Vanderbilt University · 1 month ago
Sr. Director of Network Services
Nashville, TN
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
10+ years expVanderbilt University is seeking a Senior Director of Network Services to provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for its enterprise network environment. This role is responsible for ensuring the reliability, scalability, security, and performance of network services while overseeing multiple teams and collaborating with IT leadership.
E-LearningEducationHigher Education
Responsibilities
Lead and supervise a team of employees, including recruitment, training, and performance management
Acts as a player/coach, guiding and performing work within the function
Develop and implement plans, objectives, and initiatives to meet organizational goals
Allocate financial and human resources efficiently and effectively to support operational activities
Monitor and evaluate team performance, providing feedback and coaching to enhance individual and collective capabilities
Foster a positive work environment by promoting collaboration, communication, and employee engagement
Ensure compliance with Vanderbilt policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements
Collaborate with other departments or stakeholders to achieve cross-functional objectives and resolve issues effectively
Analyze data and metrics to identify opportunities for process improvement and operational optimization
Develop and execute a comprehensive network strategy aligned with Vanderbilt’s mission, technology roadmap, and cybersecurity objectives
Anticipate future networking needs and emerging technologies to ensure scalability and innovation
Provide expertise on network architecture and design for advanced research and academic initiatives
Ensure high availability, reliability, and performance of wired and wireless network services across campus
Establish and enforce standards for network architecture, configuration, and lifecycle management
Oversee incident response, capacity planning, and disaster recovery for network services
Partner with the CISO and Cybersecurity teams to ensure network services align with regulatory requirements and institutional policies
Implement proactive measures for threat detection, vulnerability management, and compliance audits
Manage budget for network hardware, software, and services
Collaborate with Chief Business Officer to negotiate and maintain vendor relationships for network equipment and managed services
Optimize cost structures while maintaining service quality and reliability
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree is necessary
Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in network engineering and operations, with at least 5 years in a leadership role is necessary
Demonstrated experience managing large-scale enterprise networks in a complex environment (preferably in higher education or research) is necessary
Proven track record of leading multi-disciplinary teams and delivering mission-critical network services is necessary
Deep knowledge of enterprise networking technologies (LAN/WAN, wireless, SDN, cloud networking) is necessary
Strong understanding of network security principles, compliance frameworks, and risk management is necessary
Ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive organizational change is necessary
Experience aligning technological initiatives with institutional priorities and long-term goals is necessary
Exceptional ability to convey complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences is necessary
Demonstrated commitment to VUIT's Guiding Principles is necessary
Preferred
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field is preferred
Industry-recognized certifications such as ITIL, CCNP, CCIE, or equivalent strongly preferred
Company
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Vanderbilt University has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (90)
2024 (91)
2023 (87)
2022 (58)
2021 (62)
2020 (65)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$28.55MKey Investors
Mark AbkowitzNational Science Foundation
2018-11-07Grant· $4.5M
2018-04-18Grant· $0.55M
2015-07-10Grant· $12.8M
Leadership Team
B
Bharat Bhuva
Professor
Bill Blot
Professor
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