Job Description

The Assistant Director of Enterprise Program Delivery supports the execution of complex, high-visibility, and cross-functional initiatives across the Division of Communications and Marketing at Vanderbilt University.

Reporting to the Director of Enterprise Programs, this role serves as a senior execution lead responsible for advancing enterprise initiatives once they have been defined and structured. The Assistant Director translates program plans into coordinated action, ensuring that workstreams progress on schedule, stakeholders remain aligned, and deliverables meet expectations for quality and timeliness.

This role operates within a defined program structure and does not independently set enterprise program strategy or prioritization. Instead, it plays a critical role in driving execution, maintaining momentum, and ensuring operational discipline across initiatives that require coordination across multiple teams, partners, and senior leaders.

The Assistant Director must be highly organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable operating in fast-paced, high-visibility environments that involve confidential information and executive stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

1. ProgramExecutionandWorkstreamLeadership

• Support the delivery of enterprise programs by owning defined workstreams and ensuring consistent forward progress.

• Translate program plans into actionable tasks, timelines, and deliverables

• Manageexecutionofassignedworkstreamsacrossmultipleteamsand partners

• Trackprogress,dependencies,anddeadlinestoensuretimely completion

• Identifyexecutionrisksandescalate appropriately

• Ensuredeliverablesmeetexpectationsbeforeadvancingtoleadership review

2. Stakeholder Coordination and Communication

• Facilitateday-to-daycoordinationacrossinternalteams,externalpartners,andsenior stakeholders.

• Support engagement with senior leaders, handling sensitive or confidential information with discretion

• Prepare briefings, updates, and materials for leadership meetings
• Ensure clarity on roles, responsibilities, and next steps across participants

3. Operational Execution and Program Support

• Maintaintheoperationalinfrastructurerequiredtosupporteffectiveprogram delivery.

• Develop and maintain program documentation, timelines, trackers, and status reports

• Capture key decisions, actions, and outcomes to ensure continuity and accountability

• Monitor execution against established program structures and governance

• Support the Director of Enterprise Programs in maintaining overall program discipline

4. Meeting and Governance Support

• Supporttheexecutionofprogramgovernancethroughstructuredcoordinationand facilitation.
• Planandfacilitateworkingsessionsandcoordination meetings
• Developagendasandensureproductiveuseof time

• Documentoutcomes,decisions,andaction items

• Ensurefollow-throughoncommitmentsacross teams

5. Execution Quality and Process Discipline

• Reinforceconsistencyandqualityacrossprogram execution.

• Identifygaps,inconsistencies,ormisalignmentin workstreams
• Ensureadherencetodefinedprocessesand expectations

• Supportcontinuousimprovementofexecutionworkflowsandcoordination practices

• Contributetoacultureofaccountability,clarity,andfollow- through

Qualifications:

Required Experience

• 5-7yearsofexperienceinprojectmanagement,programexecution,operations,orarelated field
• Demonstratedabilitytomanagecomplex,multi-stakeholder initiatives

• Experienceworkingwithseniorleadersandhandlingsensitiveorconfidential information

• Strongorganizationalandcoordinationskillsacrossmultipleconcurrent workstreams

• Abilitytoexecuteeffectivelywithinstructuredprogramsanddefined direction

Core Competencies

• Strongattentiontodetailandfollow- through

• Abilitytomanagecomplexityandmaintainorganizationunder pressure
• Effectivecommunicationandstakeholdercoordination skills

• Soundjudgmentinhandlingsensitive information

• Abilitytoescalaterisksandissues appropriately

• Comfortoperatinginfast-paced,high-visibility environments

Preferred

• Experience in higher education or similarly complex, matrixed organizations

• Experience supporting enterprise-level or cross-functional initiatives

• Familiarity with work management and collaboration tools (e.g., Wrike)

At Vanderbilt University , our work - regardless of title or role - is in service to an important and noble mission in which every member of our community serves in advancing knowledge and transforming lives on a daily basis. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, on a 330+ acre campus and arboretum dating back to 1873, Vanderbilt is proud to have been named as one of “America’s Best Large Employers” as well as a top employer in Tennessee and the Nashville metropolitan area by Forbes for several years running. We welcome those who are interested in learning and growing professionally with an employer that strives to create, foster and sustain opportunities as an employer of choice.

We understand you have a choice when choosing where to work and pursue a career. We understand you are unique and have a story. We want to hear it. We encourage you to apply today so that you might become a part of our story.