Senior Executive Assistant

Vanderbilt University is seeking a highly experienced Senior Executive Coordinator to manage the daily execution behind the Chancellor Daniel Diermeier’s complex and highly visible schedule. This is a high-trust executive-support role requiring exceptional judgment, discretion, precision, and follow-through. You will manage the Chancellor’s calendar, travel, correspondence, meeting logistics, administrative priorities, and daily flow while coordinating closely with the Executive Director within the Chancellor’s Office, Chief of Staff, briefing and research team, and senior colleagues across the university. The Executive Director will establish the broader strategy and decision framework governing the Chancellor’s time. The Senior Executive Coordinator will translate that direction into accurate, responsive, and well-organized execution. Within guidelines, this person must be able to resolve routine conflicts, communicate changes, identify missing information, and elevate matters requiring senior judgment. His schedule includes everyone from university leadership to national media. 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. Success in this role requires the ability to understand context, anticipate downstream needs, maintain confidentiality, and support a principal whose work spans university leadership, trustees, donors, government officials, corporate leaders, peer institutions, media, and other external stakeholders. ABOUT VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY 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. WHAT YOU’LL DO CALENDAR & PRIORITY MANAGEMENT Manage the Chancellor’s complex, high-volume, and frequently changing calendar. Coordinate meetings with university leaders, trustees, faculty, donors, government officials, corporate executives, media organizations, peer institutions, and other stakeholders. Apply established calendar priorities and decision guidelines when evaluating requests, resolving conflicts, and protecting the Chancellor’s time. Identify when a request lacks sufficient purpose, context, participants, preparation, or timing before it is scheduled. Maintain a forward-looking view of commitments across multiple weeks, locations, stakeholders, and institutional priorities. Communicate schedule changes promptly and professionally to affected parties. DAILY EXECUTION & ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT Maintain awareness of the Chancellor’s schedule, location, timing, and immediate priorities throughout the day. Ensure the Chancellor has the correct materials, links, contact information, security, addresses, transportation details, and logistical support for each engagement. Track administrative priorities, requests, commitments, and follow-up items and route them to the appropriate owner. Escalate matters requiring broader judgment while independently resolving routine issues within established parameters. Provide confidential administrative support with the highest degree of discretion. TRAVEL & LOGISTICS (DUTIES SHARED WITH ANOTHER SENIOR EXECUTIVE COORDINATOR) Coordinate complex domestic and international travel, including transportation, lodging, itineraries, meeting locations, reservations, and contingency planning. Prepare clear, accurate, and accessible travel itineraries. Coordinate with the Executive Director, briefing team, university partners, and external hosts so travel, meetings, preparation, and logistics remain aligned. Monitor travel changes and resolve disruptions quickly and professionally. MEETING PREPARATION & INFORMATION COORDINATION Coordinate the collection, organization, and timely distribution of meeting materials. Work closely with the Assistant Director of Briefings and Research to ensure briefing documents correspond with the correct meetings, participants, and schedule. Confirm agendas, attendees, locations, technology, access details, and other logistical requirements. Maintain organized electronic records and filing systems so materials can be accessed quickly. CORRESPONDENCE & STAKEHOLDER SUPPORT Support the review, prioritization, and routing of the Chancellor’s correspondence and requests. Identify matters requiring the Chancellor’s attention, and direct other items to the appropriate office or individual. Draft correspondence as requested, using clear, polished, and appropriately formal language. Maintain contact lists, stakeholder records, distribution lists, and related administrative information. Communicate professionally with internal and external constituents while protecting the Chancellor’s commitments and the university’s relationships. TEAM COORDINATION & SYSTEMS Work in close partnership with the Executive Director, Chief of Staff, Assistant Director of Briefings and Research, and other members of the Chancellor’s Office. Share relevant information promptly and support consistent coordination across the team. Use Microsoft Office, Outlook, Salesforce, Box, approved AI tools, and other university platforms to improve accuracy and efficiency. Adapt quickly as systems, technology, and office processes evolve. WHO WILL SUCCEED IN THIS ROLE An experienced executive-support professional who understands that calendar management requires judgment, context, and prioritization. Exceptionally organized and attentive to detail, with a strong record of accuracy across schedules, travel, correspondence, contacts, and meeting logistics. Calm and composed when priorities shift, schedules change, or urgent requests arise. Able to handle complex logistics and a high volume of requests. Confident communicating with senior university leaders, trustees, donors, government offices, business executives, media representatives, and other high-level stakeholders. Diplomatic and appropriately assertive when gathering information, protecting time, redirecting requests, or resolving conflicts. Able to see around corners, resolve issues, and keep the Chancellor and the team appropriately informed without creating more noise. Able to work independently within established decision rights while recognizing when an issue requires escalation. Highly discreet and trusted with confidential institutional, executive, personnel, donor, government, and stakeholder information. Technologically capable and willing to adopt tools that improve coordination, accuracy, and efficiency. Innovative, competent, intellectual, data-oriented, and with a high level of discernment. Comfortable working within Vanderbilt’s commitment to institutional neutrality, open inquiry, civil discourse, and professional discretion. COMPENSATION, REQUIREMENTS & LOGISTICS Full-time, benefits-eligible position based on Vanderbilt University’s campus in Nashville, Tennessee. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution is required. 10+ years of experience providing executive-level support, particularly in a complex, high-profile, or highly visible environment. Experience in higher education is a bonus. Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Outlook, is required. Experience with Salesforce, Box, approved AI tools, digital filing systems, and evolving technology platforms is strongly preferred. Occasional availability outside standard business hours and limited travel may be required based on the Chancellor’s schedule and university commitments. Competitive compensation commensurate with the scope and seniority of the role. Comprehensive benefits, including medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage beginning on the hire date; a 403(b)-retirement plan with university matching contributions; paid time off; life and disability insurance; tuition assistance for self and up to three (3) dependents; and employee wellness and professional development resources. This is an opportunity for an accomplished executive-support professional to manage the daily execution behind one of Vanderbilt’s most consequential and visible offices. Candidates should apply only if their experience reflects the judgment, discretion, precision, and executive-level support required for the role. #J-18808-Ljbffr