The Assistant to the Dean is part of the Office of the Dean at the Vanderbilt Divinity School. This position provides comprehensive high-level support to the Dean by managing the Dean's schedule, information flow, and constituent interactions. As a representative of the Dean, and in conjunction with the Director of Administration, this position must organize the flow of daily operations to ensure priorities are met.This position serves as a goodwill ambassador and is the first point of contact for the Office of the Dean.This position completes various administrative tasks for the Dean and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, including managing extremely active calendars of appointments; completing expense reports;preparing confidential correspondence; arranging complex and detailed travel plans, itineraries, and agendas; and compiling documents for travel-related meetings. The Assistant to the Dean is responsible for maintaining the day-to-day operations of the office and serves as a coordinator of executive-level decision-making, ensuring the office has the necessary resources and capacity to meet its objectives while coordinating, progressing, and communicating the initiatives of the Dean. In addition, this position provides support for procurement, event planning for Dean’s office events, conducting research, preparing reports, handling information requests, and performing clerical functions such as preparing correspondence, receiving visitors, arranging conference calls, and scheduling meetings as needed.

About the Work Unit:
The Divinity School administrators and staff comprise a team committed to excellence in theological education. From different composite areas: admissions, community life, academics, special programming, communications, theological and religious library resources, and development and alumni relations, each person contributes to an innovative and collegial environment. The unit as a whole is committed to the mission of both the University and the Divinity School. We make equity, diversity, and inclusion a priority from a theological foundation of social justice, and we seek to lead the nation in the care, preparation, and professional qualification of our students to the religious and theological professions.
 

In a global and multi-religious world, the Divinity school seeks to fulfill the following objectives:

to engage in theological inquiry; to help persons prepare for the practice of Christian ministry and public leadership; to encourage personal and spiritual formation; to prepare agents of social justice; and to educate future scholars and teachers, locally and globally.   Key Functions and Expected Performance:
 

Administrative Support

 Maintains calendars for Dean and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and schedules
appointments. Attends meetings and records minutes for: Divinity Faculty Meetings, Faculty Committee on Policy and Personnel, Institutional Planning Committee, and Academic Programs and Assessment Committee. Provides staff support for committees: prepares agenda, sends emails, gathers documents. Schedules meeting dates for Divinity committees and shares schedule with Faculty/Staff. Provides staff support for Honor Council (reserves rooms, duplicates materials, distributes packets, procures refreshments) Makes assignments and oversees submission of the annual report to ATS. Updates VDS Faculty Handbook and manages the approval process for revisions. Liaises with VU HR on faculty and staff service awards. Processes documents for Visiting Scholars and serves as liaison

Faculty Actions

Provides support for faculty tenure and promotion reviews (corresponds with outside reviewers, prepares review materials, coordinates with Provost’s office, schedules meetings, etc.). Provides support for faculty searches (places ads, fields inquiries, collects application materials, scans & posts materials for search committee, schedules meetings, makes arrangements for video and campus interviews, etc.). Acts as Interfolio Manager for the School (Dossier & Search). Creates and maintains records in Faculty Information System (FIS). Tracks faculty leaves and faculty reviews and provides information to the Senior Administrative Officer, HR.

Finance and Human Capital Management

 Serves as an expense delegate to the Dean and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and process travel expenses, in a timely and accurate manner, to ensure prompt reimbursement. Maintains ownership of Vanderbilt One card for business purchases. Serves as Purchase Requestor for general operations of VDS (i.e., office supplies, faculty requests, VDS related invoices, etc.). Serves as Guest Travel Coordinator for guests of the leadership team and faculty. Provides hiring information to departmental HCM Specialists for student workers assigned to the Dean’s Suite. Reviews and approves timecards for student workers.

General

In coordination with the Director of Administration, maintains effective and efficient day-to-day operation of Divinity’s administrative office. Advises and assists faculty with operational questions and general office policies under the guidance of the Director of Administration  Answers the School’s main telephone line. Provides backup on occasion for the following student worker tasks: provides audiovisual support to faculty and administration scans and photocopies documents delivers mail/packages to faculty and administration picks up and returns library books for faculty checks out keys to approved users distributes event materials throughout building sets up and cleans up events greets visitors to the Divinity School Serves as backup to the Assistant Director of Communications, reviews and releases messages sent through the VDS faculty, staff, and VDS community Listservs for accuracy and appropriateness, reviewing with Divinity School leadership as needed. Completes projects on an as-needed basis, including filing, organizing, mass-mailings, etc. Maintains the VDS Faculty Lounge through oversight of general supplies. Provides backup support for room reservations/EMS. Works closely with Director of Administration, as needed, on projects and weekly administrative tasks.

 

Supervisory Relationships:
This position has supervisory responsibility for the Dean’s Office student workers. This position reports
administratively and functionally to the Director of Administration

Education and Certifications:

A high school diploma or GED is necessary. An Associate or Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education is preferred.

Experience and Skills:

At least 4 years’ of directly relatable experience is preferred. Experience with religious organizations is preferred. Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat and popular content management systems (CMS) and ability to learn other platforms needed in role is necessary. Strong written and verbal communication skill is necessary. Willingness and ability to set a professional and welcoming tone for all who interact with the Dean’s Office is necessary Ability to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds is necessary. Ability to make administrative decisions and judgments, independently or in collaboration with others, is necessary. Ability to perform complex tasks and to prioritize multiple projects is necessary. Excellent initiative and follow through are necessary Ability to handle highly confidential materials is necessary. Ability to exercise independent judgment and function with a high degree of understanding of University and Divinity School policies and procedures is necessary