Senior Administrative Associate

Employer: Stanford University

Location: Stanford, CA, United States

Category: Administration

Job function: Administrative Associate

Workplace type: Hybrid

Contract type: Regular

Grade: F

Posted: 2026-10-14

The Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology (MCP) in the School of Medicine is seeking an experienced, enthusiastic, and motivated candidate for our Senior Administrative Associate opening. This position will provide administrative and operational support to faculty members in the department. This position also supports department communication efforts by managing content and for website and monthly newsletter communication. This position is part of a collaborative team of nine administrative staff who support our 13 faculty in MCP along with their labs, research staff, postdocs and graduate students.

You will work in a fast-paced academic research environment, support a diverse group of people, and perform a broad range of duties with frequently shifting priorities. You will also share in our commitment to maintaining a positive, productive, and inclusive work culture. Planning, communication, independent problem-solving and strong time-management skills are essential. Administrative professionalism, creativity, clear communication and interpersonal skills are highly valued.

Daily activities include managing lab orders, working with vendors, processing reimbursements, scheduling, travel management, onboarding new lab members, and helping with lab communication. Other key tasks include assisting faculty members with grant-related documents, teaching support, and organizing office space and assigned labs. Postdoctoral administrative duties include updating postdoc appointment tracking information, coordinating appointment renewals, and entering financial support information into Stanford systems with input from MCP finance staff. The Senior Administrative Associate will also have a lead role in supporting department events, most notably the annual fall scientific retreat.

Duties include:

• 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.
• 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 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) with limited 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.
• 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 and monitor routine maintenance services completion. Plan and coordinate office moves and/or minor renovation projects.
• May lead staff or supervise day-to-day work of 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.

* - Other duties may also be assigned

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.

The budgeted pay range for this position is $40.09 to $47.04 per hour.

Stanford University provides pay ranges that reflect a good-faith estimate of what it expects to pay for a role. Actual pay depends on factors such as the candidate's experience, education, and skills.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• BA or BS
• Desire to work in an academic environment
• Experience with all aspects of the purchasing process in a complex organization
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Experience with calendaring, scheduling and event planning
• The ability to work both independently and in a team environment wearing many different hats

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.
• 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 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) with limited 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.
• 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 and monitor routine maintenance services completion. Plan and coordinate office moves and/or minor renovation projects.
• May lead staff or supervise day-to-day work of 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 four 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.
• Demonstrated success in following through and completing projects.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent Strong 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.