Administrative Assistant - Applied Innovation Department - Onsite, Nashville TN

Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center:  Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health is committed to an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your uniqueness is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt’s mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.

Organization:

Brock Family Center for Applied Innovation

Job Summary:

The Brock Family Center for Applied Innovation seeks an engaged and resourceful Administrative Assistant to support the small, high-performing team. This role is central to keeping our operations organized and efficient, ensuring team members can focus on delivering impactful work. Responsibilities include managing schedules, coordinating meetings, supporting the budgetary processes and controls, and providing general administrative and project support. In addition, the Administrative Assistant will take on a variety of ad hoc tasks, stepping in wherever needed to keep projects and day-to-day operations running smoothly.

This position is well-suited for someone who thrives in a dynamic environment, enjoys wearing multiple hats, and values both precision and flexibility. The role offers opportunities to grow skills and take on responsibilities beyond the traditional scope of the position.

The ideal candidate is a proactive and adaptable professional who thrives in a collaborative, fast-paced environment. They are a team player who takes initiative, recognizes what needs to be done without being asked, and takes pride in delivering high-quality work. They work with efficiency and accuracy, consistently following through on commitments and seeing tasks to completion.

They have a genuine interest in innovation and healthcare, coupled with curiosity and a desire to grow their skills beyond the immediate scope of the role. This individual welcomes learning new responsibilities, embraces evolving priorities, and contributes ideas that improve processes and outcomes.

The Administrative Assistant will work cross-functionally with other Brock Center staff in developing and accomplishing short and long-range program goals and objectives through active management of multiple projects in parallel.

After initial orientation and training, work will be performed under the general supervision of the Brock Center Senior Program Manager. The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and additional duties may be assigned.

Manage calendars for team members, scheduling meetings, calls, and deadlines.

Support organized digital and physical filing systems for documents, contracts, and correspondence.

Track and follow up on project deadlines, deliverables, and milestones.

Assist in preparing budgets, expense reports, and purchase requests.

Assist in researching vendors, suppliers, or resources for team needs and coordinating procurement.

Help onboard new hires or contractors by organizing orientation materials and scheduling introductions.

Maintain contact lists, distribution lists, and communication records.

Create or update templates, standard operating procedures, and knowledge bases.

Pitch in on miscellaneous tasks to ensure smooth day-to-day operations.

Preferred Skills & Experience:
Self-starter with strong problem-solving skills

Detail-oriented and dependable, with a focus on accuracy

Highly efficient in managing time, priorities, and multiple tasks

Proactive communicator who collaborates well across teams

Curious and eager to expand skills and responsibilities

Enthusiastic about contributing to healthcare innovation

Ability to take initiative, prioritize workload and follow-up consistently with limited supervision

Outstanding oral and written communication skills

Outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community of academic and corporate cultures

Ability to work independently as well as in a team environment and to work under pressure with tight deadlines

Exceptional organizational/analytical skills and attention to detail

Maintains a high level of energy and consistent positive attitude

Ability to an