Executive Director, AI Initiative, Stanford Law School

🔍 School of Law, Stanford, California, United States

New

📁: Administration

📅   : 2 days ago Post Date

📅   : 107245 Requisition #

Executive Director, AI Initiative, Stanford Law School

*NOTE: This position has been deemed critical/has specific funding, has been approved by the Law School for posting, and is exempt from the hiring freeze.

About the Initiative: Artificial intelligence (AI) is profoundly transforming society, and Stanford Law School is at the forefront of assessing its legal, policy, and governance implications. The Initiative on AI Governance and Law is the central law school hub, bringing together faculty, students, and external partners to study and shape how AI is designed, deployed, and regulated across the public and private sectors.

The Initiative is the central law school hub for coordinating and guiding cutting-edge research, teaching, and engagement on AI and the law. It supports collaborative research across disciplines, seeds new projects, convenes leaders in academia, industry, and government, and trains the next generation of lawyers and policymakers in AI governance.

We are seeking to hire a full-time Executive Director to provide strategic and operational leadership for this ambitious endeavor. The Executive Director will report to Professor Nate Persily, co-chair of the Initiative’s steering committee, and work closely with the committee, Stanford Law management, faculty, and external partners.

Job Description: As the chief staff officer for the Initiative, the Executive Director will be responsible for advancing the Initiative’s research, teaching, and public engagement goals. Key responsibilities include:

Strategic Leadership & Program Development

Help establish, guide, and execute the Initiative’s vision, goals, and long-term strategy.
Oversee development, design, implementation, and evaluation of research initiatives, teaching programs, fellowships, and public engagement activities.
Devise and implement vision, strategy, goals, and resource development in consultation with the faculty supervisor.
Identify emerging issues in AI governance and law and help shape and execute the Initiative’s programming accordingly.

Research & Academic Programming

Support faculty research projects, manage shared resources (including datasets, research staff, and computing infrastructure), and encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Assist with the development and administration of fellowship programs for postdoctoral scholars and research fellows.
Facilitate curricular innovation by coordinating new course offerings, policy labs, and faculty support in AI-related legal domains.

Partnerships & Outreach

Represent the Initiative to internal and external stakeholders, including Stanford centers, faculty across the university, and global partners in industry, government, and NGOs.
Organize conferences, workshops, and public events to convene leaders at the intersection of AI, law, and policy.
Develop and manage communications, including the Initiative’s website, publications, reports, and policy briefings.

Development & Fundraising

Work with Stanford Law’s External Relations team to identify and pursue funding opportunities from foundations, government agencies, industry partners, and individual donors.
Prepare proposals and reports to sustain and grow the Initiative’s impact.

Financial & Staff Management

Lead the Initiative’s operational and financial planning and oversee budgets to ensure sustainability.
Develop a staffing strategy for the Initiative. Recruit, mentor, and/or manage Initiative staff, including data scientists, research fellows, program managers, and technical specialists.

Qualifications:

Advanced degree or combination of relevant education, training, and/or experience. Typically 5+ years of relevant experience in law, policy, technology, or related fields; JD or equivalent strongly preferred.
Demonstrated expertise or significant interest in AI, data science, technology policy, or governance.
Experience managing budgets, financial plans, staff, and complex programs or initiatives, including program partnerships and funding sources..
Strong record of developing partnerships and securing funding.
Exceptional oral, written, and analytical skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and work collaboratively in an academic setting.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Strategic vision for building a major academic initiative.
Excellent leadership skills.
Ability to translate between technical and legal/policy domains.
Strong leadership, mentoring, and team-building skills.
Familiarity with academic research environments and interdisciplinary collaboration.
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.

WORK STANDARDS:

Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work well with Stanford colleagues and clients and with external organizations.
Commitment to responsible, ethical engagement with AI technologies.
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

How to apply: All interested and qualified applicants must submit their resume and a cover letter via the Stanford Jobs website (https://careersearch.stanford.edu/) and search using job number 107245. The cover letter should describe your interest in the legal profession in general and this position in particular.

The expected pay range for this position is $164,922-$206,189 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.

Stanford Law School seeks to hire the best talent and to promote a safe and secure environment for all members of the university community and its property. To that end, new staff hires must successfully pass a background check prior to starting work at Stanford University.
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.

*Note: 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