Associate Director of Finance

Associate Director of Finance at Stanford University summary:

The Associate Director of Finance at Stanford University's Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery leads a finance team managing complex financial operations, budgeting, and compliance. This role involves financial reporting, process improvements, mentoring staff, and collaborating with faculty and administration to support the department's mission. The position requires strong leadership, advanced financial knowledge, and experience in sponsored research administration within an academic healthcare environment.

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The Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine takes pride in the rich tradition of excellence and pioneering firsts that have made it one of the top cardiac and thoracic programs in the nation. Our department is comprised of three divisions:
Adult Cardiac Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, and Pediatric Cardiac Surgery. Together, the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery continues to improve patient health through continual scientific innovation, revolutionary operative care, and exemplary surgical education.

Our department is seeking an Associate Director of Finance (ADF), responsible for complex finance and control functions and overall finance operations. The ADF will have a key leadership role within the department, leading a finance team and working closely with the Director of Finance and Administration (DFA) and the Chair. This is a great opportunity for a mission-driven finance person passionate about supporting a world-class organization.

The successful candidate will be able to influence and lead process improvements in the tracking and reporting of finance portfolios and will be responsible for the continued financial success of the department and individual faculty. The Associate Director of Finance will foresee challenges and provide alternatives to ensure compliance with all regulations, internal and external to Stanford. In leading the finance team, the successful candidate will be responsible for coaching, development, feedback, and mentoring the finance team members to ensure their optimal performance and career development.

The ADF is expected to be an excellent communicator with both faculty and staff and highly trustworthy and reliable in managing the complex financial portfolio of the Department.

This position is based on the Stanford University campus, and the candidate will have the option of working under a hybrid work arrangement, subject to operational needs.

Duties include:

• Manage the work of the finance team, make hiring decisions, provide coaching, training and mentoring, manage performance, determine staffing needs, develop and ensure succession planning within area of responsibility.
• Establish operational objectives and assignments, plan, direct and monitor all budgets for areas of responsibility, manage business operation and administration of several functional areas, may manage a team in providing post award sponsored research administration and services.
• Identify and resolve unique problems of substantial significance that affect the overall functional area, beyond the immediate unit.
• Manage organization's financial activities and structure; develop system and procedure requirements to support the financial reporting for the organization.
• Contribute to designing, developing and delivering complex policies and procedures with both short and long term impact.
• Collaborate with other colleagues on school/ unit projects; design and execute an effective system of internal controls for areas of responsibility; establish operational objectives to support the university's stewardship of resources.
• Engage in continuous critical analysis of existing systems and processes; identify need for new systems, and develop and present proposals.
• Lead complex, high-visibility process redesign and innovation projects; develop, implement, and participate in major initiatives.
• Represent the units/school within the functional units or school and to external constituencies.

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job…