At the Stanford d.school, we believe that every person is creative, that design can help unlock that creativity, and that it should be accessible to all. It is a thought leader, content provider, and a beacon for design and innovation in higher education, K12 education, large corporations, small startups, and social impact focused NGOs and public sector entities.
At Stanford the d.school offers a rapidly-evolving slate of elective courses for students across the university: undergraduate & graduate. In 2022 the d.school became the home of two new degrees (BS Design & MS Design), which are Interdisciplinary Programs (IDPs). As a result the d.school is going through a significant change process: ramping up our academic operations, revisiting existing programs and priorities, and planning for a fundraising effort to secure long-term economic viability of the degree programs. In addition to its academic program the d.school currently serves external audiences across a variety of sectors, through a range of programs including the University Innovation Fellows, the K12 Lab, Executive Education, Designing Social Systems, and others.
The d.school sits within the Stanford School of Engineering, which has been at the forefront of innovation for nearly a century, creating pivotal technologies that have transformed the worlds of information technology, communications, health care, energy, business and beyond. Staff are critical to enabling Stanford Engineering to accomplish its mission: seeking solutions to some of the world's most urgent challenges and educating leaders who will make the world a better place.
We are seeking a human-centered, experienced, and creative leader to join our team in a new role at the d.school - the Director of Finance and Operations (DFO). The Director of Finance and Operations will report to and collaborate with our Executive Director to provide operational leadership, and to support the d.school's creative and education-focused work through core areas like finance, staffing, overall operational management and policy translation and implementation. The initial priority for this role is on finance: supervising our current highly dedicated finance team developing long-term strategies for future sustainability. Secondary but also important areas of responsibility for the DFO will be on supporting people operations, academic operations, information technology, and some targeted physical environments / infrastructure oversight. Since this is a new role at the d.school with many implications for organizational design, the DFO will also lead a longer-term effort to design the future shape of our core operations. Flexibility and adaptability in a changing environment will be critical to the success of the operational leader who fills this role.
The DFO role also holds many key university relationships including regular communication and collaboration with the Office of the Dean, especially Finance & HR, as well as the Office of Sponsored Research, the Office of Development, the Office of Technology Licensing, etc.
Overall, the DFO will act as a trusted colleague and strategic business partner to administrative and program leaders within the organization, and serve as a representative for the d.school to other units within the School of Engineering, the other six schools at Stanford, and other units within the Stanford business administration as needed.
Core Duties
Finance:
Oversee finances across all sources of income for the annual budget, including developing, monitoring, analyzing, forecasting and reporting. Provide financial information to support executive decision-making on financial strategy and stewardship of resources. Engage with multiple stakeholders and program leaders to design a budgeting process that balances university deadlines with internal timelines.
Manage, coordinate, track and report on gifts and workshop income for the department. Ensure compliance with institutional and external requirements.
Evaluate business processes and operational and/financial effectiveness. Analyze and resolve complex issues and provide alternative solutions as necessary.
Work with emerging types of affiliates and project partners; navigate the broader systems and relationships to find answers to new questions.
Lead projects to design new systems and processes as we uncover emerging needs related to d.school program development
Policy:
Interpret, implement and ensure compliance with university academic and administrative policies and procedures.
Maintain a quirky, fun and highly customer-service-oriented culture within our broader d.school operations team that prioritizes human values and relationships while assisting faculty, staff and d.school collaborators in navigating the complexities of Stanford's infrastructure. Craft effective policy-related communications for our staff/instructor community and broader creative community.
Work closely with d.school supervisors to foster understanding of human resources policies and procedures; collaborate with human resources business partners as needed.
Represent the d.school's business and academic operations within the School of Engineering and at the broader university level.
Interface as needed with the general counsel's office on legal matters, trademark queries, general oversight of the requests for copyright questions related to core d.school materials.
Interface as needed with the Office of Technology Licensing and other key administrative functions to support student and faculty innovation efforts, d.school publishing efforts, or other content licensing arrangements.
People:
Working in close collaboration with the d.school's Chief of Staff, execute on many of the core administrative elements of people operations including but not limited to: developing job descriptions and reclassification rationales, recruitment, hiring, onboarding, performance tracking, and career development.
Help shape and build the operational capacity/administration of the d.school overall as it relates to existing programs and new areas of exploration.
Physical & Digital Infrastructure:
The physical (and to a lesser extent) digital infrastructure and environments at the d.school are unique on Stanford's campus and an inspiration for many of our annual visitors from other universities and organizations. We treat space as a programmatic area, not just an operational one.
General:
Engage in regular needfinding with the d.school team and teaching /community and make recommendations to leadership for changes in staffing, facilities, health and safety compliance, finance, technology and/administrative functions.
Help lead the evolution of our organization as our team develops and our academic offering expands. Be ready to take on new projects as needs arise; work with the Executive Director to set priorities each year.
Critical Mindsets for the DFO Role at the d.school
The d.school is a highly experimental and evolving organization within Stanford. We often have emergent needs that relate to new projects, programs, experiments. A successful person in this role needs to be flexible, creative, scrappy and resourceful in finding business solutions to an often-changing portfolio of activities.
Someone who is equally excited about engaging in long term strategic thinking as getting into small operational details, and thrives when they work toward a big picture as well as roll up their sleeves to do the work.
Someone who is human-centered with a high level of empathy and values relationships, authenticity, and trust.
Someone who is motivated to help other members of the ecosystem thrive, from faculty collaborators to colleagues to students to project partners, and more.
Someone who is committed to helping the d.school live its values and advance towards our goals around diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging and is knowledgeable about how operational systems can either support or hinder those goals.
Someone who is excited to build many bridges between operational excellence and creative output.
Education & Experience (Required)
Bachelor's degree and five of relevant experience in administrative and financial management, or combination of education and relevant experience.
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities (Required)
Demonstrated leadership and supervisory skills including conflict resolution.
Excellent communication skills.
Strong financial expertise in accounting, budget planning and financial forecasting.
Excellent planning and organizational skills.
Strong expertise in grants and contract administration.
Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
Strong expertise in business and management computer applications and databases.
Subject matter expertise for area(s) of responsibility.
Ability to multitask and manage deadlines.
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities (Desired)
Demonstrated track record of working with a high degree of independence and accountability, as well as in close collaboration with others. Demonstrated ability to mentor, coach, and otherwise enhance supervisee's performance and career potential.
Excellent communication skills, especially in translation between the technical details of Stanford policies and the highly varied, diverse, and interdisciplinary / cross-sector members of the d.school staff, faculty, and lecturer community.
Expertise in working with diverse groups and proven ability to create systems, processes and communication that foreground equity & inclusion.
Ability to develop business plans and infrastructure to support public programs and teaching. Provide analysis and review of multi-year plans, including providing alternative methods for achieving goals when necessary.
Work experience and demonstrated track record in practice will be weighted more than educational credentials in a specific field.
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.
* - Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job.
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.
How to Apply
The d.school is committed to welcoming and supporting a diverse community of learners, teachers, and doers. We invite you to apply for this position by clicking on the "Apply for Job" button. To be considered, please submit a cover letter and resume along with your online application. Your cover letter should briefly describe your interest in this role, your relevant background, and your human-centered approach to your work.
*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.
Why Stanford is for You
Imagine a world without search engines or social platforms. Consider lives saved through first-ever organ transplants and research to cure illnesses. Stanford University has revolutionized the way we live and enrich the world. Supporting this mission is our diverse and dedicated 17,000 staff. We seek talent driven to impact the future of our legacy. Our culture and unique perks empower you with:
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.
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.
Why work at Stanford?Stanford University has changed the world, over and over again.We are one of Silicon Valley's largest employers - and also one of the most unique. Our mission is to educate future leaders and promote interdisciplinary, world-class research and teaching. This passion makes Stanford an intensely creative, rewarding, and challenging place to work. At the same time, our traditions of respect and collaboration sustain a humane, supportive environment in which to pursue your life and your career.At Stanford you'll work with bright, diverse, dedicated people. You'll find encouragement to learn and grow. You'll enjoy excellent benefits and an outstanding environment. How will it change you?
