Sr. Director of Network Services

Position Summary:

The Senior Director of Network Services provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for Vanderbilt University’s enterprise network environment. This position is accountable for ensuring the reliability, scalability, security, and performance of all network services supporting academic, research, and administrative functions. The role oversees three teams—Network Design and Engineering, Network Infrastructure, and Network Operations—and collaborates closely with IT leadership to deliver a secure, resilient, and future-ready network architecture.

The Senior Director serves as a key advisor on network strategy, aligning technology initiatives with institutional priorities, and compliance requirements. This position influences decision-making at the executive level and drives innovation to support advanced research, high-performance computing, and emerging technologies.

About the Work Unit:

Vanderbilt University Information Technology is a human-centric organization that advances our university by delivering innovative solutions and frictionless experiences through collaboration.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

Team Leadership and Talent Development:

• 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. 

Strategic Leadership and Planning:

• 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.

Operational Oversight and Service Delivery:

• 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.

Risk Management and Compliance:

• 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.

Financial and Vendor Management:

• 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.

Supervisory Relationships:

This position has supervisory responsibility. This position reports administratively and functionally to the Chief Information Security Officer.

Education and Certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree is necessary

• 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

Experience and Skills:

• 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

Information Technology’s Guiding Principles:

• Trust and Respect- VUIT cultivates a community built on trust, mutual respect, and inclusivity, where all members feel valued and supported. We prioritize honesty, dignity, empathy, and a willingness to listen and understand. 

• Professionalism- VUIT strives to maintain a culture of maturity, accountability, and integrity to best represent the University and self. Have a sense of humility and poise in your work and daily interactions.

• Collaborate- VUIT commits to being inclusive in solution design where we value sharing within and partnering across the university. We are intentional about including our colleagues and preventing silos. 

• Bias-to-Action- VUIT is seen as a changemaker by exhibiting a decisive, self-starter, take-action approach with a willingness to make decisions without excessive deliberation. Personal initiative is recognized as a key part of the creative process.

• Communicate- Communication (written, verbal and non-verbal), within and outside VUIT, is open, thoughtful, welcoming, clear, proactive, concise yet complete, always honest, and delivered kindly.

• Innovate- VUIT pledges to be bold and challenge the status quo by inspiring a culture of creativity that promotes growth and advancement for the university. 

• Celebrate Each Other- We are intentional in showing appreciation for the work of others by valuing and acknowledging meaningful contributions at all levels of the organization.

• Optimize- VUIT will practice continuous and thoughtful optimization of our solutions and services to increase our human and technological capacity. Capacity drives innovation.