Stanford Medicine, Catalyst serves as Stanford Medicine’s flagship innovation program to support inventors across the Stanford community in developing and accelerating their most promising innovations for transformative health. Catalyst supports impactful, prototype-stage innovations across the spectrum of healthcare and fosters these innovations by offering up to $1M in capital, mentorship, and access to industry experts. Chosen projects also receive program management, validation resources, testing and deployment within a regional health care system, go-to-market resources, readiness for independence, and exposure to outside investors.
This position supports the Executive Director of Catalyst and the entire Catalyst team by implementing operations and projects, providing seamless administrative and operational assistance with minimal supervision. As a small and growing team, we value candidates who are willing to take on any task—no job is too small or too big—and who demonstrate flexibility and nimbleness in adapting to the evolving needs of the team. The ideal candidate is experienced, dependable, and highly organized—proactive in streamlining systems and meticulous in their work. In a dynamic environment, dependability, sound judgment, initiative, and follow-through are vital to strengthening this new team’s foundation and driving operational improvements. The selected candidate will demonstrate effective decision-making, strong communication skills, attention to detail, and a collaborative, respectful approach to relationship management.
This role offers the chance to help lead a healthcare transformation at Stanford—working at the forefront of innovation with internal stakeholders across Stanford Medicine and University, as well as with external industry leaders and clinicians. It is an opportunity to work alongside trailblazers from science, medicine, and technology, advancing Stanford Medicine's mission to translate research into groundbreaking solutions. The hybrid position requires on-site presence three days per week in Catalyst Office in Stanford Research Park, Palo Alto.
Duties include*:
Independently analyze, develop, and implement project plans required to support Catalyst operations for Stanford Medicine. Project plans may include development of missions/goals, outputs, intended benefits, rosters of project participants and key stakeholders, inventories of available resources, lists of needed resources, and project phases and associated benchmarks.
Create efficient processes and systems that support Catalyst programs, project teams, operations, and office operations.
Prepare complex data presentations and documents to summarize and clarify operational activities and historical trends and to contribute to improved planning decisions and predictions.
Organize and manage the execution of numerous one-time and ongoing meetings, task forces, retreats, and events. Develop or contribute to the design of agendas including background information (bios, etc), invitations, venue, logistics, and budgets. Meetings may range in size from 4 to 40, and may include external VIP stakeholders, requiring additional customer centric engagement.
Serve as first point of contact and subject matter expert for the Executive Director and represent the Executive Director in a professional and highly confidential manner.
Manage complex executive calendars and anticipate needs daily to ensure that the executive’s time is being optimally leveraged.
Manage full cycle business travel (air, hotel, car, expenses, etc.) in compliance with unit, university, and sponsor policies.
Engage professionally, amiably, and in a polished manner with world renowned faculty, senior leaders in Industry, and a wide range of individuals at many levels, both inside Stanford and with outside partners.
Gather, submit, track, and manage contracts and POs for a variety of consultants, contractors, and vendors. Submit and track expense requests for the Executive Director.
* - Other duties may also be assigned.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
To be successful in this position, you will bring:
8+ years administrative management experience of executive level, C-suite leaders.
5+ years office management support.
Experience in healthcare start-ups, industry, and/or venture capital.
Proven ability to manage complex calendars, coordinate high-level meetings, and efficiently handle executive communications with discretion.
Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to create and coordinate operational project plans (e.g. Office setup, Office move, etc.).
Experience supporting program marketing efforts, including coordinating communications, managing outreach initiatives, and assisting with the development and distribution of promotional materials to enhance program visibility and engagement.
Experience leveraging technology (e.g. Excel, SmartSheets, Asana, etc.) for project planning, and for process improvement of workflows.
Experience supporting executives with daily, weekly and monthly reporting of operational data to include analyzing data for trends.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE (REQUIRED):
Bachelor's degree and three years of relevant experience, or combination of education and relevant experience.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES (REQUIRED):
Demonstrated ability to prioritize own work and multi-task.
Demonstrated excellent organizational skills.
Demonstrated exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to take initiative and ownership of projects.
Ability to routinely and independently exercise sound judgment in making decisions.
Demonstrated experience working independently and as part of a team.
Relevant subject matter knowledge.
Ability to direct the work of others, for jobs requiring supervision.
Rarely 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 his or her 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.
The expected pay range for this position is $100,023 to $124,516 per annum.
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 (https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/benefits-rewards) 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.
School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States
📁 Administration
Post Date:Jul 14, 2025
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