Human Resources Director

Stanford Graduate School of Business

Stanford’s Graduate School of Business has built a global reputation based on its immersive and innovative management programs. We provide students a transformative leadership experience, pushing the boundaries of knowledge with faculty research, and offering a portfolio of entrepreneurial and non-degree programs that deliver global impact like no other. We are committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in service of our mission of developing innovative, principled, and insightful leaders who change lives, change organizations, and change the world. We invite you to be part of this mission.

The Human Resources Department of the Stanford Graduate School of Business seeks a Human Resources Director to fulfill the scope of HR Business Partner services to assigned senior staff leaders and client groups. In this role, reporting to the Executive Director of Human Resources, you will have the opportunity to intimately learn and engage with the operations behind a world-class academic institution, providing your HR expertise to influence and evolve workplace culture. Our staff supports an amazing cadre of faculty and graduate students, delivering a wide array of academic and non-academic services that require nimble and effective human resource support.

In particular, we seek an individual to engage with some of the GSB’s fastest-growing organizations, including GSB Executive Education , Stanford Seed , our GSB Administration organizations and academic support operations. The successful candidate will also partner with the Executive Director to support school-wide priorities in sustainability and lifelong learning and contribute to elevating our employee experience.

We require an organized, dedicated, and collaborative individual who excels in managing the full scope of the employee life cycle. Those who excel here bring high levels of independent, critical thinking with an excess capacity to humbly collaborate with market-leading experts in a highly matrixed environment. Do you have proven credibility in the HR domain and the courage to reimagine your place in it? Then, this position may be the right fit for you!

This is a full-time hybrid role that requires regular, on-site work at the Stanford GSB campus, however, a full-time on-campus presence is not required for this role. 

Your primary responsibilities include:

• Provide people leadership to assigned client groups in collaboration with senior leaders. Oversee the HRBP function and services for over half of the school’s operations and school-wide functional ownership of core HR processes (e.g., Compensation, HR Operations).
• In addition to implementing the GSB’s HR priorities in assigned areas, will assist the Executive Director in developing strategies and solutions for evolving faculty resource needs in coordination with the Dean’s Office and Academic Affairs.
• Enable a continuous innovation and improvement culture supporting our mission in partnership with the Executive Director and University HR subject matter experts. Directly support Stanford’s two-year HRIS transformation in concert with local process initiatives.
• Oversee, coach, and advise on all employee lifecycle aspects for assigned groups: diverse talent acquisition, staff engagement and retention, individual performance and development, rewards and recognition, and issue resolution.
• Implement strategies supporting organizational and behavioral change, including managing succession planning and facilitating focus group discussions.
• Assess organizational and individual staff development needs. In partnership with Principal Talent Strategist, identify, develop, and/or deliver relevant training.
• Advocate for an equitable and inclusive experience for everyone working at the GSB. Creatively integrate a focus on humanity in initiatives and programs to encourage empathetic behavior and mindset shifts that broaden our definition of the employee experience.
• Participate in the planning, promoting, and implementing of best-in-class people practices while effectively administering operational excellence in HR processes, including total rewards and recognition, workplace compliance, and employee/labor relations.
• Investigate basic and complex employee relations issues and initiate appropriate resolution; recommend and facilitate effective solutions in alignment with applicable policies and laws.
• As required, manage the performance of direct reports, setting priorities aligned with organizational objectives.
• Exhibit flexibility in responding to new or transitional demands.

To be successful in this position, you will bring: 

• Bachelor’s degree and five years relevant experience, or a combination of education and relevant experience.
• Demonstrated experience providing management support and consultation in human resources areas, including employee relations, employment and labor law, compensation, staffing and employment, equity and inclusion, training and development, performance and management coaching, and organizational development.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills, understanding of group dynamics, and successful track record of establishing credibility and trust with a diverse client group.
• Demonstrated proficiency with business applications and human resource information systems. This includes acting as a change agent within the HR function, leading by example in adopting technology to organize work, executing projects, performing data analysis, and streamlining processes.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking, problem-solving, judgment, negotiating, influencing, and decision-making skills. Ability to maintain confidentiality, tact, and diplomacy.
• Excellent facilitation and oral and written communication skills; ability to prepare clear and concise reports and deliver formal presentations or training to employees and managers.
• Strong management skills exhibited by leading teams or business-wide projects.
• A track record of passion for HR, success in helping people and organizations excel, and ability to create delight in service to others.

In addition, preferred requirements include:

• Excellence can come in many forms and at different levels of experience, so the earlier noted requirements are the minimum. We are looking for a professional with a minimum of 8-10 years of progressive HR experience, including acting as principal HR lead for a significant operation responsible for setting strategy and supervising the deployment of HR resources.
• While this role requires someone with the requisite HR competencies, it is not required that they come from academia. Various industry and/or functional experiences can enable the successful candidate to excel in this multifaceted role.

The expected pay range for this position is $155,000 – $195,000 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.

How to Apply
We invite you to apply for this position by clicking on the “Apply for Job” button. To be considered, please submit a cover letter and résumé along with your online application.

Why Stanford is for You
Stanford’s dedicated 16,000 staff come from diverse educational and career backgrounds. We are a collaborative environment that thrives on innovation and continuous improvement. At Stanford, we seek talent committed to excellence, driven to impact the future of our legacy, and improve lives on a global sphere. We provide competitive salaries, excellent health care and retirement plans, and a generous vacation policy, including additional time off during our winter closure. Our generous perks align with what matters to you:

• Freedom to grow. Take advantage of career development programs, tuition reimbursement, or audit a course. Join a Ted Talk, film screening, or listen to a renowned author or leader discuss global issues.
• A caring culture. We understand the importance of your personal and family time and provide you access to wellness programs, child-care resources, parent education and consultation, elder care and caregiving support.
• A healthier you. We make wellness a priority by providing access to world-class exercise facilities. Climb our rock wall or participate in one of hundreds of health or fitness classes.
• Discovery and fun. Visit campus gardens, trails, and museums.
• Enviable resources. We offer free commuter programs and ridesharing incentives. Enjoy discounts for computers, cell phones, recreation, travel, entertainment, and more!

We pride ourselves in being a culture that encourages and empowers you.

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 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 at [email protected] . For all other inquiries, please submit 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.