Director of Strategic Initiatives & Operations

SLAC

Palo Alto (CA)

Hybrid

USD 182,000 - 231,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

Stanford University is seeking a Senior Director of Operational Initiatives to lead high‑visibility projects for the Office of the Chief Operating Officer in the Stanford School of Medicine. This hybrid role partners with senior leaders across the School, University, and health systems to drive information‑driven decisions and sustainable program delivery.

The role requires 10 years of leadership in academic medicine settings, strong governance experience, and excellent communication.

Qualifications

10 years of progressive leadership experience in strategy, program management, or a similar role within academic medicine, healthcare systems, or a large research institution.
Proven track record of delivering complex, cross-functional initiatives with demonstrated impact.
Demonstrated ability to influence at the executive level, build credibility, and lead without formal authority across diverse professional groups.
Deep experience with governance, portfolio management, program development, and proven ability to deliver multi-year initiatives and projects on time and within budget.
Strong analytical skills, experience with ROI/business case development, and proficiency in budgeting and financial forecasting related to large initiatives.
Exceptional written and verbal communication, presentation, and facilitation skills; comfort with sensitive discussions and conflict resolution.
Familiarity with academic medicine operations, including education, research, clinical enterprise, regulatory/compliance, and sponsored programs is highly preferred.
Proficiency with project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet) and data visualization and analytics platforms (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).

Responsibilities

Lead the planning and execution of initiatives and projects that support the Dean’s priorities and the COO’s agenda.
Define clear objectives, milestones, accountability, and success metrics for initiatives and projects.
Design and lead governance forums that enable decision‑making, collaboration, and timely resolve of competing interests.
Communicate strategy and progress clearly to diverse stakeholder groups; tailor messaging for senior leaders, faculty, and staff.
Identify and manage risks associated with strategic initiatives; develop mitigation plans and escalation protocols.
Develop and execute change management plans to ensure adoption, cultural alignment, and sustainability of major initiatives.
Create strategic communication plans, including executive briefings, town halls, newsletters, and data‑driven dashboards.
Oversee the synthesis of information, development of written communication and presentation materials, and coordination of events.
Cultivate executive sponsorship and stakeholder buy‑in to minimize disruption and maximize value realization.
Develop business cases, ROI analyses, and financial models for strategic initiatives; secure funding as needed.
Collect and utilize data to inform decisions, course corrections, and continuous improvement.