Assistant Vice Chancellor/Executive Director, San Francisco

Position Overview

The Assistant Vice Chancellor and Executive Director, Vanderbilt University–San Francisco (“Executive Director”) serves as Vanderbilt University’s senior operations and engagement leader for its San Francisco campus, one of the university’s most ambitious strategic growth initiatives and a cornerstone of Vanderbilt’s expanding national campus network.

Located on what is now the California College of the Arts campus, the Vanderbilt University-San Francisco campus will represent a transformative opportunity to establish Vanderbilt’s presence within one of the world’s leading centers for creativity and innovation. Vanderbilt will educate artists, architects and designers to lead nationally and globally through creative expression in the age of technology – the aim is not simply to create another Vanderbilt campus, but to establish a new intellectual environment in which artistic imagination, spatial reasoning, material experimentation, and design practice become central modes of discovery, public engagement, and institutional innovation.

The San Francisco campus is expected to support a dynamic mix of academic programming, experiential learning opportunities, art exhibition, research activity, executive and technology education, industry partnerships, and convenings. The campus will serve as a strategic platform for interdisciplinary collaboration connecting Vanderbilt students, faculty, alumni, and partners with the Bay Area’s globally recognized arts and innovation ecosystem.

The Executive Director role operates at the intersection of strategy, operations, external engagement, academic enablement, and campus leadership. The Executive Director will provide local coordination and leadership for campus activation, operational implementation, partnership development, and long-term campus growth while serving as a primary Vanderbilt University representative throughout the Bay Area.

The Executive Director will supervise a team on campus and will work closely with university leadership, academic partners, civic and arts leaders and practitioners, industry executives, entrepreneurs, philanthropic organizations, and community stakeholders to advance Vanderbilt’s mission and institutional priorities within the region. While core academic functions will be led by the Office of Academic Affairs, this role will provide essential on-the-ground leadership, integration, and operational execution to support a highly visible and rapidly evolving campus environment.

The role reports to the Vice Chancellor for Administration and, as noted, will partner closely with Academic Affairs and other university leaders to ensure successful execution of Vanderbilt’s strategy and long-term priorities.

About the Work Unit

The Division of Administration supports Vanderbilt University’s academic mission by providing essential services that ensure a safe, efficient, and welcoming campus environment. These services span a diverse portfolio of operational, administrative, and student-facing functions that enable the university’s teaching, research, and community engagement activities.

Key Functions and Expected Performance

Strategic Leadership and Campus Development

• Lead the strategic development and long-term evolution of Vanderbilt’s San Francisco campus in alignment with institutional priorities 
• Partner with the academic lead to ensure world class educational offerings, research and creative output, and industry collaborations
• Translate university vision into scalable operational, academic, partnership, and engagement models 
• Identify opportunities to expand Vanderbilt’s impact through arts and design education, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, executive education, and experiential learning initiatives 
• Partner with Real Estate, Facilities, and Development (REFD) and other university leaders to support campus planning, renovation, activation, and long-term infrastructure strategy 
• Help ensure the legacy of the California College of the Arts is recognized and honored, through the California College of the Arts Institute at Vanderbilt University and otherwise 

Institutional Representation and External Engagement

• Serve as a senior representative for Vanderbilt throughout the Bay Area and broader West Coast region