Edtech.com's Summary

Stanford University is hiring an Associate Vice Provost and Executive Director of Stanford Career Education. The role leads Stanford Career Education, which provides coaching, educational programming, employer engagement, and experiential learning to students across all disciplines and degree levels. The leader reports to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and shapes how career readiness fits into the Stanford student experience.

Highlights

Lead Stanford Career Education and integrate career education across the university as a defining element of the student experience, working with faculty, academic leaders, students, alumni, and employers.
Direct managers and develop leaders in the pipeline, handling hiring decisions, coaching, performance management, staffing needs, and succession planning.
Provide strategic direction for the unit, including responsibility for its programs, budget, facilities, and staff.
Advise senior leadership and the dean on long-range planning and policy development, recommending new internal policies, guidelines, and procedures.
Resolve complex, highly visible issues with university-wide scope, making independent decisions on projects, programs, and initiatives with limited senior review.
Direct high-visibility process redesign and innovation projects and champion major initiatives through implementation.
Serve as the public spokesperson for Stanford Career Education, representing its programs at senior-level meetings, conferences, and to internal and external constituents.
Ensure compliance with legal, financial, academic, and administrative policies and external regulations.
Bachelor’s degree and ten years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination, with higher education experience strongly preferred and experience managing people and complex budgets.
Pay range of $168,517 to $314,565 per year for a full-time, hybrid position.

Associate Vice Provost and Executive Director of Stanford Career Education Full Description

Stanford University, a world-class research university known for its deep tradition of innovation and spirit of optimism, seeks a new Associate Vice Provost and Executive Director of Stanford Career Education (AVP/ED). As Stanford enters a new era of leadership and institutional momentum, the AVP/ED will play a critical role in integrating academic excellence and career readiness as a cornerstone of the Stanford student experience. Reporting to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, with a dotted-line relationship to the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs, the AVP/ED will lead Stanford Career Education (CareerEd) and shape the future of career development at one of the most influential universities in the world.

This is a unique opportunity to lead at a pivotal moment for Stanford. CareerEd has recently transitioned from Student Affairs to Undergraduate Education in the Provost’s portfolio, which reflects the University's commitment to strengthening the connection between academic excellence, student development and enrichment, and post-graduate success, while deepening partnerships across undergraduate and graduate education.

Guided by a commitment to access and student success, CareerEd provides coaching, educational programming, employer engagement, experiential learning opportunities, and career readiness resources that support students across all disciplines, degree levels, and career interests. The next AVP/ED will have the opportunity to build upon this strong foundation while helping to define the next chapter of career education at Stanford. Working in close partnership with faculty, academic leaders, students, alumni, employers, and external stakeholders, this leader will advance a vision that preserves Stanford's longstanding emphasis on intellectual exploration, self-discovery, and personal growth while ensuring students are empowered to navigate an increasingly complex, diverse, dynamic workforce.

As CareerEd enters this next phase, the AVP/ED will have the opportunity to address the following opportunities and challenges, outlined in greater detail later in this document:

Integrate and advance career education across Stanford;
Establish career education as a defining element of the Stanford student experience;
Foster highly collaborative relationships with a broad range of university constituents;
Serve as a compelling spokesperson for Stanford Career Education; and
Lead and develop a high-performing team.

Applications will be reviewed beginning November 4, 2026.

Stanford University has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in this important search. Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. All applications, inquiries, and nominations should be below. Electronic submission of materials is required.

Lindsay Gold is leading this search with Ebony Breaux-Liang and Julia Hochner.

Stanford University is an equal 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.

Responsibilities

Core Duties:

Direct efforts of managers; develop those in leadership positions and in the leadership pipeline, make hiring decisions, provide coaching and mentoring, manage performance, determine staffing needs, develop and ensure succession planning within area of responsibility.
Identify, clarify, and resolve complex, highly visible issues with university-wide scope and strategic impact and substantial significance which may span multiple areas, using advanced technical and professional knowledge requiring broad discretion and judgment and in-depth knowledge of university policies, governance and priorities.
Provide strategic direction for and manage a school or a major function within an academic area, school, or student and campus life, including responsibility for programs, budget, facilities, and staff.
Provide counsel and collaborate with senior leadership, in long-range planning, policy development, for a school or major program.
Work independently to make decisions regarding projects, programs, and initiatives, with limited or no review by senior management: commit university resources with limited or no review by senior officers.
Manage exceptions to university, program, or unit policies and procedures; determine appropriate response to settle grievances.
Participate in setting the direction of a school’s internal academic and administrative policy development for programs and administrative operations. Negotiate and influence on matters of university-wide impact.
Serve as senior advisor to dean on programmatic and policy development. Recommend new internal policies, guidelines and procedures.
Manage, interpret, implement and ensure compliance with legal, financial, university, academic and administrative policies and external regulations within an organization or program.
Direct complex, high-visibility process redesign and innovation projects; Champion major initiatives, develop and drive implementation of project initiatives.
Lead, identify and develop priorities for university or school/department-wide student services initiatives, and outreach programs.
Represent school/department programs and initiatives at senior level meetings, conferences, and to both internal and external constituents.
Partner with key individuals from across the university to determine new and ongoing business and technology initiatives.

Minimum Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree and ten years of relevant experience, or combination of education and relevant experience. Experience in higher education setting strongly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

User knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.
Advanced communication skills to clearly and effectively communicate information to internal and external audiences, client groups, and all levels of management.
Strong analytical skills to review and analyze complex financial information.
Strong leadership and strategic management skills.
Experience managing people.
Understanding of underlying technological needs and requirements.
Ability to establish credibility and effective working relationships across organization.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively.
Demonstrated experience with significant and complex budgetary/financial management.

Pay Range

$168,517-$314,565

Pay Frequency: Annually

Stanford Schools and Units: Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education

Full time or Part time: Full Time

Regular or Temporary: Regular

Job Category: Student Services

Grade: M

Job Identification: 200531

Benefits that support you, and your future

18+ PTO days per year
Health benefits start when you start
Flexible work options
World-class exercise facilities
$6000+ annual tuition and training assistance
403(b) plan
Mental health and wellness programs
Free and discounted commuter transportation

Applies to regular full-time positions.

Notice to Applicants

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classifications 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 their job.

Stanford University provides job pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a particular job. The specific pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on a wide range of factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to geographic work location, relevant knowledge, skills and abilities, relevant education, years of relevant experience, depth and breadth of relevant experience, and performance; further including but not limited to other business and organization needs such as the scope and responsibilities of the position, the minimum qualifications, departmental budget availability, and market and internal equity across the university, school/ unit, department, as well as job reporting relationships.

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Associate Vice Provost and Executive Director of Stanford Career Education

Edtech.com's Summary

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