Chief Administrative Officer
$270k - $330k USD
When joining Elevations, you can expect to work for a company with:
- A leadership team that strives to make this the best place you’ve ever worked!
- A focus on supporting our employees’ mental, physical, and financial well-being
- A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion recognized by the Denver Business Journal and Colorado Association of Realtors
- A highly engaged workforce devoted to innovation, continuous improvement, and collaboration
- A reputation for excellence, as evidenced by being a two-time recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award
- A passion for consistently providing amazing experiences and creating raving fans
If you join our team, here are some of the perks you can expect:
- A competitive total rewards package with 4 weeks paid time off for full-time employees, work anniversary paid time off, paid volunteer time off, and 12 paid holidays
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans with employer contributions to supercharge your Health Savings Account
- Up to a 4% match on 401(k) contributions
- Up to twelve weeks weeks of fully paid parental leave
- An extensive Employee Assistance Program that provides personalized care options for your whole household
- Ample opportunity to learn, develop and grow with access to LinkedIn Learning, career and leadership development programs, job shadowing, a mentor program, and tuition reimbursement up to $5,250/year
Location
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Elevations Credit Union - Boulder Diagonal
- Hybrid: Employees who are able to perform the essential functions of their jobs away from an Elevations location may do so with the expectation that they are onsite at least fifty percent of the time over a two-week pay period.
Summary/Objective
The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) provides executive leadership and strategic direction over key enterprise functions that safeguard the credit union’s stability, integrity, and long-term performance, including Credit Risk, Corporate Real Estate, and Payments & Controls. This role ensures strong governance, prudent risk management, and efficient infrastructure in support of the credit union’s mission to serve members responsibly and sustainably.
As a key member of the executive leadership team, the CAO partners with the President & CEO, senior leaders, and the Board to maintain prudent lending practices, strengthen internal controls, and align facilities and operations with strategic priorities. The CAO balances rigor with practicality—building scalable processes, high-performing teams, and a culture of accountability that enables growth while protecting members and the institution.
Essential Functions
- Provide strategic direction and executive-level leadership over Credit Risk Management (managing credit risk including underwriting for all lending areas, loan operations/support, and loan collections/loss mitigation).
- Provide strategic direction and executive-level leadership over payments & controls function including Fraud Management, Payment Services, Card Claims, Document Management, Account Services, and Retail Controls.
- Provide strategic direction and executive-level leadership over corporate real estate functions including locating new branch sites, managing construction and re-design projects, and maintaining our existing locations.
Reports To
Chief Executive Officer
Manages:
SVP Credit Risk, VP Payments & Controls, VP Corporate Real Estate
Required Skills, Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field
- 15+ years of progressive leadership experience within a regulated financial institution, with significant experience at the executive or senior leadership level
- Strategic thinker with the ability to translate strategy into scalable processes, clear accountability, and disciplined execution
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information and present clear recommendations
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present effectively to the Board of Directors, executive leadership, and external stakeholders
- Experience partnering with a Board of Directors and senior leadership team on governance, risk oversight and strategic execution
- Demonstrated success building, leading, and developing high-performing, multidisciplinary teams across complex operational environments
- Demonstrated experience overseeing credit risk management functions, including underwriting governance, loan operations, and collections/loss mitigation within a bank or credit union environment
- Proven executive leadership of payments, controls, and operational risk–related functions, such as fraud management, payment services, card operations, account services, and internal controls
- Experience overseeing or partnering closely on corporate real estate and facilities management, including branch strategy, construction or renovation projects, and facilities optimization
- Strong background working with federal and state regulators and leading or supporting safety and soundness, compliance, and operational risk examinations (e.g., NCUA or state regulators)
- Ability to assess risk holistically across credit, operations, payments, facilities, and controls, and to make sound, timely decisions
- Proven capability to lead through influence and partnership, particularly across executive peers and functional leaders
Preferred Skills, Education and Experience
- Advanced degree (MBA or equivalent) or relevant executive education strongly preferred
- Demonstrated success strengthening or modernizing payments, fraud, and control environments while enabling business and member growth
- Experience overseeing or influencing branch strategy and facilities optimization aligned to evolving member needs and operational efficiency
- Track record partnering effectively with regulators and Boards during periods of change, growth, or heightened scrutiny
- Leadership approach that blends risk discipline, operational rigor, and practical execution to support sustainable performance
Work Environment
Elevations uses multi-factor authentication to keep our data safe. As such, a personal smartphone is a requirement for employment with us. This job operates in an office setting and routinely uses standard office equipment.
Physical Requirements
Sitting frequently, walking occasionally, use of hands frequently, hearing constantly, talking frequently, exerting up to 10 lbs of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or move objects
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
- Full time / 40 hours per week
Classification:
Exempt
Compensation:
The person hired into this position will likely earn between $270,000 to $330,000 annual salary, plus annual bonus.
Actual compensation offered may vary from the posted hiring range based on factors such as relevant experience, time in role, base salary of internal peers, prior performance, business sector, licensure requirements and/or skill level, and will be finalized at the time of offer.
Anticipated Application Window:
This role is anticipated to close within 45 days from the date of posting. However, if the position has not been filled, Elevations may keep the application period open longer.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
About Us: Elevations Credit Union is a member-owned not-for-profit financial institution serving Colorado’s Front Range. Founded in 1952, we’ve grown from 12 members and less than $100 in assets to an institution with 15 branches and more than 170,000 members that manages over $3 billion in assets and is the No. 1 credit union mortgage lender in Colorado. At Elevations, we’ve made a commitment to move away from a product-centered business model and focus instead on creating consumer solutions. Our objective is to provide our members, as well as the entire community, with unbiased consumer information.
EEO Statement: The Credit Union is dedicated to the principles of equal employment opportunity. We prohibit unlawful discrimination against applicants or employees on the basis of age 40 and over, race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and length, protective hairstyles), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, genetic information, marital status, or any other status protected by applicable state or local law.
Candidates for certain positions may be required to submit to a credit history report in determining qualification for employment with Elevations Credit Union. If the position you are applying for requires a credit history report, any information received in such a report will not be the sole factor in making an employment decision. A history of personal financial irresponsibility may be reason for disqualification insofar as it relates to your potential job duties. Elevations Credit Union is aware that occasionally there are extenuating circumstances that may affect an individual's credit history. We comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Colorado Employment Opportunity Act.
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