Job Description

The Senior Director, Finance & Investment Banking Pathways is part of the Career Advancement and Engagement (CAE) team at Vanderbilt University and serves as a senior leader responsible for developing and advancing Vanderbilt’s finance career pathway. This role leads strategy, advising, experiential learning, and employer engagement initiatives that prepare students for highly competitive careers in investment banking, asset management, private equity, and related financial sectors. This position oversees the design and delivery of integrated career preparation models aligned with industry recruiting timelines and employer expectations. The Senior Director ensures that advising, experiential learning opportunities, and employer partnerships operate as a cohesive pathway that prepares Vanderbilt students for successful entry into finance careers.

Reporting to the Vice Provost for Career Advancement and Engagement, the Senior Director collaborates closely with employer relations leadership, faculty, alumni, and campus partners to expand student access to experiential learning opportunities, strengthen institutional partnerships with leading finance employers, and enhance Vanderbilt’s reputation as a premier source of talent for finance careers.

Career Advancement & Engagement at Vanderbilt University is building a pathway-based career ecosystem that aligns academic experience, experiential learning, and employer engagement to improve student outcomes at scale. Through advising, internships, industry partnerships, and AI-enabled tools, CAE helps students explore, prepare for, and launch into meaningful careers across a broad range of industries.

This model expands access to opportunities, strengthens employer relationships, and positions Vanderbilt as a leading source of talent in a rapidly evolving workforce.

Duties and Responsibilities

Industry Pathway Leadership and Strategy

• Leads Vanderbilt’s finance and investment banking career pathway strategy, ensuring students are prepared for highly competitive roles across finance sectors.
• Develops and implements milestone-driven preparation models aligned with finance recruiting timelines and employer expectations.
• Identifies priority employer targets and works with employer relations leadership to deepen institutional partnerships with leading finance firms.
• Ensures alignment across advising, experiential learning, and employer engagement activities within the finance pathway.
  

Employer and Alumni Engagement

• Cultivates strong relationships with finance employers and alumni leaders to expand access to internships, industry projects, and full-time opportunities.
• Collaborates with the Employer Relations team to coordinate employer engagement strategies and recruiting activities.
• Partners with alumni networks and student organizations to strengthen Vanderbilt’s finance talent pipeline and enhance employer visibility.
  

Experiential Learning and Program Development

• Oversees the development of experiential learning opportunities aligned with finance career preparation, including treks, industry projects, and employer-connected programs.
• Ensures experiential learning initiatives are aligned with industry expectations and support student readiness for internships and full-time recruiting.
• Collaborates with faculty and academic partners to integrate finance-focused experiential learning opportunities into the broader Vanderbilt educational experience.
  

Student Advising and Career Preparation

• Leads a team responsible for advising students pursuing careers in finance and investment banking.
• Ensures students receive high-quality preparation for competitive recruiting processes, including technical preparation, industry insight, and professional development.
• Supports student access to mentoring, alumni networks, and career exploration opportunities within finance sectors.
  

Cross-Campus Collaboration

• Partners with academic departments, faculty, and student organizations to strengthen the finance career pipeline.
• Collaborates with Development and Alumni Relations to identify alumni and donors interested in supporting experiential learning initiatives.
• Aligns pathway initiatives with Immersion Vanderbilt and other experiential learning priorities.
  

Data, Outcomes, and Continuous Improvement

• Develops metrics to track student engagement, experiential learning participation, and finance placement outcomes.
• Uses labor market data and recruiting trends to inform pathway strategy and program development.
• Continuously evaluates and refines programming to improve student readiness and employer satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree is necessary, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• Advanced degree in business, finance, higher education administration, military experience, or a related field is preferred.

• Minimum 8–10 years of relevant professional experience is necessary.
• Demonstrated experience in finance, investment banking, asset management, consulting, or related industries is strongly preferred.
• Experience developing employer partnerships, alumni networks, or experiential learning initiatives is required.
• Proven leadership experience managing teams or complex programs is preferred.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, and strategic planning skills are required.
• Familiarity with undergraduate recruiting timelines and competitive finance hiring processes is 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.

Vanderbilt University is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.