Assistant Director, Membership Services & Engagement

Department: Stanford Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation (DAPER)

Reports to: Kevin Desta

About Stanford Recreation and Wellness

Stanford’s Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation (“DAPER”) is the premier intercollegiate athletics and recreation program in the country. We are the proud Home of Champions and support the university’s physical education, recreation, and wellness initiatives.

Aligned with Stanford University’s pioneering spirit, Stanford Recreation and Wellness is committed to bold and purposeful engagement. We ignite a culture of belonging and well-being through movement, adventure, play, and learning. Our fifty full-time and over 400 part-time staff manage eight recreation facilities at one of the world’s most beautiful universities.

Hosting over a million visits annually, we work cohesively, lead with courage, and pursue and revere excellence. We are building an inclusive community and a diverse team committed to excellence. We take risks, are willing to lead, do the right thing, create innovative solutions, develop our employees, promote a culture of gratitude and recognition, and have fun. If that sounds like you, join us.

Job Purpose

Under the direction of the Associate Director of Membership Services, the Assistant Director for Membership Services & Engagement is responsible for managing a comprehensive membership services area that serves the needs of the Stanford community across four campus recreation facilities.

The Assistant Director is administratively and programmatically responsible for implementing, promoting, directing, evaluating, and executing the forward-facing functions of the AOERC and ACSR facilities, serving students, faculty, staff, alumni, and university guests. The Assistant Director has leadership and decision-making responsibility for developing and mentoring part-time Membership Services staff work teams and proactively interacts with campus constituencies, third-party vendors, and other service providers.

In this role, you will: 

Personnel Management & Supervision (35%) 

• Provide direct leadership by recruiting, hiring, training, supervising, and evaluating 15-20 contingent shift supervisors between both main campus facility locations, with a focus on professional skill development and operational excellence.
• Support the management of Membership Services personnel by providing indirect leadership to 75+ entry-level contingent employees (e.g., Membership Services Associates) across main campus facility locations (e.g., AOERC, ACSR, Ford-Burnham)
• Supervise up to 1 benefits-eligible Membership Services professional staff member who directly interacts with staff and participants during day-to-day operations.
• Ensure employee handbook, onboarding, and training materials for each facility location are accurately maintained and kept up to date.
• Organize and conduct monthly contingent staff meetings to enhance professional skill development and operational excellence, maintaining comprehensive progress records to support meaningful performance evaluations and growth trajectories.
• Through WhenToWork, assist with scheduling on-site Membership Services staff to ensure appropriate coverage that meets operational needs and maintains safety across all spaces.
• Ensure that part-time contingent staff under supervision receive risk and safety training and maintain up-to-date certification records. 
• Collaborate on developing and evaluating staff training materials associated with membership fees and structures, product offerings, and ancillary services.

Program Management, Development, & Operations (30%)

• Lead the delivery of exceptional customer service by proactively identifying and mitigating operational risks, managing liabilities, and developing, evaluating, and refining operational policies and procedures to ensure safe, consistent, and effective operations.
• Foster an inclusive, welcoming, and safe environment that values and celebrates diversity for all staff, members, and guests; address member feedback, concerns, and conduct issues in a timely and professional manner, escalating complex matters as appropriate.
• Oversee and support membership administration, program registration, and member-focused sales operations, ensuring accuracy, accessibility, and a positive user experience across all systems and touchpoints.
• Ensure member policies and staff operating procedures are clearly communicated, consistently interpreted, uniformly implemented, and regularly assessed; recommend and support continuous improvements.
• Build, maintain, and support effective communication and collaborative working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including campus partners and departments, to facilitate seasonal and/or ongoing program and facility access.
• Identify, propose, and assist in implementing innovative and creative solutions that enhance programs, systems, services, and operational efficiency in response to evolving member and departmental needs.
• Collaborate cohesively with DAPER colleagues to support facility operations, programs, and special events, and serve as the acting leader for Membership Services in the Associate Director’s absence.
• Manage correspondence and interactions with patrons using software tools and other customer-based applications.
• Compile and provide accurate information and updates to policies and procedures, thereby improving overall customer satisfaction.
• Oversee the functions of all Membership Services-related products sold at the front desks of recreation facilities (e.g., Gear Hub, Memberships, Guest Passes, Master Locks, Locker Rentals, etc.)

Technology Oversight (25%)

• Contribute to a committee that administers the customer management software solutions (Fusion), including assigning user and member access, training personnel, and working in conjunction with University partners and stakeholders (e.g., UIT, ID Card Services, MaIS, etc.)
• Contribute to the oversight of customer service technology related to facility access control and member services, including all transactions related to point of sale, member/participant facility access, program registration, data reporting, membership database, and equipment rentals.
• Coordinate and monitor routine software maintenance and services, including updates and new feature requests. 
• Provide the first line of response to requests for various basic hardware, software, peripheral, and networking technical assistance through the department’s Technology Management Request Form.
• Oversee learning documentation to support colleagues’ understanding of utilizing Fusion.
• Try to resolve basic end-user problems and escalate as appropriate.
• Audit existing user account access to all third-party business applications and remediate known vulnerabilities.
• As a key contact, implement, administer, and evaluate program management software used by Recreation and Wellness, and make efficiency recommendations as needed.
• Manage PCI compliance for all software that processes financial transactions, including P2PE, EMV, and related systems, and ensure compliance with all applicable regulations.
• Manage forward-facing customer service correspondence and interactions with patrons using customer management software (Fusion).

Administrative Responsibilities (10%)

• Assist in preparing and analyzing monthly, quarterly, and annual operational and statistical data reports to meet Audit requirements and achieve departmental goals.
• Review and approve bi-monthly payroll for contingent staff.
• Monitor and assist with the evaluation of  contingent staffing budget and wages
• Oversee the inventory maintenance and procurement of technical equipment and peripheral systems.
• Ensure all financial transactions are conducted in accordance with Stanford policies and procedures.
• Investigate, document, and report complaints regarding all aspects of operations, including customer service, safety/security, and staff issues, as needed.