Program and Communications Coordinator, Ctr for Human and Planetary Health

Apply now
This position has been deemed critical by the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Dean’s Office and is exempt from the hiring pause.

This position is based on Stanford’s main campus with consideration given to the option for a hybrid work schedule (partially onsite and offsite), subject to operational need. Interested candidates must include a resume and cover letter to be considered for this position.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa.

About Us

The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability strives to create a future when humans and nature thrive in concert and in perpetuity. The school is made up of a three-part structure to drive global impact: Our academic departments and programs educate students and create new knowledge across areas of research that are crucial for advancing the long-term prosperity of the planet and people; Institutes bridge scholarship at Stanford and beyond, bringing multiple viewpoints to bear on urgent challenges; The Sustainability Accelerator drives new policy and technology solutions through a worldwide network of partners who work with our teams to develop solutions at a global scale. The school is dedicated to creating and supporting a community with the richness of experience and background needed to create solutions that benefit all people, particularly those most affected by environmental damage and climate change.

For more information on the school, click here.

The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment works to advance global sustainability through new knowledge and practical, fair solutions to pressing environmental challenges. As part of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, the Woods Institute provides an interdisciplinary research hub for scholars from all seven schools at Stanford. Offering targeted research incentives as well as convening, education, and leadership programs, the Woods Institute supports faculty, researchers, and students as they investigate and advance solutions to critical climate, environment, and sustainability challenges. Working on campus and around the globe, the Woods Institute and its hosted centers and programs combine cutting edge scholarship, diverse partnerships, and deep engagement across sectors and disciplines to advance just, practical solutions for people and the planet.

The Stanford Center for Human and Planetary Health (HPH) is an interdisciplinary Center based at the Woods Institute for the Environment and the Doerr School of Sustainability that brings together researchers, educators, and practitioners to address some of the most pressing challenges facing both human health and the planet. The Center bridges the fields of environmental sustainability and human health to advance solutions to global challenges such as climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss and land-use change, and unsustainable food systems. Through collaborative research, innovative education programs, and partnerships beyond Stanford, HPH works to translate knowledge into solutions and real-world impact. Learn more about HPH here: https://hph.stanford.edu/

The Center is seeking a full-time Program and Communications Coordinator to support a wide range of activities including program coordination, event planning, communications and outreach, research efforts, and administrative duties. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and proactive, with strong communication skills and a demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced academic environment. The successful candidate will enjoy working collaboratively across teams, take initiative to solve problems, have a customer-service orientation, and bring creativity and enthusiasm to supporting the Center’s mission. The Program and Communications Coordinator reports to the Managing Director of the Center for Human and Planetary Health.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing and highly collaborative team working at the forefront of human and planetary health. The Program and Communications Coordinator will play a central role in supporting the Center’s research and student community, convening interdisciplinary conversations, and helping share the impact of HPH’s work with audiences at Stanford and beyond. This position offers the chance to work closely with leaders, researchers, students, and external partners while gaining experience across program management, communications, events, and academic community engagement.

Your Responsibilities Will Include

Program Coordination and Administration

  • Provide coordination and administrative support to HPH leadership for program activities and initiatives, including coordinating committees, grant application and review processes, and engagement of students, faculty, and partners.
  • Support continuous monitoring of HPH success, including tracking key metrics and performance indicators; update and monitor progress towards goals in HPH annual workplan.
  • Lead internal and external HPH updates, including drafting and designing the HPH annual report, drafting periodic updates for SDSS and Woods leadership, and supporting development and fundraising efforts.
  • Provide administrative support for internal HPH meetings, including HPH team meetings and steering committee meetings, as well as supporting HPH working groups; tasks could include scheduling, booking rooms, ordering catering, taking notes, and facilitating hybrid Zoom participation as needed and preparing meeting materials and documenting next steps.


Events

  • Lead programming for HPH’s speaker series and annual convening, including developing speaker pipeline and leading speaker outreach.
  • Lead organization and management of events, including booking venues, ordering catering, managing vendors and Stanford event services, creating RSVP forms, developing run of show documents, and managing speaker prep.
  • Lead event marketing, promotion, and communications activities, including drafting event descriptions, creating and distributing flyers, managing calendar postings, and maximizing cross-campus visibility.
  • Coordinate with the Woods Events and Communications team and other partners if/when co-hosting.
  • Attend all events and coordinate day-of logistics, including room set-up (e.g., AV and catering) and post-event clean-up.
  • Support HPH working groups with logistics, including booking rooms, ordering catering, setting up catering/room, ensuring zoom is working for hybrid monthly meetings.
  • Plan HPH team events, such as holiday parties and team celebrations.


Communications and Outreach

  • Manage the HPH website; oversee the HPH student Communications Assistant in posting news and publications; ensure content remains current.
  • Produce the bi-weekly HPH newsletter (approx. 2000 subscribers), including identifying relevant Stanford publications, media mentions, events, and research and opportunities in human and planetary health. Oversee the HPH student Communications Assistant who also supports task.
  • Grow newsletter subscriptions and digital engagement; manage the HPH mailing list in Mailchimp and prepare Mailchimp announcements.
  • Lead design and production of HPH communications materials, such as flyers and promotional materials for HPH courses and events.
  • Manage the HPH generic email account.
  • Maintain the Luby Lab website, including updating team members, news items, and publications, as well as the Luby Lab listserv.
  • May launch and maintain social media channels.
  • May supervise the HPH student Communications Assistants, including recruitment and onboarding.


Other

  • Back-stop Finance and Operations Coordinator with travel and finances during peak periods and as needed.
  • - 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.


To Be Successful In This Position, You Will Need

  • High school diploma and four years of administrative experience, or a combination of education and relevant experience.
  • Advanced computer skills and demonstrated experience with office software and email applications.
  • Demonstrated success in following through and completing projects.
  • Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills.
  • Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to prioritize, multitask, and assign work to others.
  • Ability to take initiative and ownership of projects.
  • Ability to routinely and independently exercise sound judgment in making decisions.


In Addition, Our Preferred Qualifications Include

  • 3-5 years of post-college work experience in a University or mission-driven organization.
  • Knowledge of Stanford University systems and policies.
  • Experience coordinating events, speaker series, or academic convenings.
  • Experience managing communications channels such as newsletters, websites, and social media.
  • Familiarity with communications tools such as Mailchimp, Canva, or similar platforms.
  • Demonstrated ability to synthesize information and communicate clearly to diverse audiences.
  • Experience supporting interdisciplinary research or academic programs.
  • Strong design sensibility and interest in creating visually engaging communications materials.
  • Experience supervising or coordinating student assistants or interns.
  • Interest in or familiarity with human and planetary health, climate and health, environmental sustainability, or global health topics.
  • - 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.


The expected pay range for this position is $39.20 to $45.56 per hour.

Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of the salary or hourly wage the university reasonably expects to pay for a position upon hire. 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.

At Stanford University, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive rewards package. The Cardinal at Work website (https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/benefits-rewards) 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.

How To Apply

We invite you to apply for this position by clicking on the “Apply for Job” button.

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.

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.