Senior Medical Planner

Stanford Health Care; California; On-site; USD 6,500 - 8,600; Full time

Job summary

Stanford Health Care in Palo Alto, CA is seeking a Senior Medical Planner within Facilities Planning & Design. You will lead complex medical and space planning initiatives, translating clinical priorities into feasible, data‑driven layouts to improve patient flow and care delivery.

You will collaborate with clinicians, designers, and operations to guide governance, establish planning standards, and ensure regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• 12+ years architectural experience with 6+ years in medical planning, including leading user groups and complex projects; portfolio demonstrating master planning and programming required.
• Mastery of healthcare facility planning methods and regulatory environments; ability to balance operational, financial, and clinical factors.
• Strong visual communication skills and experience presenting to executives or governance committees.

Responsibilities

• Lead day‑to‑day medical and space planning activities, translating clinical input into clear planning options and recommendations.
• Gather, analyze, and synthesize data (volumes, flows, adjacencies) to inform layouts and master plans.
• Develop test fits and create compelling options for leadership review.
• Manage scope, budgets, and schedules across multiple facilities projects.
• Serve as planning SME for leadership and capital planning forums.

Skills

Healthcare planning

Regulatory knowledge

Leadership

Communication

AutoCAD

Revit

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Architecture

Master’s degree in Architecture (preferred)

Tools

AutoCAD

Revit

Job description

1.0 FTE Full time Day - 08 Hour R2657295 Hybrid 108460030 Facilities Planning and Design Facilities & Hospitality PALO ALTO, 3430 W Bayshore Rd, California

If you're ready to be part of our legacy of hope and innovation, we encourage you to take the first step and explore our current job openings. Your best is waiting to be discovered.

Day - 08 Hour (United States of America)

This is a Stanford Health Care job.

Shape how care is delivered by translating clinical strategy into spaces that work — today and for the future.

As a Senior Medical Planner, Medical Planning at Stanford Health Care, your work will directly influence patient flow, care team effectiveness, operational efficiency, and our ability to grow with intention. This is an opportunity to help plan complex healthcare environments in a leading academic medical center, where space decisions have a direct impact on patients, providers, and the future of care delivery.

In this role, you will lead medical and space planning efforts from early visioning through decision-making. You will translate clinical priorities into data-informed, feasible planning solutions that support high-quality care, operational alignment, and long-term flexibility. Working closely with clinicians, designers, facilities partners, and operational leaders, you will guide planning conversations, develop clear recommendations, manage scope and schedules, and support governance and approvals in a complex, fast-moving environment.

Key Responsibilities Include

• Lead day-to-day medical and space planning activities, translating clinical input into clear planning options, recommendations, and decision-ready materials.
• Partner with clinical, design, facilities, and operational stakeholders to align space needs, growth strategies, workflows, and project priorities.
• Support planning, governance, documentation, and decision-making at key project milestones.
• Help bring structure and clarity to complex planning efforts while balancing strategic thinking with detailed execution.
• Serve as an individual contributor in an onsite role based in Palo Alto, CA, with no direct people management responsibilities.

Ideal Background

We are looking for someone with experience in medical planning, healthcare architecture, or healthcare facilities planning; strong facilitation and communication skills; comfort working through ambiguity; and the ability to connect big-picture clinical strategy with practical space planning solutions.

The Facilities Services division enhances health through leadership, collaboration, and innovation. Our team offers essential non-clinical support 24/7, ensuring safe operations and planning for future needs. We represent the intersection of planning, construction, general services, and facilities operations. Learn more about Facilities Services at: Facilities Services | Stanford Health Care.

The Facilities Planning & Design (FPD) business unit leads the planning, design, and improvement of Stanford Health Care’s spaces to advance excellence in care, innovation, and experience. With expertise across Planning, Design, Land Use & Licensing, Art, Wayfinding, Signage, and Facilities Administration, FPD turns vision into reality, creating functional, compliant, and inspiring environments aligned with Stanford Medicine’s mission.

The Planning team within Facilities Planning & Design (FPD) transforms strategic vision into data-driven solutions that optimize clinical and operational space across Stanford Health Care. Through Medical and Space Planning, the team aligns facility needs with clinical priorities, growth objectives, and enterprise standards. By integrating analytics, governance, and strategic insight, Planning enhances patient care, staff experience, and overall efficiency.

Locations

Stanford Health Care

What You Will Do

• Work independently to analyze non‑routine planning problems, applying professional judgment and experience to develop viable solutions
• Gather, analyze, and synthesize data (volumes, flows, adjacencies) to inform departmental layouts and master‑planning options
• Develop test fits and create well thought‑out and visually compelling options for review with leadership and stakeholders
• Lead programming, planning, and design phases for complex or multiple facilities projects
• Develop scope and program in alignment with executive users and institutional requirements
• Develop and evaluate multiple planning strategies, assessing operational, financial, and clinical tradeoffs to inform executive decision‑making
• Manage all communications, timelines, and deliverables across stakeholder groups
• Ensure compliance with health system policies, code requirements, and safety standards
• Maintain complete, auditable project documentation and support reporting needs
• Manage outside architect and consultant partners, including scope definition, quality oversight, and performance management
• Serve as a planning subject‑matter expert for leadership, governance committees, and capital planning forums
• Establish, evolve, and enforce medical planning standards, templates, and best practices across the health system
• Lead development of innovative planning methodologies, tools, and workflows that advance systemwide facilities strategy and directly impact departmental business results
• Independently assess complex, ambiguous planning issues and recommend solutions where no precedents exist, leveraging deep knowledge of healthcare planning best practices
• Participates in planning activities requiring adherence to established project budgets and may support budgetary input for planning options
• Mentor and provide technical oversight to junior staff and serve as a thought partner to FPD leadership

Education Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture (or closely related field) required.
• Master’s degree in Architecture (or closely related field) preferred.

Experience Qualifications

• 12+ years architectural experience with 6+ years in medical planning, including leading user groups and complex projects; portfolio demonstrating master planning and programming required.

Required Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Master‑level understanding of healthcare facility planning methods, emerging industry practices, and applicable regulatory environments, with ability to apply new knowledge to SHC initiatives
• Ability to evaluate complex systemwide planning considerations and develop recommendations that balance operational, financial, and clinical factors
• Strong knowledge of regulatory and code requirements, construction methods, and materials
• A strong portfolio of built work demonstrating experience and capabilities
• Strong visual communication skills, including PowerPoint presentations for executive audiences
• Experience collaborating with stakeholders and interpreting operational needs into design solutions
• Experience of leading and mentoring in-house team members
• Skilled in navigating multi-disciplinary teams, including engineers, contractors, and hospital staff
• Excellent and succinct verbal and written communication skills
• Proficient in AutoCAD, Revit, and other relevant drafting/design software

These Principles Apply To ALL Employees

SHC Commitment to Providing an Exceptional Patient & Family Experience

• Know Me: Anticipate my needs and status to deliver effective care
• Show Me the Way: Guide and prompt my actions to arrive at better outcomes and better health
• Coordinate for Me: Own the complexity of my care through coordination

Equal Opportunity Employer

Stanford Health Care (SHC) strongly values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination in all of its policies and practices, including the area of employment. Accordingly, SHC does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity and/or expression, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, or disability, or the perception of any of the above. People of all genders, members of all racial and ethnic groups, people with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Qualified applicants with criminal convictions will be considered after an individualized assessment of the conviction and the job requirements.

Base Pay Scale: Generally starting at $64.63 - $85.65 per hour

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training. This pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage.