Director, IT

SLAC; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 213,000 - 325,000; Full time

Job summary

Stanford Management Company (SMC) oversees the University’s investment office, guiding information systems and technology to support endowment operations and investment strategies. The IT Director leads architecture, software, and cloud initiatives, while managing security, continuity, and vendor relationships.

The role reports to the Managing Director, Operations, and directs a team responsible for systems, networks, and service delivery, with accountability for budget and staff development.

Responsibilities

• Oversee information systems and partner with senior management to shape the strategic use of information technology that advances business outcomes.
• Define and implement long-term architecture, and technology projects, taking AI into primary consideration with accountability for resource planning, project management, and scope control.
• Evaluate software, services, platforms, automation/AI, and develop creative solutions, while setting ambitious and achievable delivery timelines.
• Ensure IT policies, procedures, and systems include appropriate security controls to prevent unauthorized access and comply with regulations, data privacy requirements, and University information security policies.
• Oversee disaster recovery and business continuity planning. Maintain, update, and test to ensure IT operations continue during emergency events.
• Stay current on investment industry developments and relevant technology trends. Manage the adoption and adaptation of emerging technologies to meet changing requirements, capabilities, and opportunities.
• Represent SMC’s IT organization to Stanford IT stakeholders and external vendors. Serve as liaison to the University’s key IT organizations.
• Develop and manage the annual IT operating budget.
• Mentor, develop, recruit and retain technical staff. Build skills in communications and technology.

Skills

Leadership

IT Strategy

Budgeting

Security

Disaster Recovery

AI/Automation

Vendor Management

Team Mentoring

Job description

Information Technology Director

Stanford Management Company (SMC), the University’s investment office, invests the Merged Pool, which includes substantially all of the University’s investable endowment assets. The investment portfolio is designed with the dual goals of preserving the purchasing power of the Endowment for future generations of Stanford students and scholars and enabling a robust annual disbursement to the University’s operating budget. SMC primarily relies on carefully chosen external partners to select individual securities, allowing Stanford to benefit from specialized knowledge in asset classes that reward superior active management.

SMC operates with a deliberately lean and high-caliber team of approximately 55 professionals, of whom roughly 20 are investment professionals and the balance support operational functions. This intentional structure reflects SMC's belief that exceptional people, operating with excellent tools and processes, consistently outperform larger and more bureaucratic organizations.

Reporting to the Managing Director, Operations, this position oversees SMC’s information systems function and IT team. The role sets the strategic vision for IT and leads the development, deployment, and support of innovative applications, systems, and best-in-class end-user support. The IT Director will manage a team responsible for systems, network and cloud administration, software development, databases, and service support.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Oversee information systems and partner with senior management to shape the strategic use of information technology that advances business outcomes, informed by SMC’s business drivers, opportunities, issues, investment strategies, and operations.
• Define and implement long-term architecture, and technology projects, taking AI into primary consideration with accountability for resource planning, project management, and scope control.
• Evaluate software, services, platforms, automation/AI, and develop creative solutions, while setting ambitious and achievable delivery timelines.
• Ensure IT policies, procedures, and systems include appropriate security controls to prevent unauthorized access and comply with regulations, data privacy requirements, and University information security policies.
• Oversee disaster recovery and business continuity planning. Maintain, update, and test to ensure IT operations continue during emergency events.
• Stay current on investment industry developments and relevant technology trends. Manage the adoption and adaptation of emerging technologies to meet changing requirements, capabilities, and opportunities.
• Represent SMC’s IT organization to Stanford IT stakeholders and external vendors. Serve as liaison to the University’s key IT organizations.
• Develop and manage the annual IT operating budget.
• Mentor, develop, recruit and retain technical staff. Build skills in communications and technology.

The expected pay range for this position is $213,375 - $325,000 per annum.