The Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery has a long tradition of major contributions in medical research and education, as well as a strong commitment to quality clinical care delivery. The Department is dedicated to expanding its clinical and translational research efforts across various fields including cardiology, cardiac surgery, critical care, and oncology. With an impressive number of sponsored research studies being conducted, this position offers an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, motivated, and professional team member.
The Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery is seeking a highly skilled and proactive Administrative Associate 4 to provide comprehensive administrative and operational support directly to the Chairman. This pivotal role requires exceptional organizational skills, a strong ability to prioritize, and a keen eye for detail, with a significant emphasis on managing and executing a wide array of high-profile events.
Responsibilities include: - Executive Support & Strategic Problem Solving: Routinely act as the primary point of contact for high-level administrative issues within the Chairman's office, independently evaluating urgency and impact of problems (e.g., conflicting donor visit schedules, unexpected media inquiries) and implementing solutions without direct oversight. This ensures minimal disruption to the Chairman's critical engagements, requiring the ability to establish priorities and resolve administrative challenges autonomously.
- Complex Calendar & International Travel Management: Proactively manage the Chairman's exceptionally demanding and intricate calendar, often balancing multiple international time zones, sensitive internal meetings, clinical duties, and external commitments. This involves anticipating conflicts, independently negotiating schedules with high-level university officials, and arranging complex international travel with multiple legs and specific requirements without prior consultation. This also includes the specialized arrangement of travel itineraries for
visiting professors, ensuring compliance with unit, university, and sponsor policies. - Lead Complex Event Planning & Execution: This position is central to the planning and execution of a wide range of complex departmental events, conferences, and seminars. Key responsibilities include
leading the full lifecycle of the Chairman's monthly visiting professor series, from invitation and complex international travel arrangements to managing day-of logistics for lectures and multi-stakeholder dinners. You will oversee and perform duties associated with organizing and operating complex events, including arranging vendors for services, overseeing the production and distribution of materials, administering logistics, and managing events within budget. This also involves coordinating complex AV requirements for virtual and in-person presentations, and planning and executing various department events, logistics, venues, and dinners, including the department holiday party. - Advanced Communication & Content Management: Compose, draft, and edit documents and correspondence for presentations, grants, and reports, while also creating, maintaining, modifying, and ensuring accuracy of content in various unit documents, displays, social media, and websites.
- Complex Financial & Reporting Acumen: Manages and reconciles the Chairman's complex discretionary and research accounts, involving processing a high volume of diverse transactions and identifying and rectifying intricate discrepancies across multiple funding sources. Independently handles the full cycle of speaker honorarium and reimbursement processing for visiting professors, including complex international currency conversions and tax considerations. Utilizes specialized software and systems (e.g., Smartsheet) to design and implement advanced project management and data tracking dashboards for various departmental initiatives (e.g., visiting professorships, dept. events, inventory), and makes recommendations based on these reports.
- General Administrative & Operational Leadership: Serves as the administrative support for the Chairman's office, setting internal administrative priorities, managing workflow, and ensuring the smooth operation of daily functions, often acting as a bridge between the Chairman and various departmental and university units Performs a full spectrum of administrative duties, including maintaining files, processing travel reimbursements, handling subscriptions and dues, ensuring timely submission of licensing and medical staff privileges forms, and ordering supplies.
- Supervisory/Leadership (as needed): May oversee or supervise the day-to-day work of other administrative or support staff, students and/or temporary workers, including scheduling, assigning, and prioritizing workloads, setting appropriate deadlines, reviewing work for quality and timeliness, and providing performance review input.
*Other duties may also be assigned.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS: 4-year college degree desired.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE (REQUIRED): - High school diploma and six years of administrative experience, or combination of education and relevant experience.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (REQUIRED): - Advanced computer skills and demonstrated experience with office software and email applications.
- Proven success in following through and completing projects.
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to prioritize, multi-task, and assign work to others.
- Ability to take initiative and ownership of projects.
- Ability to routinely and independently exercise sound judgment in making decisions.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS*: - Constantly perform desk-based computer tasks.
- Frequently sitting.
- Occasionally stand/walk, reach/work above shoulders, grasp lightly/fine manipulation, grasp forcefully, use a telephone, sort/file paperwork or parts, lift/carry/push/pull objects that weigh up to 10 pounds.
- Rarely twist/bend/stoop/squat, kneel/crawl.
- - 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.
- WORKING CONDITIONS:
Travel on campus to schools/units and off campus locations.
Additional WORKING CONDITIONS: May work extended hours during deadlines, events or special projects.
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,
The expected pay range for this position is $44.84 to $50.43 per 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.
At Stanford University, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive rewards package. The Cardinal at Work website ( provides detailed information on Stanford's extensive range of benefits and rewards offered to employees. Specifics about the rewards package for this position may be discussed during the hiring process.
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.
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.
Additional Information
- Schedule: Full-time
- Job Code: 4099
- Employee Status: Regular
- Grade: G
- Requisition ID: 106930
- Work Arrangement : Hybrid Eligible
