SCALES Director of Operations

Reporting to the Center Director, this position provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for the Vanderbilt Center for Simulation, Computational-modeling, and AI-integrated Learning for Engineering Systems (SCALES).

Responsibilities

Leadership & Personnel Management

• Oversee the Center's administrative and operational staff, providing strategic leadership and ensuring the effective execution of the Center's mission and priorities.
• Recruit, hire, onboard, train, supervise, mentor, and evaluate professional and support staff in accordance with university policies and best practices.
• Manage a small- to mid-sized team of experienced professionals, typically at junior and intermediate levels, providing leadership, direction, coaching, and performance management while fostering professional growth and accountability.
• Lead, direct, and review the work of staff who exercise independent judgment and latitude in carrying out assignments, ensuring consistency, quality, and alignment with Center objectives.
• Establish performance expectations, delegate responsibilities, prioritize workloads, and implement operational policies and strategies that support organizational effectiveness and continuous improvement.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and service-oriented workplace culture that reflects Vanderbilt University's values of excellence, integrity, innovation, respect, and teamwork.
• Promote effective communication, collaboration, and cross-functional partnerships among Center staff, faculty, university administrative offices, and external stakeholders.
• Identify staffing needs and organizational opportunities to support the Center's continued growth and evolving strategic priorities.
• Develop and implement administrative policies, standard operating procedures, and best practices to enhance operational efficiency, service delivery, and organizational effectiveness.
• Oversee the day-to-day operations of SCALES.

Financial Management

• Oversee the financial operations of the Center, including operating budgets, discretionary funds, sponsored project accounts, and strategic investments.
• Establish, implement, and manage transparent and comprehensive budget plans to monitor expenditures, revenue, cost allocations, and fund utilization across all Center programs and initiatives.
• Collaborate with Vanderbilt Finance and university administrative offices to develop annual budgets, financial forecasts, and long-range operational plans that support the Center's strategic goals.
• Prepare financial reports, analyze budget performance, and provide recommendations to support informed decision-making by Center leadership.
• Ensure responsible financial stewardship through effective fiscal planning, resource allocation, and monitoring of financial performance.
• Ensure compliance with university financial policies, sponsor requirements, and applicable regulations while promoting the efficient and effective use of Center resources.
• Identify opportunities to optimize operational efficiencies and strategically allocate resources to support the Center's research, educational, and outreach priorities.

Research Administration

• Serve as the primary operational resource for SCALES faculty throughout the proposal development and award lifecycle.
• Coordinate with Vanderbilt Contracts & Grants, Sponsored Programs Administration, and other university offices to facilitate proposal submissions and award management.
• Assist faculty with proposal documentation, budgets, compliance requirements, and resolution of time-sensitive proposal issues.
• Support post-award administrative coordination for sponsored research projects.
• Monitor the SCALES general email account and respond to requests from faculty, industry, government agencies, and external collaborators.
• Develop and maintain relationships with industry partners interested in SBIR/STTR collaborations.
• Maintain and communicate a database of industry partners and funding collaboration opportunities available to SCALES faculty.

Communications & External Engagement

• Lead development and implementation of the Center's communications strategy.
• Coordinate the design, launch, and ongoing management of the SCALES website through university resources or external vendors.
• Promote the Center's visibility through strategic communications and external outreach.
• Represent the center operationally in relevant university committees and working groups.

Center Operations, Events & Strategic Initiatives

• Oversee the planning, coordination, and execution of high-profile conferences, workshops, symposia, seminar series, and strategic initiatives, ensuring alignment with the Center's mission and Vanderbilt University's brand standards.
• Coordinate the SCALES Seminar Series, including speaker invitations, scheduling, logistics, communications, and event execution.
• Manage visits for scholars, faculty, researchers, students, industry representatives, and international collaborators.
• In collaboration with CEE staff, coordinate conferences and workshops where SCALES serves as the primary organizer or co-organizer, including national and international meetings.
• Ensure successful execution of multiple concurrent events while maintaining exceptional operational quality and stakeholder engagement.

Advisory Board & External Relations

• Coordinate the activities of the SCALES External Advisory Board.
• Organize annual Advisory Board meetings, prepare agendas, meeting materials, and follow-up communications.
• Serve as the primary liaison with Advisory Board members, funding agencies, industry partners, and external collaborators.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in operations, administrative management, financial management, grant/contract administration or related roles—preferably in research, academic or interdisciplinary setting.
• Understands basic management approaches such as work scheduling, prioritizing, coaching and process execution.
• University/College background – Engineering preferred.
• Experience working with senior leadership.
• Experience working in a higher education/academic setting preferred.
• Financial background including the review of budgets.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Adobe, and have database experience.
• Comfort with new technological systems; adapts easily to changes in technology and process.
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously.
• Professional and pleasant attitude with considerable tact, diplomacy, and judgment in interactions with students, faculty, and staff.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree is necessary.
• Master’s Degree is preferred.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills.