Associate Dean and Director, Native American Cultural Center

Work Location: Historic Stanford Campus; Old Union

Schedule: Hybrid 

Budgeted Salary Range: The expected range for this position is $150,000 - $165,000 per annum.

The Associate Dean and Director of the Native American Cultural Center (NACC) serves as the center’s chief administrator and a primary liaison among university offices and departments, with particular attention to advocating for the Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Indigenous Pacific Islander community, including undergraduate and graduate students. The Associate Dean and Director identify student body needs, implements strategy, and provides direction for the center while serving as a partner across campus departments. The purpose of this role includes identifying and advocating for the needs of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander undergraduate and graduate students while simultaneously invigorating them with opportunities for intellectual and cultural growth. In this role, one will champion Indigenous excellence by providing mentorship and advising to individuals at different stages in their academic and professional careers across various fields of knowledge. 

Reporting to the Senior Associate Vice Provost for Inclusion, Community, and Integrative Learning (ICIL), the Associate Dean and Director of the NACC manage the direction of internal administrative policy while ensuring compliance with university procedures. Overall, this position provides strategic and administrative leadership for the NACC while advocating for the needs and success of Indigenous students. The role combines student advising, cultural programming, institutional collaboration, and policy oversight to foster an inclusive and supportive campus community.

Stanford’s Centers for Equity, Community, and Leadership bring together people whose experience spans student support, education, community organizations, program leadership, and other fields. Associate Deans and Directors draw on these different areas of work to build relationships, guide teams, and create spaces where students feel a sense of belonging. We encourage you to consider the full range of your experience as you review this position. If your path has prepared you for this work and you meet the minimum qualifications, we welcome your application.

Examples of Core Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Foster and sustain a vibrant Indigenous community at Stanford, by developing opportunities for intellectual growth, cultural engagement, and relationship building.
• Develop and lead initiatives that deepen students’ engagement with Indigenous knowledge systems and strengthen connections across tribal communities. 
• Provide culturally responsive mentorship and connect students with faculty, alumni, professionals, and Native community networks to expand opportunities for guidance, belonging, leadership development, and professional growth. 
• Provide strategic leadership for the NACC, including managing budgets, allocating resources, supervising staff, and ensuring the effective delivery of programs and large-scale student events.
• Manage the work of the NACC’s career staff team, and student employees, processes, and projects, to implement the strategic goals of the unit, department, or school, including hiring/termination decisions, coaching and mentoring, training, goal setting, managing performance, compensation planning, and staffing levels. 
• Represent the NACC and student interests by serving on University committees, working groups, and task forces, while building cross-campus partnerships.
• Manage the direction of internal administrative policy development for programs and operations. May serve as an advisor to the senior leadership on programmatic and policy development.
• Oversee University policies and procedures, ensuring compliance requirements and recommending improvements for internal processes.
• Build and sustain donor relationships and strategic partnerships to secure funding for NACC programs and priorities, coordinating with university development partners and negotiating support aligned with the center’s goals.
• Identify, manage relationships, and negotiate with external and internal partners.
  • Collaborate with other offices to impact the quality of undergraduate and graduate student life, including CAPS, Graduate Life Office, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Vice Provost for Graduate Education, Diversity & First Generation, Admissions, Stanford Alumni Association, schools and academic departments.
  • Represent the NACC and its programs at senior-level meetings, conferences, and/or events with campus and external partners.
  • Participate in Vice Provost for Student Affairs divisional meetings and development activities and complete special projects as assigned. 
• Cultivate relationships with tribal nations, leaders, and communities, facilitating communication and connections with university partners to support university–tribal nation relationships.
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In addition to the minimum requirements, the following is preferred:

• Advanced degree 

• Experience in student affairs, education, social work, community organizing, Indigenous community or tribal programs, race and ethnic studies, counseling, or related fields, gained through professional, academic, or community-based work focused on access and belonging.

• Experience within tribal relations or higher education settings strongly preferred.

• Knowledge, understanding, and experience with Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Indigenous Pacific Islander, and Central and South American Indigenous students and communities and an ability to conceptualize, create, and implement relevant programming and advice in this area

Core Duties:

• Manage the work of managers and other employees, processes, and projects, to implement the strategic goals of the unit, department, or school. Make hiring decisions, provide coaching and mentoring, and manage performance and staffing levels.

• Identify, clarify, and resolve complex issues with university-wide scope and impact and substantial significance which may span multiple areas, using advanced technical and professional knowledge requiring broad discretion and judgment. 

• Provide strategic direction for and manage a major area, school, or cluster of student services programs, including forecasting, planning, and managing program budgets.

• Develop, analyze, measure effectiveness and oversee programs and tools for delivery of student services or programs. 

• Review exceptions to university, program or unit policies and procedures, settle grievances. Make recommendations that may impact the unit’s academic capabilities. 

• May manage the direction of internal academic and administrative policy development for programs and operations. May serve as senior advisor to dean on programmatic and policy development.

• Interpret, implement and ensure compliance with university, academic and administrative policies within an organization or program. Recommend new internal policies, guidelines and procedures. Direct process improvement for organization or program. 

• Lead university- or school-wide initiatives and campaigns; develop long-range planning and policy development for a school or program.

• Represent school/department programs and initiatives at senior level meetings, conferences, and to both internal and external constituents.

• Evaluate and recommend the technological needs and effectiveness for delivery of student programs and services.

• Identify, manage relationships, and negotiate with external and internal partners.

Minimum Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree and eight years of relevant experience, or combination of education and relevant experience.  Experience in higher education setting preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• User knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.

• Advanced communication skills to clearly and effectively communicate information to internal and external audiences, client groups, and all levels of management.

• Strong analytical skills to review and analyze complex financial information.

• Strong leadership and strategic management skills.

• Demonstrated experience managing people.

• Understanding of underlying technological needs and requirements.

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively.