Administrative Operations Coordinator

Position Summary:

The Administrative Operations Coordinator provides essential administrative and operational coordination for the Vanderbilt University Divinity School, with primary responsibility for supporting the Dean’s Office and key School processes and priorities. The position provides administrative support to the Dean and Associate Dean; coordinates the day-to-day administrative operations of the Dean’s Office and shared administrative functions; coordinates faculty actions and related academic personnel processes; supports School procurement activities; and provides coordination and administrative support for projects, initiatives, and emerging priorities.

The Administrative Operations Coordinator serves as an important point of connection among School leadership, faculty, staff, and University partners, helping to ensure that administrative processes, projects, and activities move forward effectively and in accordance with established timelines and University requirements.

This role requires exceptional organization, attention to detail, sound judgment, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment. The successful candidate will be comfortable working with both established processes and emerging needs and will bring structure, follow-through, discretion, and effective communication to a broad range of responsibilities.

About the Work Unit: 

The Divinity School administrators and staff comprise a team committed to excellence in theological education. From different composite areas: admissions, community life, academics, special programming, communications, theological and religious library resources, and development and alumni relations, each person contributes to an innovative and collegial environment. The unit as a whole is committed to the mission of both the University and the Divinity School. We seek to lead the nation in the care, preparation, and professional qualification of our students to the religious and theological professions.

In a global and multi-religious world, the Divinity school seeks to fulfill the following objectives:

• to engage in theological inquiry;
• to help persons prepare for the practice of Christian ministry and public leadership;
• to encourage personal and spiritual formation;
• to prepare agents of social justice; and
• to educate future scholars and teachers, locally and globally.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

Administrative and Operational Support – 40%

• Provides administrative support to the Dean and Associate Dean and coordinates the effective day day-to-day operations of the Dean’s Office, anticipating administrative and operational needs and proactively addressing issues to promote continuity and efficiency.

• Coordinates general office operations to promote a professional, organized, responsive, and efficient administrative environment, including management of shared office resources, supplies, mail and deliveries, equipment, and other routine operational needs.

• Helps maintain the operational readiness of administrative and shared faculty spaces by monitoring office and hospitality supplies, equipment, and service needs and coordinating routine troubleshooting or resolution with appropriate University partners.

• Coordinates calendars, meetings, appointments, and other scheduling needs, including meetings involving faculty, staff, students, University leaders, and external constituents.

• Coordinates meeting and event logistics, including preparing agendas and materials, reserving space, arranging technology or other resources, documenting action items, and supporting appropriate follow-up.

• Drafts, edits, formats, and distributes correspondence, presentations, reports, and other materials.

• Serves as a resource to faculty and staff regarding routine administrative and operational processes, practices, and office procedures, resolving or appropriately escalating questions as needed.

• Coordinates and prioritizes routine administrative and operational activities performed by Dean’s Office student workers, helping ensure appropriate coverage and completion of assigned tasks.

• Completes or coordinates additional administrative and operational projects as needed, including records organization, document preparation and distribution, and other activities that support the effective functioning of the School.

• Manages the flow of information and inquiries to and from the Dean’s Office, appropriately routing requests and facilitating a professional and responsive experience for faculty, staff, students, visitors, and other constituents while exercising judgment regarding priorities and confidentiality.

Faculty Actions and Academic Personnel Coordination – 10%

• Coordinates and tracks faculty actions and related academic personnel processes for the Divinity School, helping to ensure required activities, documentation, reviews, and approvals are completed accurately and within established timelines.

• Maintains calendars, tracking systems, records, correspondence, and supporting documentation for faculty actions and other recurring faculty processes.

• Coordinates the collection, organization, and routing of materials required for faculty actions, working with School leadership, faculty, and appropriate University offices.

• Monitors deadlines and outstanding items, communicates requirements and next steps to appropriate stakeholders, and provide follow-up to facilitate timely completion.

• Prepares, organizes, and maintains correspondence, forms, supporting materials, and records associated with faculty actions.

• Serves as an administrative point of coordination between the Divinity School and relevant University offices regarding faculty processes, policies, procedures, and documentation requirements.

• Maintains appropriate confidentiality and exercises discretion in handling sensitive faculty and personnel information.

• Assists School leadership with reports, status updates, and other information needed to monitor faculty actions and related processes.

Procurement and Financial Administration – 20% 

• Assists with travel arrangements and serves as an expense delegate to the Dean and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and processes travel expenses, in a timely and accurate manner, to ensure prompt reimbursement. 

• Serves as Guest Travel Coordinator for guests of the leadership team and faculty.

• Maintains ownership of Vanderbilt purchasing card (One Card) for business purchases and processing expenses in compliance with the Divinity School and University policies and procedures.

• Serves as Purchase Requestor for general operations of VDS (i.e., office supplies, faculty requests, VDS related invoices, building maintenance, etc.), initiating and processing purchases of goods and services, working with faculty, staff, vendors, and University offices to obtain required information and documentation.

• Tracks purchasing requests and transactions from initiation through completion, following up on outstanding approvals, documentation, orders, invoices, or other items as needed.

• Coordinates with appropriate financial and administrative partners to resolve routine purchasing, payment, supplier, and documentation issues.

• Supports effective stewardship of School resources by promoting timely, accurate, and policy-compliant procurement practices.

Project and Initiative Coordination – 30%

• Provides coordination and administrative support for projects, initiatives, and priorities undertaken by the Divinity School and its leadership.

• Develops and maintains project plans, timelines, task lists, documentation, and other tools to support effective implementation and follow-through.

• Tracks project activities, deadlines, decisions, and deliverables and communicates with responsible parties to help ensure work progresses as planned.

• Gathers, organizes, and synthesizes information from multiple sources to support planning, decision-making, reporting, and implementation.

• Coordinates meetings and communications associated with projects and initiatives, including preparing materials, documenting decisions and next steps, and monitoring follow-up.

• Collaborates with Divinity School faculty and staff and with partners across Vanderbilt to facilitate work that crosses functional or organizational areas.

• Identifies administrative needs, process gaps, and opportunities to improve coordination and recommends practical solutions.

• Supports special projects and emerging priorities as assigned, adapting responsibilities as the needs and priorities of the School evolve.

Supervisory Relationships:

This position provides day-to-day supervision and work direction for Dean’s Office student workers. This position reports administratively and functionally to the Dean of the Vanderbilt Divinity School.

Education and Certifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education is necessary.

Experience and Skills:

• At least 3 years’ directly relatable experience is necessary.
• Relevant experience in administrative operations, program or project coordination, or a related professional setting; experience in higher education or another complex organization is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to organize and coordinate multiple activities, processes, priorities, and deadlines with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail is necessary.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interact professionally and effectively with a wide range of internal and external constituents is necessary.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, discretion, and professionalism when handling sensitive or confidential information is necessary.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, anticipate needs and next steps, and follow assignments and processes through to completion is necessary.
• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, including the ability to develop productive working relationships with faculty, staff, leadership, students, and University partners is necessary.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and emerging needs and bring structure and organization to work that may involve multiple stakeholders or evolving requirements is necessary.
• Experience with or demonstrated ability to learn administrative processes related to areas such as faculty or academic personnel actions, procurement, financial administration, and project coordination is necessary.
• Proficiency with standard office productivity and collaboration tools and the ability to learn and effectively use University administrative, financial, and information systems is necessary.