Executive Director, Medical Education Student Services

Stanford University School of Medicine; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 207,000 - 243,000; Full time

Job summary

Stanford University School of Medicine seeks an Executive Director, Medical Education Student Services, to lead strategic direction and operational excellence of student-facing services across EPS. This role prioritizes AI and emerging technologies to enhance learner experience and efficiency.

Reporting to the Assistant Dean for Educational Programs and Services, the director will oversee ~30 staff and a $30M portfolio, maintain a strong on-campus presence, and partner with decanal leadership to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with seven years of administrative and financial management experience.
• Strong leadership, planning, and change management capabilities.
• Advanced budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis expertise.
• Experience with grants and contracts administration.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to multi-task and lead in a campus-based environment.

Responsibilities

• Direct staff and provide leadership to achieve goals and the vision of the organization.
• Develop strategic plans and allocate resources across units.
• Oversee internal academic and administrative policy development for programs and administrative operations.
• Manage finances across all sources and the annual budget cycle.
• Coordinate grants and contracts and ensure compliance with requirements.
• Advise senior management on programmatic and policy development and assist in institutional guidance.
• Lead the strategic adoption and responsible use of AI to enhance student services.
• Champion a student-centered service model prioritizing accessibility and responsiveness.
• Maintain a visible on-campus presence to engage students, faculty and staff.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Budget forecasting

Grants management

AI adoption

Communication

Analytical skills

Change management

Student-centered design

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

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

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.

Desired Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience leveraging artificial intelligence or advanced technologies to improve service delivery, decision-making, or user experience.
• Strong commitment to student-centered design and experience supporting diverse learner populations.
• Experience working in close partnership with faculty leadership to translate academic strategy into operational execution.
• Proven ability to lead through influence, visibility, and engagement in a highly interactive, campus-based environment.

Physical Requirements

• Constantly perform desk-based computer tasks.
• Frequently sitting.
• Occasionally stand/walk, writing by hand, use a telephone, lift/carry/push/pull objects that weigh 11-20 pounds.
• Rarely sort/file paperwork or parts, rarely twist/bend/stoop/squat.

Working Conditions

• Occasional evening and weekend hours.

Work Standards

• Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work well with Stanford colleagues and clients and with external organizations.
• Promote Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for safety; communicates safety concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned.
• Subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, including but not limited to the personnel policies and other policies found in the University's Administrative Guide, http://adminguide.stanford.edu.

The expected pay range for this position is $206,749 to $242,668 per annum.

Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of the salary or hourly wage the university reasonably expects to pay for a position upon hire. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs. At Stanford University, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive rewards package.

Why Stanford is for You

• Freedom to grow. We offer career development programs, tuition reimbursement, or audit a course. Join a TedTalk, film screening, or listen to a renowned author or global leader speak.
• A caring culture. We provide superb retirement plans, generous time-off, and family care resources.
• A healthier you. Climb our rock wall or choose from hundreds of health or fitness classes at our world-class exercise facilities. We also provide excellent health care benefits.
• Discovery and fun. Stroll through historic sculptures, trails, and museums.
• Enviable resources. Enjoy free commuter programs, ridesharing incentives, discounts and more!

We pride ourselves in being a culture that encourages and empowers you.

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact Stanford University Human Resources by submitting a contact form.

Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Please note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. All candidates must be eligible to work and live in the U.S.