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The Engagement Consultant is a senior individual contributor and trusted people advisor who supports assigned business units. The role provides strategic consultation across employee engagement, employee relations, workforce planning, performance management, policy, talent and organizational effectiveness. Using sound business judgment, data literacy, and practical AI literacy, the consultant turns workforce signals and operating context into clear action while helping Vanderbilt build and maintain positive, fair, and legally compliant relationships with employees.
Key Functions and Expected Performance:
• Serve as the primary people consultant and trusted advisor for an assigned portfolio, connecting leaders and employees with the appropriate People, Culture and Belonging expertise.
• Lead high-level engagement and workforce initiatives, including stakeholder analysis, cross-functional coordination, targeted communication, and measurable action plans aligned with institutional priorities.
• Advise leaders on workforce planning, restructures, role clarity, succession, talent development, performance management, manager capability, and change adoption.
• Provide employee relations consultation on performance and conduct concerns, conflict resolution, documentation, policy application, and early risk identification; partner with Employee Relations, Investigations, Legal, Compliance, and other experts when escalation is appropriate.
• Use quantitative and qualitative data, including workforce dashboards, survey results, case trends, benchmarks, and employee feedback, to diagnose issues, identify patterns, and recommend practical solutions.
• Apply AI-enabled tools responsibly to improve research, analysis, drafting, knowledge access, and workflow efficiency while exercising human judgment and safeguarding accuracy, privacy, confidentiality, and fairness.
• Coach managers to strengthen performance, engagement, accountability, difficult conversations, and consistent people practices.
• Evaluate practices, recommend improvements, establish consistent processes, and lead or participate in committees, projects, and cross-functional initiatives that improve employee experience and organizational effectiveness.
Supervisory Relationships:
This position does not have supervisory; this position reports administratively and functionally to Assistant Vice Chancellor of People Experience.
Experience and Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience required; master's degree preferred.
• Eight or more years of progressively responsible HR, HR consulting/business partnership, employee engagement, employee relations, organizational development, or workforce strategy experience.
• Demonstrated recency in employee relations experience building and maintaining positive, fair, and legally compliant relationships between an organization and its employees, including manager coaching, performance and conduct matters, conflict resolution, policy application, documentation, and risk escalation.
• Strong business acumen and working knowledge of employment laws, policies, and HR practices; multi-state or global employment experience preferred.
• Strong consulting, influencing, facilitation, negotiation, communication, active listening, and conflict-resolution skills, with the ability to work effectively across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Demonstrated data literacy and practical AI literacy, including the ability to interpret workforce evidence, use AI-enabled tools appropriately, and critically assess outputs for accuracy, bias, privacy, confidentiality, and appropriate human review.
About Us
At Vanderbilt University , our work - regardless of title or role - is in service to an important and noble mission in which every member of our community serves in advancing knowledge and transforming lives on a daily basis. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, on a 330+ acre campus and arboretum dating back to 1873, Vanderbilt is proud to have been named as one of "America's Best Large Employers" as well as a top employer in Tennessee and the Nashville metropolitan area by Forbes for several years running. We welcome those who are interested in learning and growing professionally with an employer that strives to create, foster and sustain opportunities as an employer of choice.
We understand you have a choice when choosing where to work and pursue a career. We understand you are unique and have a story. We want to hear it. We encourage you to apply today so that you might become a part of our story.
Vanderbilt University is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.