Job Description

The Senior Director of Growth Initiatives is a strategic leader in Graduate Education, responsible for advancing the academic vision, planning, and institutional coordination required to develop Vanderbilt University's growing network of campuses. The role ensures that decisions about new and expanding locations are grounded first in Vanderbilt's academic mission, distinctive strengths, faculty expertise, student needs, and standards of excellence.

Vanderbilt is entering a period of bold and accelerated growth. The university is extending its presence through strategic investments in New York City, West Palm Beach, San Francisco, and Chattanooga. These initiatives are designed to expand Vanderbilt's academic excellence, research innovation, and community engagement into dynamic markets across the country.

Reporting directly to the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Growth Initiatives and Dean of the Graduate School, the Senior Director serves as a strategic leader for the academic dimension of campus network growth. The role translates institutional and academic priorities into a coherent portfolio strategy for new locations and coordinates the academic decisions, approvals, partnerships, and readiness activities necessary to move initiatives from concept through launch and maturation.

The Senior Director of Growth Initiatives serves as a coordinating leader, operating across Academic Affairs and the university, partnering with Vice Chancellors, deans, faculty leaders, enrollment and student affairs units, the Office of Strategic Initiatives in Faculty Affairs, research leadership, and administrative partners, especially the Office of Campus Networks to align academic priorities with the capabilities required for successful launch and sustainable growth. The Senior Director will establish frameworks for evaluating academic opportunity, developing program portfolios, engaging faculty, supporting academic governance and approvals, and aligning the student and faculty experience across locations while preserving appropriate differentiation by market and academic purpose.

The position is ideal for a higher education strategist who combines deep academic fluency, strong program and portfolio development experience, sophisticated stakeholder leadership, and disciplined execution in complex, matrixed environments.

About the Work Unit:

The Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Growth Initiatives leads a portfolio of academic strategic growth initiatives, serves as Dean of the Graduate School, and oversees the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA). The mission of the Graduate School at Vanderbilt University is to promote excellence in research, scholarship, and creative expression such that graduate students and postdoctoral trainees are optimally prepared for successful careers in academia, industry, and related fields. Together, the Graduate School and OPA recruit the most promising pre- and post-doctoral scholars and create a stimulating environment that fosters intellectual growth and development.

Vanderbilt's campus network is a growing ecosystem of campuses and strategic initiatives designed to extend the university's academic impact beyond Nashville and includes Vanderbilt University - New York City, Vanderbilt University - West Palm Beach, Vanderbilt University - San Francisco, and Vanderbilt University - Quantum Campus. The Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Growth Initiatives plays a leadership role in shaping academic strategy, programming, and opportunities across this expanding ecosystem.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

Academic Campus Network Strategy and Portfolio Design

• Develop and maintain the academic strategy and portfolio framework for Vanderbilt's campus network, aligning institutional priorities, school and college strengths, market opportunities, learner and employer demand, and Vanderbilt's mission and brand.
• Operationalize the academic strategy for each campus by translating priorities related to academic identity, areas of distinction, target learners, and program mix into coordinated implementation plans, timelines, milestones, and deliverables in partnership with faculty and academic leadership.
• Establish decision frameworks and a multi-campus roadmap for evaluating, sequencing, and scaling academic investments based on strategic fit, academic capacity, market opportunity, and enrollment potential.

Academic Program Development, Governance and Quality

• Lead and coordinate the execution of academic initiatives from opportunity assessment and school sponsorship through faculty governance, institutional approval, launch readiness, and ongoing assessment.
• Partner with deans, faculty leaders, and university offices to establish program ownership, faculty participation, curricular and instructional expectations, and requirements for academic quality, accreditation, authorization, and compliance.
• Ensure that academic standards, learning outcomes, faculty support, and accountability are appropriately maintained across locations while enabling programmatic innovation and local differentiation.

Collaboration and Cross-Functional Leadership

• Develop strategies for faculty participation and academic integration across locations, addressing teaching, program leadership, research and interdisciplinary collaboration, faculty capacity, and connections with Vanderbilt's schools, centers, institutes, and Nashville academic community.
• Partner with enrollment, student affairs, undergraduate and graduate education, career services, and academic units to define target student populations, enrollment strategies, admissions pathways, and expectations for student experience and success.
• Establish a decision-making process, supported by academic business cases, portfolio analysis, readiness criteria, and clear recommendations for university leadership.
• Serve as a central connector among the Office of the Provost, schools and colleges, faculty leadership, the Office of Campus Networks, and administrative partners, ensuring that campus implementation reflects academic program, faculty, research, student, and quality requirements.
• Provide strategic counsel and regular updates to the Vice Provost and other senior leaders on portfolio priorities, progress, risks, dependencies, and emerging opportunities.
• Represent Academic Affairs in campus network planning and relevant external partnerships.

Academic Portfolio Assessment and Continuous Improvement

• Use evidence, data analytics, and appropriate AI-enabled tools to support academic planning, decision-making, and continuous improvement.
• Establish measures and conduct periodic reviews of academic initiatives based on program quality, enrollment and student outcomes, faculty engagement, market relevance, and strategic contribution.
• Use evidence to recommend where initiatives should be expanded, refined, integrated, or discontinued and to identify scalable approaches that strengthen academic planning and responsible growth across Vanderbilt's campus network.

Supervisory Relationships:

This position may supervise select Graduate School staff and reports directly to the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Growth Initiatives and Dean of the Graduate School.

Education and Certifications:

• Bachelor's degree in higher education, academic administration, public policy, business administration, or a related field is required; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Advanced degree in higher education, academic administration, public policy, business administration, or related field is preferred.

Experience and Skills:

• At least 8-10 years of prior experience in higher education administration and a demonstrated track record of success is necessary.
• Demonstrated experience in academic strategy, program development, portfolio planning, graduate or professional education, or significant academic growth initiatives is necessary.
• Deep understanding of university academic structures and decision-making is necessary.
• Proven ability to build alignment among faculty, academic leaders, schools, and cross-functional partners is necessary.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills are necessary.
• Experience analyzing data to evaluate programs and produce best practice decisions is necessary.
• Experience working in and driving initiatives in a higher education setting is necessary.
• Ability to perform complex tasks and to prioritize multiple projects is necessary.
• Experience in developing, preparing, distributing, and educating on research reports and proposals is preferred.
• Fluency with artificial intelligence and emerging technologies for research, analysis, planning, project management, communication, and workflow improvement is preferred