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Operations Administrative Specialist, Cantor Arts Center

Closes:

Salary: $39 – $49 per hour

1,051

Work Arrangement:Please note that this position will be based on the Stanford campus and will be considered a hybrid role with a minimum of 4 days per week on campus. This position will work extended or non-standard hours, weekends and holidays based on business needs.

Budgeted Salary:The expected pay range for this position is $38.64 - $48.50 per hour.

Stanford University is one of the world's premier academic and research institutions, devoting tremendous intellectual and physical resources toward the betterment of humanity. As a major Silicon Valley employer, Stanford seeks people committed to excellence and improving our world. The university is committed to supporting its employees as they develop their careers and enrich their lives. Stanford's future success will be shaped by its diverse perspectives, unique experiences, and inclusive culture.

Serving the Stanford University campus, the Bay Area community, and visitors from around the world, the Cantor Arts Center provides an outstanding cultural experience for visitors of all ages and a growing online audience of scholars. The Cantor's encyclopedic collection spans 5,000 years and includes more than 40,000 works of art from around the globe. An established resource for teaching and research on campus, the Cantor offers free admission and programs year-round. It is consistently one of the most visited university museums in the U.S. It is an exciting time to join the expanding team at the Cantor Arts Center. Join us as we build capacity to achieve the museum's goals within an equitable, collaborative, and creative work environment.

Reporting to the Deputy Director, the Operations Administrative Specialist will be responsible for overseeing the administrative functions of Cantor Arts Center and will support a historic building featuring high-value works of art, vibrant exhibitions, classroom spaces, dynamic public programs, an onsite café, and outdoor grounds and sculpture. This position plays a critical role in ensuring effective day-to-day administrative cohesion and continuity including managing financial transactions, contracting, and budgeting; human resources coordination; capital assets management; IT coordination; and space planning. The individual in this role functions as a central point of contact for administrative matters, often managing competing priorities across multiple active projects and initiatives. This is a highly visible role requiring discretion, strong organizational leadership, and the ability to operate as a trusted partner for the Operations Team.

In this role, you will:

  • Attend planning meetings on behalf of the Deputy Director to help establish and/or communicate priorities, identify and resolve problems that are administrative in nature, and provide post-meeting follow-up.
  • Research and prepare background information for meetings and briefing materials.
  • Provide planning and logistical support for meetings, conferences, seminars, special events, and public programs.
  • Oversee, facilitate, and process a variety of complex financial transactions; produce, monitor, and reconcile invoicing and budget statements; Research, identify, and resolve financial discrepancies. Assist with troubleshooting and provide solutions for issues involving transactions, supplier management, or financial system navigation.
  • Assist with procurement and contracting actions including market research, vendor sourcing, supplier system management, proposal development and evaluation, and contract amendment coordination.
  • Assist with managing the museum's capital assets including purchasing, documentation, tagging, tracking, retirement, and inventory coordination.
  • Coordinate space planning, office moves, routine remodeling and renovations; manage the museum's furniture inventory including purchasing, repairs, and surplussing.
  • In partnership with HR leads and hiring managers, help facilitate staff on-boarding and off-boarding, office assignments and set-up, credentialing and key assignments, new staff orientation, and facility/safety walkthroughs.
  • Responsible for leading the administrative functions of the museum. Develop, update, and distribute administrative policies and guidelines, staff directories, and museum-wide email and phone lists; manage requests for VIP parking permits; manage publications inventory, and purchase museum-wide kitchen/office supplies.
  • Plan and schedule calendar(s) without prior consultation, resolve calendaring conflicts, and arrange/process travel in compliance with unit, university, and sponsor policies.
  • In partnership with VPA staff, SUIT, and central university offices, manage the museum's computer inventory including list management, computer replacement, and loaner coordination. Facilitate computer imaging and phone set-up for new and departing staff; manage museum-wide software purchasing, installation, and upgrades; and oversee the museum's Cardinal Print program.
  • When needed, provide operational support and coverage for facilities and security including scheduling; assigning and prioritizing workloads; setting appropriate deadlines; attending meetings; and reviewing work for quality and timeliness.
  • Monitor the department's administrative budget and provide updates as needed; make recommendations for reprogramming and/or cost savings; and approve expenditures. Participate in out-year budget planning.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for the on-site café including contract administration, menu development, and the monthly review and analysis of the P&L statements. Ensure compliance with the University's Edible Food Recovery Program, including quarterly reporting and inspections.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Demonstrated experience of museum operations including facilities management, security and emergency protocols, and administrative standards and systems
  • Demonstrated experience working independently and as part of a team
  • Knowledge of financial transactions/processes and systems.
  • Demonstrated ability to develop, monitor, and revise pre-approved departmental budgets

Core Duties:

  • Act on behalf of the supervisor, department manager, or chair in regards to establishing priorities and identifying and resolving problems that are administrative in nature.
  • Research and/or write background information for meetings. Participate in meetings on supervisor's behalf, inform after the fact.
  • Oversee and/or perform duties associated with scheduling, organizing, and operating complex conferences, seminars, and events, including arranging with vendors for services, overseeing the production and distribution of materials, administering logistics, and managing event within budget.
  • Compose and draft documents and correspondence for presentations, course handouts, grants, conferences, seminars, and reports; perform substantial research editing and fact checking. Create, maintain, modify, and/or ensure accuracy of content in various unit documents, displays, reports, brochures, social media, and/or websites.
  • Plan and schedule calendar(s) without prior consultation, resolve calendaring conflicts, and arrange travel in compliance with unit, university, and sponsor policies.
  • Create complex reports and spreadsheets which may utilize specialized software and systems. Make recommendations based on reports.
  • Oversee and/or process a variety of complex financial transactions; produce, monitor, and reconcile budget statements; research, identify, and resolve discrepancies. May assist with capital or special equipment requests and/or vendor selection.
  • Coordinate complex office moves. Plan and coordinate routine remodeling and renovations.
  • Analyze and review material and extract pertinent information for briefing purposes.

Positions at this level also include one or more of the following duties:

  • In conjunction with financial lead and/or principal investigator, assist with sponsored project research proposal submissions and post award administration.
  • Responsible for leading the administrative functions of a program or unit.
  • Perform human resources transactional support and/or faculty affairs support; coordinate or manage the visa process.
  • Serve as building coordinator.
  • Oversee or supervise day-to-day work of other administrative or support staff, student and/or temporary workers, including scheduling, assigning, and prioritizing workloads, setting appropriate deadlines, reviewing work for quality and timeliness, and providing performance review input.

Minimum Education and Experience

High school diploma and six years of administrative experience, or combination of education and relevant experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

  • Advanced computer skills and demonstrated experience with office software and email applications.
  • Proven success in following through and completing projects.
  • Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to prioritize, multi-task, and assign work to others.
  • Ability to take initiative and ownership of projects.
  • Ability to routinely and independently exercise sound judgment in making decisions.

Job details

Title
Operations Administrative Specialist, Cantor Arts Center
Employer
Stanford University
Location
Stanford, CA, United States
Published
Sep 15, 2026
Closes:
Nov 14, 2026
Job type
Full time, Staff / Administration
Field
Arts and Museum Administration
Salary

Salary: $39 – $49 per hour

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Frequently Asked Questions

📋What does an Operations Administrative Specialist do at the Cantor Arts Center?

The Operations Administrative Specialist provides day-to-day administrative leadership for the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University. Core duties include managing financial transactions, budgeting, procurement and contracting, capital assets, IT coordination, space planning, and café contract administration. The role also supports HR onboarding and offboarding, events, and facility/security coverage. Explore similar roles: higher ed administration jobs and university administration jobs.

🎓What qualifications are required for this Stanford museum operations role?

Minimum qualifications include a high school diploma and six years of administrative experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Preferred candidates have museum operations experience, including facilities management, security and emergency protocols, and administrative standards and systems. Strong financial transaction skills, advanced computer skills, and experience with pre-approved departmental budgets are also valued. Learn more about administrative assistant jobs in higher ed or browse administration job listings.

📍Is the Operations Administrative Specialist position hybrid or on-site?

This is a hybrid Stanford staff role based at the Stanford campus with a minimum of 4 days per week on campus. The role may require extended or non-standard hours, weekends, and holidays depending on museum business needs. This arrangement is common for campus operations roles supporting a historic building, exhibitions, and public programs. View more campus administrative roles.

💰What is the salary range for the Operations Administrative Specialist at Stanford?

The budgeted salary is $38.64 to $48.50 per hour. Stanford University provides a competitive staff compensation structure, and this range is specific to the Operations Administrative Specialist position at the Cantor Arts Center. For broader context, see university salaries or administration job listings.

📅How do I apply and when is the deadline?

Applications are due by November 14, 2026. Submit your application through the Stanford University careers portal or the AcademicJobs.com listing. Tailor your materials to highlight administrative experience, financial transactions, museum operations, and budget monitoring. For relevant guidance, explore types of administration jobs in higher education and staff/admin roles.

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Stanford University Jobs

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AcademicJobs.com is the premier platform to discover Stanford jobs, connecting talented professionals with exceptional career opportunities at one of the world’s most prestigious and innovative universities. Stanford University, located in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley, is globally renowned for its groundbreaking research and academic excellence, making Stanford Uni jobs highly sought after by academics and professionals worldwide. Stanford University careers offer a dynamic and collaborative environment for individuals to excel. Stanford University university careers span a diverse range of disciplines, reflecting the university’s key areas of academic specialization, including computer science, engineering, medicine, humanities, and business. Employment Stanford University includes roles such as professors, research fellows, lecturers, and professional staff positions, catering to various expertise levels. For those pursuing Stanford jobs California, the university’s iconic campus provides a vibrant workplace in a hub of innovation and technology. Stanford Uni vacancies and job postings are showcased on AcademicJobs.com, where candidates can explore opportunities in teaching, cutting-edge research, and administrative roles. Jobs at Stanford University cover fields like artificial intelligence, biomedical research, and sustainable energy, aligning with the university’s mission to address global challenges and drive societal impact. Each Stanford University vacancy is an opportunity to contribute to transformative initiatives within a world-class academic community. Stanford University Employment Opportunities are extensive, with Stanford University job Opportunities ranging from academic faculty to technical and operational roles. A Stanford University Career offers the chance to join an institution that values interdisciplinary collaboration, innovation, and global leadership. Stanford Uni openings are regularly updated on AcademicJobs.com, ensuring access to the latest Stanford University vacancies. Jobs at Stanford Uni are ideal for those passionate about advancing knowledge and shaping the future. Stanford University job postings include positions in law, environmental science, and professional services such as IT and research administration. Stanford University Employment through AcademicJobs.com connects talented individuals with Stanford Uni vacancies, providing a seamless pathway to join a leading institution driving global progress and innovation.

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