ABOUT STANFORD UNIVERSITY AND RESIDENTIAL & DINING ENTERPRISES:
Stanford University is one of the world's leading teaching and research universities. Founded in 1891, Stanford’s mission is to create and share knowledge and to prepare students to be curious, to think critically, and to contribute to the world. With world-class scholars and seven schools located together on a single campus, Stanford offers academic excellence across the broadest array of disciplines including business, education, engineering, humanities and sciences, law, medicine, and sustainability. It also is an engine of innovation, blending theory and practice to move ideas and discoveries from labs and classrooms out into the world. Stanford strives to foster a culture of expansive inquiry, fresh thinking, searching discussion, and freedom of thought – preparing students for leadership and engaged citizenship in the world. The university is located between San Francisco and San Jose in the heart of California's Silicon Valley, on a scenic 8,180-acre campus.
Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE), the largest auxiliary organization at Stanford University, supports the academic mission of the university by providing high-quality services to students and other members of the university community. R&DE has an annual operating budget of $400M, operates 24/7/365, and oversees a $3B asset portfolio comprising over 7 million square feet—one-third of the campus footprint. R&DE provides housing for 16,000 students and dependents, serves 8 million meals annually at 48 student dining venues and 32 culinary enterprises. In addition, R&DE provides executive services, conference operations, and guest lodging. R&DE is a talented and diverse team of 1,200+ who comprise the following divisions: Student Housing Operations & Stanford Conferences; Stanford Dining and Hospitality & Auxiliaries; Maintenance Operations and Capital Projects; and a team of R&DE strategic business partners—Finance & Administration, Information Technology, Human Resources, and Strategic Communications and Marketing.
“Students (Customers) First” is R&DE’s mantra and its strategic goals reflect its commitment to delivering service excellence to the campus community. R&DE’s belief is “students are never an interruption in our day; they are the reason we are here.”
R&DE’s dedication to promoting fair treatment, access to opportunities, and a positive work environment is reflected in its essential priorities and efforts for cultivating a culture of operational excellence as a foundational cornerstone. R&DE is committed to creating and sustaining inclusive excellence where all staff feel a sense of belonging and are empowered to thrive.
ABOUT R&DE STANFORD CONFERENCES:
Stanford Conferences, a vital division within Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE) at Stanford University, serves as the university's centralized resource for the planning, coordination, and management of hospitality services for academically sponsored conferences, institutes, and youth programs held on the Stanford campus. We provide comprehensive support for conference and event logistics, including housing accommodations, dining arrangements, event venues, registration services, and policy guidance for both adult and youth residential programs. Our team specializes in ensuring seamless service delivery, risk management, and adherence to university standards and policies, while continually striving for excellence in customer satisfaction and operational quality.
Stanford Conferences collaborates closely with other R&DE divisions—including Student Housing Operations, Stanford Dining, Hospitality & Auxiliaries, Maintenance Operations and Capital Projects —as well as campus partners, to leverage Stanford’s renowned facilities and services. Each summer, we successfully host over 125 residential conference groups and provide support to educational programs and special events throughout the academic year.
Our experienced team includes eight full-time staff members drawn from diverse backgrounds in conference and event management, customer service, operations, sales and marketing, and financial management. They are supported by a dedicated group of students and temporary staff hired on a seasonal or as-needed basis to meet program demands. Together, we deliver exceptional experiences to thousands of conference participants and program attendees, reflecting Stanford University's commitment to learning, community, and hospitality.
This role is currently designated as hybrid and may provide incumbents with flexibility for partial telecommuting.
JOB PURPOSE:
The Program Manager acts as a key leader in the planning, development, and execution of Stanford Conferences' portfolio of summer and year-round programs, with primary responsibility for the Intern Housing Program and support and development of other individual-based conference programs. Working under minimal supervision, this position oversees end-to-end program operations—including logistics, marketing, registration, payments, agreements, financial management, and customer service—to deliver exceptional experiences for program participants. The Program Manager partners with internal and external stakeholders to shape innovative programming, drive operational excellence, and meet business objectives, while continuously improving processes, optimizing resources, and supporting the growth of R&DE Stanford Conferences.
CORE DUTIES:
Execute program plan definition, and detailed rollout schedule, including collaboration with internal stakeholders.
Collaborate with R&DE Strategic Marketing and Communications team to develop and execute a marketing plan, assessing, and revising as necessary to meet goals.
Implement conversion strategy to meet program goals.
Deliver an experience that leads to high customer satisfaction and advocacy for the program.
Conduct analysis and make recommendations regarding the direction of the program.
Actively participate in efforts to improve processes, programs and business across the department by collaborating with R&DE and non-R&DE teams such as IT, HR, to continuously streamline operations and processes.
Coordinate with vendors and consultants on specific programs.
Develop, implement, and oversee signature programs and events—including Intern Housing and related individual-based conference programs—by managing applications, vetting, payments, attendee experience, and operational logistics to ensure excellence and compliance.
Design and optimize operational processes supporting the attendee experience, including application/registration workflow, marketing/outreach, payment, agreements/contracts, communications, and check-in/check-out activities.
Serve as team lead for R&DE and University-hosted events requiring R&DE coordination; regularly plan and execute assigned summer conferences and special events.
Collaborate with the Stanford Conferences team and campus partners to generate new programming and event opportunities; cultivate prospective clients, support program development, prepare sales presentations, and contribute to growth initiatives.
Strategically develop programs and events to drive revenue growth by leveraging university resources, managing full cycle planning and execution, and identifying opportunities for new business and improved service offerings.
Additional Responsibilities:
Develop and maintain relationships with local companies and community organizations; represent the program through targeted outreach and at relevant events.
Create and update website and digital content for assigned programs, ensuring accurate online resources for participants and partners.
Monitor program expenses, budgets, and financial activity; generate reports to assess performance, conduct trend analysis, and inform decision-making.
Supervise, train, and plan staffing for events and programs—including hiring and oversight of student workers and temporary staff to support operations based on scope and complexity.
Manage contracts, vendor negotiations, agreements, and payment processes; resolve billing disputes and ensure documentation is accurate and timely.
Ensure compliance with university policies and legal requirements, including e-commerce, UBIT, insurance, safety, ADA, emergency procedures, and amplified sound regulations; communicate and uphold standards at all events.
Meet annual revenue targets and support initiatives to identify and implement new business opportunities to enhance or expand program offerings.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
Education & Experience:
Bachelor's degree and three years of relevant experience or a combination of education and relevant experience.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Experience with managing programs.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Knowledge of various marketing elements (e.g. pricing, audience, channels, communication).
Ability to work independently to meet expected deadlines and schedules.
Demonstrated ability to understand the target audience lifecycle and ability to convert leads into new business.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Certifications and Licenses:
Valid CA Driver’s license required to support scheduled events and programs.
Preferred Skills and Certifications:
Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) or other event credentials.
Proficiency in event management software (e.g. Cvent, Eventbrite).
Experience supervising teams or managing budgets in higher ed/hospitality.
Strong stakeholder/client-facing skills.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Constantly perform desk-based computer tasks.
Frequently stand/walk, sit, use a telephone, grasp lightly/fine manipulation, speaking.
Occasionally grasp forcefully, writing by hand.
Rarely sort/file paperwork.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
Occasional work on evenings and weekends September-May. Summer is the peak operational period when work on evenings and weekends is typical and vacation requests may be accommodated on a limited basis.
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 $87,000-$99,000 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.
Why Stanford is for You:
Imagine a world without search engines or social platforms. Consider lives saved through first-ever organ transplants and research to cure illnesses. Stanford University has revolutionized the way we live and enriches the world. Supporting this mission is our diverse and dedicated 17,000 staff. We seek talent driven to impact the future of our legacy. Our culture and unique perks empower you with:
Freedom to grow. We offer career development programs, tuition reimbursement, or course auditing. Join a TedTalk, film screening, or listen to a renowned author or global leader speak.
A caring culture. We provide superb retirement plans, generous time-off, and family care resources.
A healthier you. Climb our rock wall or choose from hundreds of health or fitness classes at our world-class exercise facilities. We also provide excellent health care benefits.
Discovery and fun. Stroll through historic sculptures, trails, and museums.
Enviable resources. Enjoy free commuter programs, ridesharing incentives, discounts and more.
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 accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job.
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.
Track your opportunities.
My Submissions Residential & Dining Enterprises, Stanford, California, United States
📁 Administration
Post Date: 5 days ago
I love that Stanford is supportive of learning, and as an education institution, that pursuit of knowledge extends to staff members through professional development, wellness, financial planning and staff affinity groups.
Nora Cata
School of Engineering
I get to apply my real-world experiences in a setting that welcomes diversity in thinking and offers support in applying new methods. In my short time at Stanford, I've been able to streamline processes that provide better and faster information to our students.
Phillip Cheng
Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs
Besides its contributions to science, health, and medicine, Stanford is also the home of pioneers across disciplines. Joining Stanford has been a great way to contribute to our society by supporting emerging leaders.
Denisha Clark
School of Medicine
I like working in a place where ideas matter. Working at Stanford means being part of a vibrant, international culture in addition to getting to do meaningful work.
Laura Lind
Office of the President and Provost
Join Stanford in shaping a better tomorrow for your community, humanity and the planet we call home.