What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant Director of Operations position at Stanford University?
ABOUT STANFORD AND RESIDENTIAL & DINING ENTERPRISES (R&DE):
Founded in 1891, Stanford University is among the top academic institutions in the country, excelling in a wide range of fields from the humanities to information technology to the health sciences and medicine. The university is located near Palo Alto, 35 miles south of San Francisco, on an 8,800-acre campus.
Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE), the largest auxiliary organization at Stanford University, supports the academic mission of the university by providing the highest quality services to students and other members of the university community. The Department has an annual operating budget of over $316 million and is steward of a $3.1B asset portfolio comprising seven million square feet (one-third of Stanford’s physical plant), provides housing for nearly 14,000 students and their dependents, serves over 18,000 daily meals at 30 dining and retail locations and over 500,000 meals at athletic concessions events, and hosts 20,000 conference guests annually. R&DE comprises 1,300 FTE and part-time staff in the following divisions: the Office of the Senior Associate Vice Provost (SAVP), Student Housing Operations, Stanford Dining, Stanford Hospitality & Auxiliaries, Stanford Conferences, and a team of R&DE strategic business partners: Finance & Administration, Human Resources, Information Technology, Maintenance Operations and Capital Projects, and Strategic Communications.
“Students (Customers) First” is the mantra of R&DE and our strategic goals reflect our commitment to delivering quality and excellence to our constituents every day. In R&DE, “Excellence is defined by aligning our strategic goals and performance with our vision.”
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 our work of providing service excellence to our students. Diversity is more than a commitment—it is foundational to what we do. We are fully focused on equality and believe deeply in diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin and all the other characteristics that make us different.
This role is designated as essential and requires incumbents to report to the worksite. Telecommuting is not an option for this role.
JOB PURPOSE
Stanford University’s R&DE Student Housing Operations has an exciting and essential management-level position opening on the beautiful Stanford campus. The Assistant Director of Operations position is responsible for the oversight of custodial operations and facilities management for a portfolio of residential buildings that support both student housing and summer conference housing in either graduate or undergraduate regions of campus.
The Assistant Director of Operations directly supervises two exempt-level Housing Building Managers (HBM) who are responsible for the day-to-day supervision of the bargaining unit custodial staff and on-going facility management of the residential buildings in their assigned areas. The Assistant Director of Operations is accountable for the coordination of administrative and operations-related functions for their area’s facilities and leading or participating in a variety of program initiatives. The Assistant Director of Operations serves as the local R&DE Student Housing Operations management contact for campus colleagues, including Residential Education and Graduate Life. The Assistant Director of Operations also serves as the primary customer representative for building-related projects in and around the Assistant Director of Operations ’s area of responsibility. The Assistant Director of Operations, HBM, and other R&DE managers are part of the R&DE emergency response program which includes serving as the primary on-call manager (about two weeks per year) with other R&DE Managers.
CORE DUTIES*
Staff Oversight
- Directly supervise three Housing Building Managers and indirectly supervise a diverse group of bargaining unit custodial staff, student staff, and temporary workers. Manage an area of housing for residential students, direct the Off Campus Housing program in concert with Faculty-Staff Housing, and oversee summer conferences with approximately 1,600 to 2,400 bed spaces and live-in faculty/staff members, residing within a variety of building styles.
- Manage staff in the day-to-day operations for functional area(s) of responsibility. Responsible for hiring and retaining staff, career coaching, talent management, personal development for direct reports and accountable for the performance of employees. Ensure work completion within schedule and constraints.
- Lead direct and indirect reports authentically, modeling R&DE’s Core Values. Exert influence within R&DE Student Housing Operations, strategic business workgroups, external entities, and senior leadership, in the quest of achieving R&DE’s vision. Leadership in this role requires a demonstration in proficiencies in effective communication; critical-thinking; creative-thinking; ability to motivate; openness to consider varying perspectives; ability to genuinely solicit different points-of-view; ability to manage-up; ability to see “the big picture” and conversely understand the importance of the details; ability to empower others; ability to be empathetic and effectively demonstrate the array of appropriate soft skills.
- Develop and support the Housing Operations Internship (HOI) program which provides a structured community support system of live-in student staff members who assist with and are stewards of individual and communal initiatives. Be responsible for planning, developing, and implementing residential and operational programs, projects, and initiatives.
- Work independently or in collaboration with human resource managers, in guiding supervisors in the interpretation and implementation of human resource policies, procedures and programs.
Custodial Operations and Facility Management
- Demonstrated core competency of effective communication - both written and oral - is required. Communication audiences are diverse and include students, live in senior staff/faculty, internal Residential and Dining Enterprises and Stanford faculty and staff, and occasional contact with parents, conference guests, requiring the need for exceptional communication skills (verbal and “publish ready” written), emotional intelligence, political astuteness, ability for independent decision-making, sound judgement, experience in student development, and a proven aptitude for excellent customer service skills.
- Manage project budgets and schedules for maintenance, building renewal, energy retrofit and water conservation projects, including selection of in-house shops and/or outside contractors and consultants; participate in the design, construction, plan review, commissioning, occupancy, and warranty of remodeled residential units and/or buildings; provide special maintenance services in support of student resident expectations.
- Serve as R&DE Student Housing Operations liaison to Project Engineers and Project Managers
- Evaluate business plans and processes for operational and/or financial effectiveness and devise and implement change processes through innovation. Analyze and resolve complex issues and provide alternative solutions as necessary. Lead process improvements for immediate unit or program. Influence leadership on specific recommendations for current operations and future development.
- Manage special initiatives that will instigate a global impact to the department and division.
- Focus on assigned strategic objectives: Communications, Escondido Village Graduate Residences (EVGR), Custodial Training, Conferences, Bargaining Unit Summit representative.
- Act as liaison with Resident Fellows, Graduate Life Deans, Associate Deans, Community Coordinators, Community Associates, and Resident Assistants
- Analyze needs and make recommendations to leadership for changes in staffing, facilities, health and safety compliance, finance, technology and/or administrative functions, based on analytics via data reporting.
- Interpret, implement, and ensure compliance with university administrative policies and procedures. Recommend new internal policies, guidelines, and procedures.
- Exercise financial acumen and responsibility by developing, monitoring, analyzing, forecasting, managing, and reporting on the annual budget.
- Represent the department or program's business operations and administrative affairs within the organization/school and/or outside constituencies.
- Interact with students to enforce house/community rules as they relate to the facility. Resolve behavioral problems at the local level, while acting as an arbitrator for student damages. Obtain resident input for renewal projects, which impact the residential communities.
- Other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Education & Experience
Bachelor’s degree and three years of relevant experience in administrative and financial management, or combination of education and relevant experience.
Experience in a university environment is desirable; experience in a student housing environment is highly preferred.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Demonstrated supervisory skills including conflict resolution.
- Excellent strategic planning and organizational skills.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Demonstrated financial management knowledge.
- Effective interpersonal skills.
- Proficient in engaging and partnering with internal and external university workgroups and leveraging those associations to benefit the organization.
- Solid analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Strong expertise in business and management computer applications and databases.
- Proficiency in industry standards and/or regulatory requirements.
- Subject matter expertise for area(s) of responsibility.
Certifications and Licenses
None
DESIRED REQUIREMENTS
- Ability to promote diversity, multiculturalism, and inclusion in the execution of role.
- Ability to lead diverse and inclusive work teams toward common vision or goal(s); establishes oneself as an essential team contributor.
- Successfully combine hard (e.g., technical knowledge, critical and analytical thinking, problem solving) and soft skills (e.g., people skills, communication, such as active listening, interpersonal and intrapersonal relationship, teamwork, emotional intelligence, collaboration/conflict management) to meet position requirements.
- Demonstrates a wide range of people (or soft skills) to build and sustain respectful and collaborative relationships/networks, internal and external to R&DE.
- Demonstrates political astuteness by managing relationship boundaries.
- Demonstrates agility to lead change.
- Demonstrates effective emotional intelligence, especially in situations with time constraints.
- Ability to coach, give and accept performance feedback; train and develop staff.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS*
- Constantly perform desk-based computer tasks.
- Frequently sitting.
- Occasionally stand/walk, reach/work above shoulders, use a telephone, writing by hand, lift/carry/push/pull objects that weigh up to 10 pounds.
- Rarely twist/bend/stoop/squat, sort/file paperwork or parts, lift/carry/push/pull objects that weigh 11-20 pounds.
- - 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
- May work evenings and weekends, during operational peak periods and/or in response to urgent or emergency related scenarios.
- As an exempt employee, respond to “after hours” and “weekend” outreach by senior leadership.
- Ability to serve on the after-hours response “duty supervisor” rotation program (responding to and acting on emergency phone calls for division and department). “Duty Supervisor” role is typically two or three “week-long” rotations per year. Ability to serve as back-up for Assistant Director, as well as provide back-up for other Housing Building Managers when requested.
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 $120,000 to $130,000 per annum( $57.69 - $62.50 / hour).
Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. 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.
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 enriches 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:
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Freedom to grow. We offer career development programs, tuition reimbursement, or course auditing. Join a TedTalk, film screening, or listen to a renowned author or global leader speak.
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A caring culture. We provide superb retirement plans, generous time-off, and family care resources.
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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.
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Enviable resources. Enjoy free commuter programs, ridesharing incentives, discounts and more
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 accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job.
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.