Senior Associate Director, Research Programming

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Senior Associate Director, Research Programming

Job Profile Title

Associate Director D, Research

Job Description Summary

Founded in 1881 as the world’s first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is shaping the future of business by incubating ideas, driving insights, and creating leaders who change the world. With campuses in both Philadelphia and San Francisco, Wharton has over 850 staff, a faculty population of more than 235 renowned professors, and 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students. Each year 13,000 professionals from around the world advance their careers through Wharton Executive Education’s individual, company-customized, and online programs. More than 104,000 Wharton alumni form a powerful global network of leaders who transform business every day. Wharton is home to a dynamic community of staff, bringing a wide range of skills, experiences, and perspectives. To learn more, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.

The Wharton School's 20+ research centers and initiatives serve as a hub for exchange and study where faculty, students, and members of the business community address pressing global business challenges. Their work generates courses, academic programs, community outreach, working papers, published research, and partnerships among academics, industry, and government.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Leadership Research, the Senior Associate Director serves as a central integrator across the Wharton Leadership Pillar, supporting the Academic Director, Faculty Directors, and senior leadership in the implementation and execution of the Pillar’s strategic goals, priorities and events.

The Senior Associate Director supports multiple leadership research centers—focused on areas including leadership, people analytics, human resources, management, and organizational decision-making—by coordinating and operationalization research programming, conferences and events, marketing and communications, internal research funding, and shared processes across centers.

Job Description

The Senior Associate Director's responsibilities include: 

• Coordinate and manage high-impact strategic projects to foster cross-collaboration efforts across academic research centers and initiatives during the launch of the Leadership Research Pillar.
• Support the development and launch of new research initiatives, programming, and centers within the Leadership Pillar by coordinating stakeholders, establishing initial workflows, and providing operational and programmatic support as new priorities emerge.
• Execute day-to-day logistics of research programming and faculty/student support activities across leadership research centers. Plan and implement research-focused events, including workshops, round tables, seminars, and conferences.  Coordinate logis