Chief Operating Officer

Vanderbilt University; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanderbilt University’s Institute of National Security seeks a Chief Operating Officer to lead operations across four Pillars and five Centers of Excellence, including emerging AI and national security programs. The COO will align strategy with execution, manage budgets, develop teams, and build external partnerships at scale.

Reporting to the Founding Director and Executive Director, this senior leadership role requires a proven track record in complex, mission-driven organizations and the

Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years of progressively responsible operations leadership experience.
• Proven track record building and leading teams across complex programs.
• Experience securing partnerships and funding from government, academia, or donors.
• Strong budget management and strategic planning capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Synchronize activities across Pillars and Centers to align with strategy and scale impact.
• Lead and develop a growing team of project managers, program leads, and staff.
• Pursue external funding and partnerships to support education and research programs.
• Identify opportunities and risks as the Institute scales and advise leadership.

Skills

Operations leadership

Program management

Partnership development

Budget management

Stakeholder engagement

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree or equivalent

Job description

Position Summary

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) serves as the senior operational leader of the Institute of National Security, reporting to the Founding Director and Executive Director. The COO is responsible for translating the Institute's strategic vision into coordinated execution across its four Pillars — Educate, Innovate, Convene, and Advise — and its five Centers of Excellence: currently the Asness Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats and the Wicked Problems Lab; along with the future AI Gaming Center of Excellence, the National Security Leadership Academy, and the Commodore National Defense Research Center.

The COO synchronizes activity across the Institute's growing portfolio of programs and personnel, supports team members leading Pillar- and Center-level initiatives, builds and sustains the partnerships and resources that fund the Institute's educational and research mission, and positions the Institute to recognize and respond to opportunities and challenges as it scales. This is a senior leadership role requiring a seasoned executive with a demonstrated record of operational leadership, team development, and partnership-building within complex, mission-driven organizations.

About the Work Unit

The Institute of National Security is a rapidly growing Vanderbilt University institute dedicated to advancing national security scholarship, leadership development, and public engagement. Organized around four strategic Pillars and five Centers of Excellence, the Institute convenes students, faculty, military, government, and industry partners to address the nation's most pressing security challenges. As the Institute expands its structure including its staff, programming, and partnerships, the COO plays a central role in ensuring the organization scales both its stature and structure effectively by remaining aligned with its mission.

Key Functions and Expected Performance

1. Synchronize Actions Across the Institute

Team members across the Institute drive impact by contributing to activities aligned with the four Pillars and the Centers of Excellence. The COO synchronizes efforts across all of these activities — through In-Progress Reviews and other mechanisms — to maximize the impact the Institute delivers for Vanderbilt's students and faculty and for the Institute's external partners.

• Lead a recurring In-Progress Review (IPR) process across all Pillars and Centers of Excellence to align activity, identify opportunities and challenges, surface risks, and maintain a unified operating rhythm for the Institute.
• Establish and maintain a master operating calendar and coordination framework that integrates programming, events, and initiatives across the Institute's full portfolio.
• Oversee execution of high-profile, cross-cutting events, prioritizing tasks, delegating responsibility, and ensuring seamless integration across teams, Pillars, and Centers.
• Continuously adapt operating structures and workflows to manage increased programming complexity as the Institute expands in depth and breadth.
• Establish and manage transparent budget plans across the Institute's programs, tracking spending and revenue against strategic priorities.
• Develop and track measurable outcomes for the Institute's projects and programs, ensuring initiatives stay on track and deliver against objectives.

2. Provide Support for Team Members Leading Activities Across Pillars and Centers of Excellence

• The COO provides guidance and feedback to team members who lead activities across the four Pillars and the Centers of Excellence, ensuring alignment with the Institute's mission and appropriate allocation of available resources.
• Supervise and develop a growing team of project managers, program leads, and administrative staff, providing coaching, mentoring, and performance management.
• Create workforce and staffing plans to ensure Pillar and Center leads have the resources needed to execute their programs; recommend hiring, promotion, and reward decisions in accordance with University guidelines.
• Serve as the central point of support for Pillar and Center leads, resolving resource conflicts and providing guidance on operational matters.
• Establish and continuously improve onboarding processes for new team members, visiting scholars, and other personnel joining the Institute.
• Navigate and resolve conflicts across integrated teams, partners, and stakeholders, fostering a culture of trust as the Institute engages a growing and diverse set of collaborators.

3. Build Partnerships and Garner Support for Educational and Research Programs

• To continue driving impact for its stakeholders, the Institute must grow its portfolio of partnerships and raise the financial resources needed to support both educational and research programming. The COO leads efforts to pursue and capture these resources.
• Lead the development of new relationships and the strengthening of existing partnerships with external organizations, including government, military, donor, and academic stakeholders.
• Partner with University leadership, Development and Alumni Relations, and the Executive Director to identify, pursue, and secure funding and in-kind resources supporting the Institute's educational and research programming.
• Pursue external funding and research opportunities that align with the Institute’s mission.
• Negotiate partnership terms and agreements with external organizations on behalf of the Institute, in coordination with University offices as needed.
• Represent the Institute in engagements with students, faculty, leadership, military, government, and national security partners, donors, board members, staff, alumni, and vendors, adapting communication style to the audience.
• Collaborate with other University offices to leverage shared resources and expertise in support of Institute partnerships.

4. Recognize and React to Opportunities and Challenges

• As the Institute continues to expand its offerings in depth and breadth, the COO works closely with team members to address challenges and capitalize on opportunities to deliver on the mission.
• Proactively identify and evaluate emerging opportunities and risks as the Institute scales, recommending course corrections to the Executive Director and Institute leadership.
• Proactively plan and implement security measures for events hosting high-ranking officials, collaborating with law enforcement and anticipating evolving requirements; oversee visit logistics and security arrangements for executive leadership.
• Problem-solve across areas such as marketing, communications, relationship management, training, and operations, applying creativity and pragmatism to resolve issues as they arise.
• Manage multiple complex, results-oriented projects simultaneously, balancing quick-turnaround needs against long-lead-time initiatives.
• Support the Executive Director in developing high-priority, cross-cutting initiatives and special projects, including preparing plans, schedules, and materials for engagements with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ensure the Institute's operational decisions and vision remain grounded in the mission, values, goals, and priorities of the Institute and the University, exercising sound judgment, discretion, and the highest ethical standards.

Other Duties

Perform other duties as assigned, demonstrating adaptability in taking on additional responsibilities outside the core role.

Supervisory Relationships

This position reports to the Founding Director and Executive Director of the Institute of National Security. The COO manages a growing team of project managers, program and Center leads, and administrative staff, and holds hiring, termination, promotion, and reward authority within the Institute, in accordance with University guidelines.

Education and Certifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Master's degree or equivalent advanced training (e.g., military service, national security studies, business administration) strongly preferred.

Experience and Skills

• Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in operations leadership, program management, or organ
• Demonstrated experience building and leading teams, including managers or supervisors overseeing distinct functional areas.
• Demonstrated success developing and securing partnerships, funding, and resources from government, philanthropic, or private-sector sources.
• Experience managing budgets and translating strategy into operational execution.
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills across military, government, academic, and donor communities.
• Strong judgment, discretion, and the ability to operate in a fast-paced, high-visibility environment involving sensitive matters.
• Prior military, government, or national security experience strongly preferred.