Program Coordinator, Community Development, Venture Lab, Wharton School

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

Program Coordinator, Community Development, Venture Lab, Wharton School

Job Profile Title

Coordinator C

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 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 worldwide 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 staff population representing a rich array of backgrounds, expertise, and cultures. To learn more, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.

The Program Coordinator, Community Development at Venture Lab is responsible for fostering an inclusive, vibrant, and engaged entrepreneurial community at the University of Pennsylvania. This position plays a key role in community building, event and program execution, partnership development, and operational logistics, all aimed at enhancing the student experience and strengthening relationships with key stakeholders. This role requires extensive collaboration with the Venture Lab program team, student clubs, faculty, external partners, and other Penn/Wharton departments to develop and execute high-impact programs and events. The Program Coordinator oversees all aspects of event curation, implementation, logistics management, and performance tracking, ensuring alignment with Venture Lab’s mission, vision, and strategic goals.

The Program Coordinator is responsible for cultivating relationships with student clubs, faculty, alumni, and partners to strengthen Venture Lab’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Acting as the liaison for student groups using Tangen Hall resources, the coordinator supports and promotes student-led initiatives, general body meetings, and club-hosted events that align with Venture Lab’s goals. In addition, the role involves developing strategies to grow and manage Venture Lab's student membership initiative, including application processing and membership tracking. The coordinator also manages the recruitment, training, scheduling, and supervision of student workers to ensure efficient front-desk operations and professional handling of student inquiries.
A core responsibility of this position is leading event planning and execution for key Venture Lab initiatives, including but not limited to the Entreprene