Permanente (HMO) or UnitedHealthcare (EPO and POS) plans, with prescription coverage through CVS Caremark
• Dental coverage through Delta Dental PPO and DeltaCare USA HMO, and vision coverage through EyeMed
• Flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care expenses
• Mandatory long-term disability insurance with optional supplemental coverage, plus basic life and AD&D insurance at two times base salary, with supplemental and spouse or dependent options available
• Paid leave that includes 15 annual leave days, 15 sick leave days, 24 hours of personal leave, and 11 holidays each year, along with access to a Sick Leave Bank
• Tuition Assistance Program, Employee Assistance Plan, Legal Services Plan, Wellness Program, Work-Life Program, and credit union membership

How to Apply

Applications will be accepted electronically by Raftelis at raftelis.com. Applicants complete a brief online form and are prompted to provide a cover letter and resume. The position will be open until filled with a first review of applications beginning August 26, 2026.