Job Description

The Student Affairs Rapid Response and Community Support Manager is part of the Student Affairs division at Vanderbilt University and is a leader responsible for overseeing coordinated, real-time response to student-related crises, incidents, and high-impact events across the University. This position plays a critical role in ensuring student safety, wellbeing, and continuity of care by leading response efforts, supervising professional staff, and strengthening institutional crisis response systems, and also engages proactively with students to support a relationship-driven model. Reporting directly to the Associate Dean of Students overseeing Response and Community Support, the Manager works closely with Public Safety, Residential Experience, the Student Care Network, and other key stakeholders to ensure effective, consistent, and student-centered responses.

The Manager serves on the Student Affairs Rapid Response and Community Support Team and provides both direct incident response and leadership oversight for complex and sensitive situations. This role includes supervising Response Team Specialists, managing on-call operations, and ensuring staff are trained, supported, and prepared to respond effectively. The Manager contributes to the development of protocols, assessment strategies, and post-incident review processes to continuously
improve response effectiveness and institutional readiness. Through leadership, collaboration, and strategic coordination, this position advances a proactive, responsive, and student-centered approach to crisis and incident management.

This is a Regular, Full-Time, Benefits Eligible, Exempt, onsite role. This position will require evenings and weekends. This position IS NOT eligible for sponsorship.

About the Work Unit:
Student Affairs serves a central role in student learning and development at Vanderbilt, advancing the University’s mission of teaching, research, and service. Student Affairs at Vanderbilt cultivates vibrant, inclusive communities that foster a student’s sense of belonging and wellbeing through collaborative partnerships, transformative learning experiences, and an accessible and holistic network of resources. We value connection, belonging, compassion, development, and innovation. Our staff are committed to continued growth in knowledge, awareness, skills, and experience engaging with these priorities in a higher education environment.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

• Serve on the Student Affairs Rapid Response and Community Support Team, a comprehensive crisis and incident management system that is responsive, flexible, and engaged in the University community, and provide direct, on the ground responses with discretion and effective decision-making.
• Manage staff in Specialist role and assist with position design, hiring, onboarding, training, scheduling, and on-call expectations.
• Assist in planning and participate in a comprehensive training program for response team staff, including crisis response, trauma-informed practices, mediation and conflict resolution, de-escalation techniques, and coordination with campus and community partners.
• Build and sustain relationships proactively with students in residential communities, student organizations, and other spaces through advising, event/program attendance, and support to ensure an understanding of campus culture and dynamics necessary in a relationship-driven model.
• Execute 24/7 incident response involving students, including individual student crises, demonstrations and protests, event-related incidents, and other emergent situations.
• Coordinate institutional responses to individual student crises, including mental health emergencies, safety concerns, behavioral incidents, and other urgent student needs.
• Assist with implementation of protocols and actions in the event of a student death.
• Manage demonstrations, protests, and high-impact student activities and events, ensuring appropriate planning, monitoring, and response in collaboration with students, student organizations, and campus partners.
• Participate in the University Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during large-scale events or emergencies involving students.
• Engage with parents related to emergencies, crises, and/or incidents, as needed.
• Coordinate response and support efforts in residence halls or for student living off campus when students require immediate support or intervention.
• Assist with mediation or conflict resolution for conflicts involving students or student groups.
• Serve in an on-call leadership capacity to support Specialists.
• Elevate issues to the Associate Dean, when needed, and ensure clear and consistent documentation of responses.
• Assist in implementing an assessment and evaluation framework for the Student Affairs Response Team.
• Assist with reporting and post-incident review processes to evaluate response effectiveness, identify trends, and strengthen institutional preparedness and student support systems.
• Collaborate with campus partners including Public Safety, Residential Experience, Student Care Network, Office of the General Counsel, and Communications to ensure coordinated, consistent, and student-centered responses.
• Coordinate transitions of care following crises or incidents by connecting students to appropriate campus and community resources for ongoing support and follow-up.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Institutional, Divisional, and Department Administration:
  • Contribute to the broader mission and objectives of Student Affairs and the University by serving on divisional and institutional committees, task forces, and working groups.
  • Actively participate in key divisional initiatives and events, including Move-In Day and all-division meetings and gatherings.
  • Maintain a working knowledge of relevant university policies, procedures, and systems—such as those related to travel, procurement, expense, and time reporting—to ensure effective, compliant, and responsible operations.
  • Demonstrate a collaborative spirit by supporting divisional colleagues and engaging in efforts that advance shared goals and strategic priorities.

Job responsibilities listed herein are intended to be a thorough representation of the duties, responsibilities, expectations, and qualifications for this specific role at the time of hire but should not be considered all-encompassing as actual responsibilities may evolve to include additional duties as assigned based on organizational and operational needs.

Supervisory Relationships:

This position has supervisory responsibility for Student Affairs Response Team Specialists; this position reports administratively and functionally to the Associate Dean of Students overseeing the Rapid Response and Community Support.

Education and Certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education is necessary
• Master’s degree (Higher Education Administration, Student Personnel Services, or Counseling), Ed.D., J.D., Ph.D., or equivalent from an accredited institution of higher education is preferred
  

Experience and Skills:

• At least 5 years experience in higher education, student affairs, crisis response, emergency management, or a related field is necessary
• Demonstrated experience supervising staff and leading teams in complex, high-pressure environments is required
• Experience with crisis intervention, trauma-informed practices, conflict mediation, and de-escalation techniques is preferred
• Experience developing or implementing assessment, evaluation, or continuous improvement processes is preferred
• Strong leadership, communication, and collaboration skills, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders including students, families, and campus partners, are strongly preferred

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.