Associate Director, Public Leadership Pathways & Learning

Vanderbilt; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanderbilt University seeks an Associate Director of Career & Experiential Learning for Public Leadership to design and lead pathway initiatives. You will integrate advising, employer/alumni engagement, and experiential learning to create access to public service careers and policy pathways.

The role emphasizes collaboration with faculty, partners, and students to build internships, events, and meaningful experiences that translate academic work into public-facing career outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's preferred in public policy, public administration, or related field.
• 6+ years in public service, policy, or higher education with partnership experience.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, and program management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and implementation of the Public Leadership pathway and set career readiness benchmarks.
• Provide pathway-specific advising and support for traditional and nontraditional public service paths.
• Develop internships, treks, speaker events, and projects linked to public leadership.
• Build and maintain alumni and employer relationships to expand opportunities.
• Track engagement and outcomes to assess pathway impact and growth.

Skills

Policy understanding

Relationship-building

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Job description

Vanderbilt University seeks an Associate Director of Career & Experiential Learning for Public Leadership to design and lead pathway initiatives. You will integrate advising, employer/alumni engagement, and experiential learning to create access to public service careers and policy pathways.

The role emphasizes collaboration with faculty, partners, and students to build internships, events, and meaningful experiences that translate academic work into public-facing career outcomes.