Senior Director for Healthcare Career Pathways (10008187)

Job Description

The Senior Director for Healthcare Career Pathways is a
senior leader within Career Advancement and Engagement (CAE) at Vanderbilt University responsible for guiding the university’s strategy for
preparing students for careers across the healthcare sector. This role leads advising, experiential learning development, and employer
engagement initiatives that prepare students for careers in healthcare delivery, healthcare administration, public health, biotechnology,
and related fields.

The Senior Director also oversees the Health Professions Advising Office (HPAO), which provides specialized
advising and preparation for students pursuing professional programs in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, physician assistant
programs, and other health professions. This position ensures that healthcare career preparation, health professions advising, experiential
learning opportunities, and employer engagement operate as a coordinated pathway that supports students from early exploration through
successful admission to graduate health programs or entry into healthcare careers.

Reporting to the Vice Provost for Career
Advancement and Engagement, the Senior Director collaborates closely with employer relations leadership, faculty, and campus partners to
expand experiential learning opportunities, strengthen institutional partnerships with healthcare organizations, and improve student
outcomes across healthcare career pathways.

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

Healthcare Career Pathway Strategy

Leads Vanderbilt’s healthcare career pathway strategy, supporting
students pursuing careers across healthcare industries including healthcare systems, public health, life sciences, and health-related policy
fields.
Develops milestone-driven preparation models that help students move from early exploration to internships, experiential
learning opportunities, and professional opportunities within healthcare fields.
Identifies priority healthcare employers and
organizations and collaborates with employer
relations leadership to expand institutional partnerships.

Leadership of the Health
Professions Advising Office

Oversees the Health Professions Advising Office (HPAO) and its advising programs supporting students
pursuing admission to medical school and other health professional programs.
Ensures the delivery of high-quality advising,
preparation resources, and application support for students pursuing careers in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, physician
assistant programs, and related fields.
Guides the development of advising models, programming, and resources that support students
through competitive application processes for health professional schools.
Ensures alignment between HPAO advising, experiential
learning opportunities, and broader healthcare career preparation initiatives.

Experiential Learning and Program
Development

Oversees the development of experiential learning opportunities aligned with healthcare careers, including internships,
clinical exposure opportunities, industry treks, and healthcare-related projects.
Works with healthcare employers, faculty, and
alumni partners to expand experiential opportunities that strengthen student readiness for healthcare careers and graduate
programs.
Ensures experiential learning opportunities align with Immersion Vanderbilt and other institutional experiential learning
priorities.

Student Advising and Career Preparation

Leads teams responsible for advising students pursuing healthcare
careers and professional health programs.
Ensures students receive coordinated support that integrates advising, experiential
learning, and professional preparation.
Supports students in developing competitive academic and experiential profiles for
healthcare careers and graduate health programs.

Cross-Campus Collaboration

Partners with faculty, academic departments, and
campus programs involved in health related
education and research.
Collaborates with Development and Alumni Relations to engage
alumni and healthcare leaders in mentoring, experiential learning opportunities, and career programming.
Works closely with
university partners to strengthen Vanderbilt’s healthcare career pipeline and employer relationships.

Data, Outcomes, and
Continuous Improvement

Develops and monitors metrics related to student engagement, healthcare internships,
and admission outcomes
for health professional programs.
Uses industry trends and student outcome data to inform pathway strategy and
program
development.
Continuously evaluates and refines advising and experiential learning models to improve
student
outcomes.

Qualifications

Master’s degree required, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant
professional experience.
Advanced degree in public health, healthcare administration, higher education administration, or related
field preferred.
Minimum 8-10 years of relevant professional experience required, with 5 or more years experience in non-clinical
healthcare business setting.
Experience in healthcare administration, health professions advising, healthcare policy, or related
fields preferred.
Experience advising students pursuing health professional programs or healthcare careers strongly
preferred.
Demonstrated ability to build partnerships with healthcare organizations, alumni networks, and institutional
stakeholders.
Experience managing teams or complex programs required.
Strong communication, relationship-building, and
strategic planning skills required.
Ability to travel 15% of time.

Required Skills

Career
Planning – VU
Comparative Analysis – VU
Cultural Responsiveness – VU
Event Planning – VU
Interview
Preparation – VU
Job Market Research – VU
Job Posting Systems – VU
Partner Relationship Management – VU

Program Development – VU
Program Management – VU
Service Improvement – VU
Student Development – VU

Student Information Systems – VU

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