The Placement Exchange Job Board

Located between San Francisco and San Jose in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley, Stanford University is one of the world’s leading teaching and research universities. Since its opening in 1891, Stanford has been dedicated to finding solutions to significant challenges and preparing students for leadership in a complex world.

Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE), the largest auxiliary organization at Stanford University, supports the university’s academic mission by providing high-quality services to students and other university community members. The department has an annual budget of over $350 million, operates 24/7/365, and oversees a $2 billion asset portfolio comprising a 5 million square foot physical plant across the campus. R&DE provides housing for over 14,000 students and dependents, serves meals at 30 dining and retail locations, and operates athletic concessions and conference operations. “Students (Customers) First” is the mantra of R&DE, and the department’s strategic goals reflect its commitment to delivering quality and excellence to its constituents every day. 

Stanford and R&DE are committed to creating and sustaining a diverse environment. R&DE’s dedication to promoting diversity, multiculturalism, and inclusion is reflected in its work of providing service excellence to students. 

This is an on-site and in-person role, and the senior director is eligible to participate in Stanford’s pilot one-day per week hybrid work program. The anticipated start date is late summer 2023.

Stanford University seeks a collaborative and strategic leader to serve as its next senior director of housing administrative services. Housing administrative services is a workgroup of R&DE student housing operations and Stanford conferences. The housing administrative services group is responsible for managing local housing assignments in conjunction with the R&DE student housing assignments office, serving as a “one-stop-shop” for student/conferee information, partnering with the building operations staff to ensure a clean, well-maintained, safe environment, providing timely outreach, and promoting engagement for residents and staff.

Reporting to Dr. Imogen Hinds, assistant vice provost for student housing operations and Stanford conferences, and serving as a member of the senior leadership team, the senior director oversees a dynamic academic year and summer conference front desk program with a portfolio for over 14,000 undergraduate and graduate students and their dependents. The incumbent will oversee the 13 housing service center locations throughout graduate and undergraduate housing with 25 full-time staff members. In addition, the senior director will manage student housing communications and support university-wide and local events with three full-time staff members working with other R&DE staff and colleagues from around campus. They will be responsible for overseeing the finances for their area of responsibility and developing, monitoring, and analyzing a complex consolidated annual budget. Further, the senior director will develop and direct strategic plans and integrate technically sound, forward-thinking strategies and innovations into the work of the housing administrative services team. The senior director will provide direction toward achieving the highest level of customer service, maintain an eye on safety and security, and prioritize consistent and concise messaging to students and stakeholders.

The senior director supervises five associate or assistant director level managers, indirect leadership of twenty-one housing service center supervisors, two outreach and engagement program managers, and collaboration with many university campus partners.

A bachelor’s degree, seven years of relevant experience in administrative and financial management, or a combination of education and relevant experience are required; a master’s degree is strongly preferred.

The next senior director should have knowledge and experience in a residential university setting that houses undergraduate and graduate students; exceptional organizational and logistical planning skills; experience managing a large front desk operation and outreach and engagement program; and significant experience managing a customer-facing operation with a large and culturally diverse staff. Exceptionally strong oral and written communication skills; demonstrated leadership and supervisory skills, including conflict resolution; and a demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion with a deep understanding of learning and working in a diverse community will be essential in selecting the next senior director of housing administrative services.

Review of applications will begin June 1, 2023, and continue until the position is filled. A resume with an accompanying cover letter may be submitted via the Spelman Johnson website at www.spelmanjohnson.com/open-positions. Nominations for this position may be emailed to Anne-Marie Kenney at amk@spelmanjohnson.com. Applicants needing reasonable accommodation to participate in the application process should contact Spelman Johnson at 413-529-2895 or email info@spelmanjohnson.com.

The anticipated hiring range is $175,000 to $179,000 annually.

Please note that as a newly hired employee, you may be subject to Stanford’s travel policy if you are relocating from outside of California and are expected to perform work on-site. Please also note that you are subject to all COVID-19 requirements for Stanford employees, which strongly recommends being fully vaccinated for COVID-19 pursuant to our vaccination policy. If you are fully vaccinated from COVID-19, please upload your vaccination information to Health Check before your first day.

Visit the Stanford University website at www.stanford.edu and the Stanford University Residential & Dining Enterprises website here.

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

Diversity has been a core value at Stanford since the university’s founding in 1891. That year, Stanford opened its doors to men and women from diverse religious, national, and racial backgrounds in its quest to train useful citizens.

The diversity of Stanford’s first class reflects our commitment to providing opportunities for advancement to any deserving student. We value the rich perspectives, skills, and ideas people from varied backgrounds bring to the Stanford community.