Executive Director for Consulting Career Pathways, Life Design, and Fellowships (10008190)

Job Description

The Executive Director for Consulting Career Pathways, Life
Design, and Fellowships is a senior leader within Career Advancement and Engagement (CAE) at Vanderbilt University responsible for advancing
the university’s strategy for preparing students for consulting careers while also leading the division’s Life Design advising framework and
fellowship preparation programs. This position holds a dual appointment as Professor of the Practice, reflecting the integration of career
preparation with Vanderbilt’s academic mission. In this capacity, the Executive Director contributes to teaching and curriculum development
focused on consulting practice, professional development, and career design.

The role integrates career advising, milestone-based
student development, experiential learning preparation, and competitive fellowship advising into a cohesive preparation model that supports
students as they move from exploration to highly competitive internships, fellowships, and career opportunities.

The Executive
Director oversees teams responsible for consulting career pathway preparation, Life Design advising initiatives, and fellowship programs,
ensuring students receive coordinated support that combines advising, employer insight, experiential learning opportunities, and
milestone-based career preparation aligned with employer recruiting timelines.

Reporting to the Vice Provost for Career Advancement
and Engagement, the Executive Director collaborates closely with employer relations leadership, faculty, alumni, and campus partners to
strengthen Vanderbilt’s ability to prepare students for consulting careers and expand access to experiential learning and nationally
competitive opportunities.

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

Consulting Career
Pathway Leadership

Leads Vanderbilt’s consulting career pathway strategy, preparing students for careers in management consulting,
strategy consulting, and related advisory fields.
Develops milestone-driven preparation models aligned with consulting recruiting
timelines and employer expectations.
Builds relationships with consulting firms and alumni leaders in collaboration with employer
relations leadership to strengthen Vanderbilt’s consulting talent pipeline.
Oversees programs and advising that prepare students for
competitive consulting recruiting processes, including case interview preparation, industry treks, and employer engagement
opportunities.

Leadership of Life Design Advising Framework

Leads the implementation and continued development of
Vanderbilt’s Life Design advising model, integrating personal exploration, career discovery, and opportunity development.
Oversees
teams responsible for advising students across multiple stages of the undergraduate experience.
Ensures advising models are
scalable, high-impact, and aligned with the university’s experiential learning priorities.
Guides the development of advising
tools, frameworks, and programming that help students translate academic experiences into meaningful career pathways.

Fellowship
and Competitive Opportunity Programs

Oversees fellowship advising and preparation programs supporting students pursuing nationally
competitive fellowships and prestigious post-graduate opportunities.
Works with faculty and campus partners to strengthen
Vanderbilt’s fellowship advising infrastructure and student preparation processes.
Ensures students have access to mentorship,
advising, and preparation resources for competitive fellowship programs.

Teaching and Academic Engagement (Professor of the
Practice)

Teaches courses related to consulting practice, professional problem-solving, and industry preparation.
Contributes
to courses associated with Vanderbilt’s academic internship programs, including seminars focused on Life Design, professional development,
and career exploration.
Collaborates with faculty to integrate experiential learning and career preparation into academic
coursework.
Supports the development of academic programming that bridges classroom learning with industry practice.

Organizational Leadership and Team Development

Leads multiple professional teams supporting consulting pathway preparation,
Life Design advising initiatives, and fellowship programs.
Builds high-performing teams capable of delivering both strategic
leadership and operational execution.
Establishes clear goals, performance expectations, and professional development pathways for
staff.

Cross-Campus Collaboration

Partners with faculty, academic departments, residential colleges, and student
organizations to expand consulting exposure and experiential learning opportunities.
Collaborates with Development and Alumni
Relations to engage alumni mentors and industry leaders supporting consulting career preparation and fellowship advising.
Aligns
pathway initiatives with Immersion Vanderbilt and other experiential learning initiatives.

Data, Outcomes, and Continuous
Improvement

Develops metrics to track student engagement, consulting placement outcomes, and fellowship success.
Uses labor
market data and recruiting trends to inform program strategy and student preparation efforts.
Continuously evaluates advising models
and pathway programming to improve student readiness and career outcomes.

Qualifications

Master’s degree is
necessary, or an equivalent combination of education, military experience, and relevant professional experience.
Terminal Degree
and/or advanced degree in business, public policy, higher education, or related field preferred.

Minimum 10-12 years of
relevant professional experience is necessary.
Demonstrated experience in consulting, strategy, or advisory roles strongly
preferred.
Experience teaching, facilitating, or developing professional education programs strongly preferred.
Experience
leading advising programs, student development initiatives, or career preparation programs preferred.
Experience preparing students
or professionals for highly competitive recruiting or fellowship processes strongly preferred.
Proven experience leading teams and
managing complex programs.
Strong strategic leadership, relationship-building, and organizational development skills
required.
Familiarity with consulting recruiting timelines and hiring processes strongly preferred.
Must be willing to
travel 15% of time.

About Us

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.

Job Info