Executive Director for Consulting Career Pathways, Life Design, and Fellowships

Vanderbilt University•Nashville, TN

About The Position

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.

Requirements

Master’s degree is necessary, or an equivalent combination of education, military experience, and relevant professional experience.
Minimum 10–12 years of relevant professional experience is necessary.
Proven experience leading teams and managing complex programs.
Strong strategic leadership, relationship-building, and organizational development skills required.
Must be willing to travel 15% of time.

Nice To Haves

Terminal Degree and/or advanced degree in business, public policy, higher education, or related field preferred.
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.
Familiarity with consulting recruiting timelines and hiring processes strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.