Operations Coordinator

About the role

The Operations Coordinator provides operational, financial, and programmatic support to the Immersion Vanderbilt staff office, with primary responsibility for overseeing and executing customer service, administrative, and project management workflows. This role manages critical processes that sustain Immersion Vanderbilt’s mission, requiring exceptional attention to detail, accuracy, and cross-unit coordination.

Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate, and execute travel arrangements for senior leadership, functioning as expense delegate and ensuring compliance with university policies.
• Manage shared inboxes and triage communications for Immersion programs, routing inquiries and escalating issues as appropriate.
• Afford frontline support and programmatic information to visitors and students, guiding them to the appropriate staff person or campus resource as needed.
• In partnership with the Immersion Outreach Coordinator, plan and execute meeting and event planning (reservations, room setup, catering, IT support), ensuring seamless experiences for program engagements.
• Leverage Microsoft Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and related systems to manage information workflows, develop high-impact presentations, and monitor progress on projects to ensure alignment with organizational priorities.
• Carefully coordinate recruitment, interviewing, and onboarding and offboarding processes for new staff and student workers, liaising with HR, VUIT, and line managers to ensure smooth transitions.
• Submit and track facilities and IT requests to maintain seamless office operations and a high-functioning work environment.
• Represent Immersion Vanderbilt on designated university committees and working groups, contributing to cross-campus collaboration.
• Support the planning and coordination of Immersion Vanderbilt programmatic initiatives, including experiential learning activities, communications and marketing, Immersion faculty fellow-led programming, and professional development opportunities.
• Process payments, reimbursements, requisitions, purchase orders and One Card transactions through Oracle, in accordance with One Card, Procurement, and Travel and Expense policies.
• Ensure timely and accurate payment of departmental invoices in accordance with university policy.
• Support the planning and execution of office-wide initiatives, including professional development sessions and special projects.
• Track accounts payable, manage vendor relationships, and ensure timely and compliant payments in coordination with college finance officers and Procurement.
• Manage sensitive and confidential matters with a high level of discretion, judgment, and professionalism.
• Maintain confidentiality related to personnel, academic, financial, legal, and strategic matters discussed within the Immersion Vanderbilt office.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent work and/or military experience is required.
• A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible administrative or project management experience is required.
• Prior experience in higher education or within a large, complex organization is strongly preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, discretion, and tact in handling sensitive matters.
• Advanced attention to detail and accuracy, particularly in managing financial transactions, reconciliations, and compliance-related processes.
• Financial skills, including experience with invoices, payments, account reconciliations, and student receivables.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and collaboration platforms such as Zoom and Teams.
• Curiosity about and desire to explore the use of AI to streamline workflows and enhance work efficiency.
• Strong people skills and the ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.
• Demonstrated ownership of small but impactful operational details, elevating the overall experience and effectiveness of the office.
• Consistently maintains a positive, welcoming, and professional demeanor in all interactions, contributing to a collegial and supportive office environment.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends as needed to meet strategic and business needs.