Director, Training, Development & Outreach

The Director of Training, Development & Outreach is a strategic leader within the Stanford School of Medicine’s Research Management Group (RMG), the central office supporting the school’s diverse and complex research enterprise. Reporting to the Assistant Dean for Research Operations, this role plays a critical part in building a unified, skilled, and future-ready research administration workforce spanning grants administration, clinical research, and clinical trials.

The ideal candidate brings a proven track record in research administration with direct experience in grants management, clinical research operations, or related regulatory environments, and a demonstrated ability to translate that expertise into effective training and workforce development strategies.

The Director designs and leads enterprise-wide training, professional development, and outreach programs that elevate compliance, strengthen service quality, and enhance career mobility. With oversight of onboarding, continuing education, and certification-readiness initiatives, the Director ensures consistent, high-quality learning experiences that drive operational excellence and institutional readiness across all research administration functions.

Duties include*:

• Manage, recruit, and develop staff; oversee team performance, professional growth, and departmental budgets.
• Lead a comprehensive learning and professional development strategy for research administration across grants, clinical research, and clinical studies.
• Design and implement enterprise-wide training programs that encompass onboarding, role-based development, certification preparation, and leadership training.
• Partner with subject matter experts and institutional stakeholders to develop and maintain high-impact learning tools, SOP education, and e-learning platforms that reinforce best practices and regulatory compliance.
• Oversee instructional design projects to ensure programs align with sponsor regulations, institutional policies, and adult learning principles.
• Evaluate and prioritize learning needs across Research Operations; recommend scalable and sustainable training solutions that meet faculty and staff needs.
• Drive community engagement and professional identity through school-wide initiatives, mentoring programs, and internal communications that foster belonging and collaboration across the research administration community.
• Collaborate with leadership to measure training outcomes, track workforce development metrics, and identify further opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Represent RMG and Research Operations in cross-campus partnerships to share best practices and ensure alignment with the School of Medicine’s strategic goals.

* - Other duties may also be assigned.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Organizational Development, Research Administration, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
• Professional certification (CRA, PMP, CPTD, or similar).
• 7+ years of progressive experience in training, learning design, or workforce development in complex organizations.
• Demonstrated experience managing professional development programs for adult learners, preferably in research, healthcare, or higher education settings.
• Knowledge of sponsor regulations (e.g., NIH, NSF) and compliance frameworks affecting research administration.
• Proficiency with modern learning platforms (e.g., LMS, Zoom, Canvas, etc.) and instructional design models.
• Experience with organizational change or transformation initiatives.
• Familiarity with Stanford’s research systems and staff community.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE (REQUIRED):

Bachelor's degree and seven years of relevant experience or combination of education and relevant experience.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (REQUIRED):

• Excellent management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to develop departmental budgets, timelines, goals and schedules.
• Demonstrated ability to present new projects and goals to senior management; defend/advocate those projects as needed.
• Ability to provide thought leadership in learning system design and development, and its relationship to performance improvement.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in consulting with subject matter experts to assess learning needs and recommend high-impact learning solutions and learning curricula.
• Demonstrated proficiency in explain and applying instructional design theory, models, and best practices.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse groups, learning team members, vendor partners, and business partners to create a learning environment that is service orientated, supportive, engaging and effective for adult and nontraditional learners.
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate the effectiveness of learning materials.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS*:

• Constantly stand/walk, sit, use a computer; use a telephone, grasp lightly/fine manipulation.
• Occasionally reach/work/ above shoulders, twist/bend/stoop/squat, grasp forcefully, lift/carry/push/pull objects that weigh up to 10 pounds, write by hand, sort/file paperwork.
• Rarely kneel/crawl, operate foot and/or hand controls.

* - 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.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Travel on campus to schools/units.

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, .

Hybrid:

The expected pay range for this position is $140,559 to $187,016 per annum.

Remote :

This role is open to candidates anywhere in the United States. Stanford University has five Regional Pay Structures . The compensation for this position will be based on the location of the successful candidate.

The expected pay range for this position is $104,953.00 to $164,864.00 covering the spread for all regions excluding Stanford Work Location.

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.

At Stanford University, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive rewards package. The Cardinal at Work website ( ) provides detailed information on Stanford’s extensive range of benefits and rewards offered to employees. Specifics about the rewards package for this position may be discussed during the hiring process.

Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact Stanford University Human Resources by submitting a contact form .

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.

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.