Executive Director

Vanderbilt University is seeking an exceptionally capable, politically astute, and operationally sophisticated leader to serve as Executive Director in the Office of the Chancellor in Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.

This is a high-trust position at the center of one of the nation’s preeminent private research universities during a period of significant momentum, investment, and growth. The Executive Director will serve as a senior operational leader for the Chancellor’s Office—connecting information, people, priorities, and commitments across the institution so the Chancellor can operate at the highest possible level.

The person in this role will maintain a broad view of the Chancellor’s time, interactions, travel, preparation, and institutional responsibilities. You will work closely with the Chancellor, Chief of Staff, Vice Chancellors, senior university leaders, and a wide range of external stakeholders. You will identify what is missing, surface competing priorities, make informed judgment calls, and ensure the Chancellor’s intent is translated into coordinated action.

This role reports to the Chief of Staff and oversees two Senior Executive Coordinators and the Assistant Director of Briefings and Research. You will travel with the Chancellor as needed, particularly during high-stakes engagements and while learning the full rhythm, scope, and complexity of the role.

The Executive Director will exercise authority with discretion, make sound decisions, and operate effectively in an environment where pace, visibility, and expectations are high. The right person will reduce noise, improve coordination, protect the Chancellor’s time, and bring order to a demanding operation with many moving parts.

Vanderbilt University is in Nashville, Tennessee, with more than 13,000 students and more than 7,000 faculty and staff. Vanderbilt University offers undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences, engineering, music, education, and human development, as well as a full range of graduate and professional degrees in its 11 colleges and schools. Vanderbilt University spurs cross-disciplinary research to foster discoveries that impact society for the better.

“Radical Collaboration,” in a culture where Vanderbilt community members can simultaneously challenge and support one another, is one of Vanderbilt’s most closely held values.

Vanderbilt is proud of what has been achieved in its first 153 years and is continuing to drive forward into bold new areas of growth. Vanderbilt is expanding its business and education programs to West Palm Beach, Florida; is establishing a full-time academic campus in San Francisco focused on innovative education and interdisciplinary collaboration that integrates technology, design, and the arts in a global center for innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity;

and has established a campus in New York City that serves as a hub for immersive learning, academic programming, and engagement with alumni and industry partners.

The Chancellor’s Office works across this entire enterprise. It coordinates closely with senior university leadership and the Board of Trust while supporting the Chancellor’s institutional, philanthropic, civic, political, academic, and public-facing responsibilities. He is a combination of a Chancellor, a CEO and a public figure, and his increasing visibility has created demands that require a more sophisticated executive-office structure.

Read more about Vanderbilt University HERE.

Read more about Chancellor Daniel Diermeier HERE.

• Lead the day-to-day administrative work for the Chancellor.
• Directly oversee the Senior Executive Coordinator, Assistant Director of Briefings and Research, and other administrative support staff as assigned, ensuring the team functions as a collaborative, high-performing team that communicates openly, and shares context.
• Establish clear roles, decision rights, escalation points, and communication protocols across the office.
• Create the structure, rhythm, and accountability required to prevent missed information, duplicated work, dropped commitments,…