"Senior Associate Director for Industry and Technology Transactions"

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Associate Director for Industry and Technology Transactions is a leadership position within Stanford’s Office of Technology Licensing, responsible for driving complex agreements that advance Stanford’s mission of research excellence, innovation, and strategic collaboration. The position leads a team of contracting professionals and serves as the primary point of contact for strategic negotiations with industry leaders, strategic partners, and non-profit organizations.

This role oversees the full lifecycle of complex transactions - from drafting through negotiation and execution - to ensure alignment with Stanford’s policies, compliance requirements, and strategic objectives. The portfolio includes technology licensing agreements, research collaborations, strategic industry alliances, and mission-aligned transactions with non-profit organizations. The Senior Associate Director establishes clear risk frameworks and deal strategies that protect the University’s interests while enabling sustainable, mutually beneficial partnerships.

A key expectation is the ability to act as a strategic advisor who can translate complex legal concepts into practical, actionable business recommendations. The role partners closely with faculty, researchers, and internal contracting and licensing staff, as well as other Stanford offices to structure agreements that foster innovation, safeguard intellectual property and academic values, and support successful long-term relationships with external partners.

This position requires excellent judgment, strategic thinking, and the ability to balance risk with opportunity. The ideal candidate will be a collaborative problem-solver who combines strong legal acumen with business insight to drive agreements that create value for Stanford and its partners. A JD or equivalent advanced degree is preferred, with 9+ years of experience in technology transfer, licensing, or complex commercial transactions and a track record of leading high-value negotiations in domains such as biotech, engineering, or software.

CORE DUTIES

• Direct staff and provide leadership to Industrial Contracts officers. Promote the goals and vision of ICO. Responsible for hiring, training and retaining staff, career coaching, professional development and accountable for the performance of direct reports.
• Develop strategic plans for ICO. Identify and resolve strategic issues of substantial significance that affect the overall functioning beyond ICO, consult and advise senior University leadership. Advise senior management on programmatic and policy development.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of ICO’s organizational structure and programs to promote success, development of employees and appropriate use of staff resource s.
• Negotiate, sign and administer major research agreements with companies, such as master sponsored research agreements, unfunded collaboration agreements, material transfer agreements, equipment loan agreements, and other related agreements. Supervise ICO staff on other agreements.
• Provide guidance to faculty, senior management, research staff, and other Stanford offices on Stanford policies on intellectual property, contracts, and other related issues. Oversee the resolution of issues related to intellectual property, contracts, research administration, and other related issues.
• Coordinate the development and maintenance of internal group documents, databases and procedures to ensure work product and workflow are efficient and up-to-date.
• Develop and deliver training on intellectual property, contracts, and other issues to co-workers, faculty, staff, and other Stanford offices.
• Network with colleagues at other institutions, at companies, and licensing associations to develop relationships and gain a broader understanding of industry-academic relationships outside of Stanford. Make presentations at industry and academic research and licensing conferences.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree and nine years of relevant experience or a combination of education and relevant experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated leadership, supervisory, planning and change management skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills to collaborate effectively with a wide range of faculty and staff and to work with industry legal and business personnel. Ability to influence people, solve problems, trouble shoot, think creatively and resolve conflicts.
• Advanced analytical and problem solving skills. Strong knowledge of industry practices and regulatory requirements.
• Expertise in intellectual property, licensing, contract and regulatory issues pertaining to research agreements with industry.
• Ability to work efficiently within a complex university administration, often under pressure and short deadlines. Understanding of the structure, purpose, functions and objectives of research at Stanford.
• Exceptional analytical and organizational skills and attention to detail required.
• Excellent judgment and common sense required.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Frequently perform desk based computer tasks, seated work and use light/ fine grasping.
• Occasionally stand, walk, use a telephone, lift, carry, push, and pull objects that weigh up to 10 pounds.
• Rarely writes by hand.

* - 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 the job.

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.

For On-site or Hybrid positions:

The expected pay range for this position is $213,783-$264,938 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.