Director of Facilities Planning & Design

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This is a Stanford Health Care job.

As the Director, Facilities Planning & Design, you will provide strategic leadership for planning initiatives that shape the future of Stanford Health Care's physical environment. This role leads a team of high performing individuals that manage space and medical planning projects while partnering closely with clinical, operational, and executive leaders to ensure planning decisions support patient care, operational excellence, and organizational growth. The ideal candidate combines expertise in healthcare planning and workplace strategy with the ability to transform complex data into actionable insights and effectively communicate planning recommendations to executive audiences. Success in this role requires strong collaboration across Facilities Services and enterprise stakeholders to create innovative, efficient, and patient-centered environments that advance Stanford Health Care's mission and long-term strategic objectives.

The Facilities Services division enhances health through leadership, collaboration, and innovation. Our team offers essential non-clinical support 24/7, ensuring safe operations and planning for future needs. We represent the intersection of planning, construction, general services, and facilities operations. Learn more about Facilities Services at: Facilities Services | Stanford Health Care  

The Facilities Planning & Design (FPD) business unit leads the planning, design, and improvement of Stanford Health Care’s spaces to advance excellence in care, innovation, and experience. With expertise across Planning, Design, Land Use & Licensing, Art, Wayfinding, Signage, and Facilities Administration, FPD turns vision into reality, creating functional, compliant, and inspiring environments aligned with Stanford Medicine’s mission.

The Planning team within Facilities Planning & Design (FPD) transforms strategic vision into data-driven solutions that optimize clinical and operational space across Stanford Health Care. Through Medical and Space Planning, the team aligns facility needs with clinical priorities, growth objectives, and enterprise standards. By integrating analytics, governance, and strategic insight, Planning enhances patient care, staff experience, and overall efficiency.

A Brief Overview
The Director – Facilities Plan & Design manages a single or multidisciplinary departmental team responsible for delivering programming, planning, and design services from concept through closeout for one or more functional areas. Responsible for day-to-day management of multiple Stanford Health Care (SHC) projects ensuring each project remains on scope, on schedule and within budget. Responsible for the various phases of the project including operational readiness, business continuity and operational planning and activation efforts related to the projects prior to first patient day including the space planning team consisting of licensing, fit-up, workflows, and education and training. Leads Facilities Planning & Design project team members assigned to complex projects and facilities within Stanford Health Care's portfolio. Director provides guidance to the project teams, including the project management and operational teams focused on delivering business continuity, effective communications and operational gains through facilitation, evaluation and decision-making processes across the operational areas, related to detailed design, furniture, fixtures, & equipment (FF&E) validation, and workflow development to be implemented in the new facilities. Represents Space Planning to multidisciplinary teams of physicians, SHC leadership and staff through the discovery, change, and implementation efforts needed to realize the desired level of operational functionality upon opening of the new facilities. Partner with SHC executive leadership, School of Medicine faculty, operational leaders and change managers, design/construction and facilities services management teams to ensure that resources are acquired, leveraged, and managed effectively to meet the goals of the organization. The Director functions as a change agent, facilitator, consultant, coach, and leader to support the department. This position is part of the leadership team within the Business Unit related to operational readiness and reports to the Executive or Senior Director.

Locations
Stanford Health Care

What you will do

• Lead a multidisciplinary team to deliver programming, planning, and design services from feasibility through activation for assigned portfolios.
• Translate business and operational plans into program requirements, test fits, feasibility studies, and master planning concepts; ensure alignment with capital and operational priorities.
• Establish and maintain standards, templates, and guidelines for space, medical planning, interiors, wayfinding/signage, art integration, and documentation quality.
• Ensure compliance with applicable codes and regulations (e.g., HCAI/CBC, FGI, ADA) and with Stanford Health Care policies, safety standards, and planning guidelines.
• Partner with Facilities Construction and other stakeholders to define scope, schedule, and budget; support project governance, risk management, and change control for planning and design decisions.
• Manage team staffing, workload, and performance; recruit, coach, and develop planners, designers and project managers; support succession planning and cross‑functional capability building.
• Oversee vendor and consultant engagements (e.g., architects, planners, interior designers, art and signage consultants), ensuring clear scopes, performance expectations, and auditable documentation.

Education Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required. Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Interior Architecture/Design, Planning, Landscape Architecture, Facilities Planning, Business/Public Administration, or a closely related field from an accredited college or university preferred.
• Master’s degree in Architecture, Planning, Business/Public Administration, or related field preferred.

Experience Qualifications

• Ten (10) years of progressively responsible and directly related work experience in healthcare facilities planning, design, architecture, or a closely related field.
• At least three (3) years of experience managing multidisciplinary teams and portfolios in a healthcare or academic medical center environment.
• California Architect license or NCIDQ certification preferred, LEED AP and/or EDAC/ACHA credentials a plus.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of healthcare development and facility planning strategies, techniques, and methods (e.g., space, medical, interior, architectural planning).
• Working knowledge of HCAI/CBC, FGI, ADA, and related regulatory frameworks; ability to interpret and apply codes and standards to planning and design solutions.
• Ability to develop and manage project and program budgets, make financial projections, and prepare reports and presentations for leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, organize, motivate, mentor, direct, and evaluate the work of others; ability to lead cross‑functional teams in a matrixed environment.
• Strong communication and relationship‑building skills, including the ability to work effectively with clinical, administrative, and physician leaders and external partners.

Licenses and Certifications

• PMP - Project Mgmt Professional preferred .
• Lean Six Sigma Certification preferred .

These principles apply to ALL employees:

SHC Commitment to Providing an Exceptional Patient & Family Experience


Stanford Health Care sets a high standard for delivering value and an exceptional experience for our patients and families. Candidates for employment and existing employees must adopt and execute C-I-CARE standards for all of patients, families and towards each other. C-I-CARE is the foundation of Stanford’s patient-experience and represents a framework for patient-centered interactions. Simply put, we do what it takes to enable and empower patients and families to focus on health, healing and recovery.



You will do this by executing against our three experience pillars, from the patient and family’s perspective:

• Know Me: Anticipate my needs and status to deliver effective care
• Show Me the Way: Guide and prompt my actions to arrive at better outcomes and better health
• Coordinate for Me: Own the complexity of my care through coordination

Equal Opportunity Employer Stanford Health Care (SHC) strongly values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination in all of its policies and practices, including the area of employment. Accordingly, SHC does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity and/or expression, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, or disability, or the perception of any of the above. People of all genders, members of all racial and ethnic groups, people with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Qualified applicants with criminal convictions will be considered after an individualized assessment of the conviction and the job requirements.

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training. This pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage.