Northern California HERC

Stanford University School of Medicine is world renowned for leading edge education, research, patient care and medical advancements.

Within the Stanford School of Medicine, Educational Programs and Services (EPS) plays a central role in advancing the school's educational mission by supporting a broad community of students, trainees, and faculty across the medical education continuum. EPS partners with academic leaders to deliver high-quality programs that prepare future physicians and scientists while fostering innovation in medical education and ensuring an exceptional learning experience for every learner.

Job Purpose

EPS is seeking an Executive Director, Medical Education Student Services, to lead the strategic direction, operational excellence, and continuous improvement of student-facing services across EPS. This leader will prioritize the integration of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to enhance student services delivery, proactively identify learner needs, and improve operational efficiency. The Executive Director will ensure that all services are deeply student-centered, accessible, and responsive across the learner lifecycle. Working in close dyad partnership with decanal faculty leadership, this role will translate academic priorities into high-impact operational strategies. A strong on-campus presence is essential to foster community, visibility, and direct engagement with learners and faculty. Reporting to the Assistant Dean for Educational Programs and Services, this leader oversees a team of approximately 30 staff organized across multiple service functions and stewards a multi-source operating portfolio of approximately $30M. As a trusted partner to faculty leadership and directors, the Executive Director ensures that student services are both responsive to learner needs today and proactively designed for the evolving landscape of academic medicine.

Work Agreement

This position will be based on the Stanford campus

Core Duties

• Direct staff and provide leadership to achieve goals and vision of the organization. Responsible for hiring and retaining staff, career coaching, personal development for direct reports and accountable for the performance of employees.

• Independently initiate and create strategic plans for organization or program(s) managed. Make recommendations that may impact the unit's academic and research capabilities. Identify and resolve strategic issues of substantial significance that affect the overall functioning beyond the immediate unit, consult and advise senior leadership. Oversee allocation of all resources.

• Manage the direction of internal academic and administrative policy development for programs and administrative operations.

• Oversee and/or manage the finances across all sources for the annual budget cycle, including developing, monitoring, analyzing forecasting and reporting to ensure the financial success of the organization.

• Manage and coordinate grants and contracts for the department. Ensure compliance with institutional and external requirements.

• Advise senior management on programmatic and policy development. May provide input to university leadership on institutional academic and administrative policies and guidelines.

• Lead the strategic adoption and responsible use of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies to enhance student services, streamline operations, and improve the learner experience.

• Champion a student-centered service model that prioritizes accessibility, responsiveness, and proactive support across all stages of the medical education continuum.

• Partner in a dyad model with decanal faculty leadership to operationalize academic mission-aligned initiatives, ensuring seamless alignment between educational vision and service delivery.

• Maintain a visible and engaged on-campus presence to strengthen relationships with students, faculty, and staff, and to ensure services are informed by real-time community needs.

• Use data, predictive analytics, and continuous feedback loops to anticipate student needs, identify risks, and drive continuous improvement in service delivery.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree and seven years of relevant experience in administrative and financial management, or combination of education and relevant experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated leadership and supervisory, planning and change management skills.

• Excellent planning and organizational skills.

• Excellent communication skills. Able to influence people, solve problems, troubleshoot, think creatively and resolve conflicts.

• Advanced financial expertise in accounting budget planning, and financial forecasting.

• Advanced expertise in grants and contract administration.

• Advanced analytical and problem solving skills Strong knowledge of industry standards and/or regulatory requirements.

• Strong negotiation and effective interpersonal skills.

• Attention to detail and accuracy.

• Advanced expertise in business and management computer applications and databases.

• Subject matter expertise for area(s) of responsibility.

• Ability to multi-task and manage deadlines.