Rapid Response and Community Support Manager

Position Summary:
The Student Affairs Rapid Response and Community Support Manager is part of the Student Affairs division at Vanderbilt University and is a leader responsible for overseeing coordinated real-time response to student-related crises incidents and high-impact events across the University. This position plays a critical role in ensuring student safety wellbeing and continuity of care by leading response efforts supervising professional staff and strengthening institutional crisis response systems and also engages proactively with students to support a relationship-driven model. Reporting directly to the Associate Dean of Students overseeing Response and Community Support the Manager works closely with Public Safety Residential Experience the Student Care Network and other key stakeholders to ensure effective consistent and student-centered responses.

The Manager serves on the Student Affairs Rapid Response and Community Support Team and provides both direct incident response and leadership oversight for complex and sensitive situations. This role includes supervising Response Team Specialists managing on-call operations and ensuring staff are trained supported and prepared to respond effectively. The Manager contributes to the development of protocols assessment strategies and post-incident review processes to continuously
improve response effectiveness and institutional readiness. Through leadership collaboration and strategic coordination this position advances a proactive responsive and student-centered approach to crisis and incident management.

This is a Regular Full-Time Benefits Eligible Exempt onsite role. This position will require evenings and weekends. This position IS NOT eligible for sponsorship.

About the Work Unit:
Student Affairs serves a central role in student learning and development at Vanderbilt advancing the Universitys mission of teaching research and service. Student Affairs at Vanderbilt cultivates vibrant inclusive communities that foster a students sense of belonging and wellbeing through collaborative partnerships transformative learning experiences and an accessible and holistic network of resources. We value connection belonging compassion development and innovation. Our staff are committed to continued growth in knowledge awareness skills and experience engaging with these priorities in a higher education environment.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

• Serve on the Student Affairs Rapid Response and Community Support Team a comprehensive crisis and incident management system that is responsive flexible and engaged in the University community and provide direct on the ground responses with discretion and effective decision-making.
• Manage staff in Specialist role and assist with position design hiring onboarding training scheduling and on-call expectations.
• Assist in planning and participate in a comprehensive training program for response team staff including crisis response trauma-informed practices mediation and conflict resolution de-escalation techniques and coordination with campus and community partners.
• Build and sustain relationships proactively with students in residential communities student organizations and other spaces through advising event/program attendance and support to ensure an understanding of campus culture and dynamics necessary in a relationship-driven model.
• Execute 24/7 incident response involving students including individual student crises demonstrations and protests event-related incidents and other emergent situations.
• Coordinate institutional responses to individual student crises including mental health emergencies safety concerns behavioral incidents and other urgent student needs.
• Assist with implementation of protocols and actions in the event of a student death.
• Manage demonstrations protests and high-impact student activities and events ensuring appropriate planning monitoring and response in collaboration with students student organizations and campus partners.
• Participate in the University Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during large-scale events or emergencies involving students.
• Engage with parents related to emergencies crises and/or incidents as needed.
• Coordinate response and support efforts in residence halls or for student living off campus when students require immediate support or intervention.
• Assist with mediation or conflict resolution for conflicts involving students or student groups.
• Serve in an on-call leadership capacity to support Specialists.
• Elevate issues to the Associate Dean when needed and ensure clear and consistent documentation of responses.
• Assist in implementing an assessment and evaluation framework for the Student Affairs Response Team.
• Assist with reporting and post-incident review processes to evaluate response effectiveness identify trends and strengthen institutional preparedness and student support systems.
• Collaborate with campus partners including Public Safety Residential Experience Student Care Network Office of the General Counsel and Communications to ensure coordinated consistent and student-centered responses.
• Coordinate transitions of care following crises or incidents by connecting students to appropriate campus and community resources for ongoing support and follow-up.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Institutional Divisional and Department Administration:
  • Contribute to the broader mission and objectives of Student Affairs and the University by serving on divisional and institutional committees task forces and working groups.
  • Actively participate in key divisional initiatives and events including Move-In Day and all-division meetings and gatherings.
  • Maintain a working knowledge of relevant university policies procedures and systemssuch as those related to travel procurement expense and time reportingto ensure effective compliant and responsible operations.
  • Demonstrate a collaborative spirit by supporting divisional colleagues and engaging in efforts that advance shared goals and strategic priorities.

Job responsibilities listed herein are intended to be a thorough representation of the duties responsibilities expectations and qualifications for this specific role at the time of hire but should not be considered all-encompassing as actual responsibilities may evolve to include additional duties as assigned based on organizational and operational needs.

Supervisory Relationships:

This position has supervisory responsibility for Student Affairs Response Team Specialists; this position reports administratively and functionally to the Associate Dean of Students overseeing the Rapid Response and Community Support.

Education and Certifications:

• Bachelors degree from an accredited institution of higher education is necessary.
• Masters degree (Higher Education Administration Student Personnel Services or Counseling) Ed.D. J.D. Ph.D. or equivalent from an accredited institution of higher education is preferred.
  

Experience and Skills:

• At least 5 years experience in higher education student affairs crisis response emergency management or a related field is necessary.
• Demonstrated experience supervising staff and leading teams in complex high-pressure environments is required.
• Experience with crisis intervention trauma-informed practices conflict mediation and de-escalation techniques is preferred.
• Experience developing or implementing assessment evaluation or continuous improvement processes is preferred.
• Strong leadership communication and collaboration skills with the ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders including students families and campus partners are strongly preferred.