Associate Director of Operations

University of Pennsylvania

3d•$65,628 - $72,000•Onsite

About The Position

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. The Associate Director of Operations oversees the financial and administrative operations of the finance pillar, optimizing resources and processes, and ensuring compliance with University policies and procedures. The Associate Director also serves as the operational systems lead for the pillar, supporting clear workflows and operational visibility across recurring initiatives and cross-functional projects.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required
2-3 years of experience in business, operations, or project coordination, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Experience managing purchasing, hiring, and/or administrative operations for a team.
Demonstrated experience improving operational processes or implementing workflow systems.
Experience coordinating projects involving multiple stakeholders.
Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and exercise sound judgment and discretion.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with University policies, procedures, and financial systems.
Experience using project management or workflow software, such as Asana and Smartsheet.

Responsibilities

Oversee department purchasing, including purchase orders, non-PO payments, purchasing and meeting card purchases, and additional payments.
Execute and review transactions to ensure accuracy, compliance, and timeliness, while managing end-to-end purchasing workflows in coordination with internal stakeholders.
Advise team members on purchasing best practices, support competitive bidding processes for large-scale purchases, and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, strengthen controls, and optimize resource utilization.
Lead the development, standardization, and ongoing refinement of operational systems and workflows that support effective project execution and team coordination.
Establish and maintain tools such as Asana templates, shared calendars, and tracking mechanisms for key initiatives and spending.
Promote consistent adoption across the team, proactively identify gaps or risks in workflows, and implement process improvements that enhance clarity, accountability, and operational efficiency.
Manage the administrative end-to-end hiring and onboarding processes for researchers, student workers, and temporary staff, with primary ownership of Workday transactions and employment administration.
Partner with leadership and faculty to facilitate recruitment efforts and ensure a smooth and compliant onboarding experience.
Provide high-touch support for specialized hiring needs, particularly for research roles, while ensuring alignment with institutional policies and timelines.
Oversee the administration of travel and reimbursement processes for external guests, including senior academics, industry leaders, and government officials.
Manage payment workflows across systems, directly support guests throughout the reimbursement process, and resolve issues as they arise, particularly in nuanced cases such as international payments and honoraria.
Provide guidance and review support to the department coordinator, while continuously improving processes to enhance efficiency and user experience.
Develop and maintain reporting tools and dashboards that provide visibility into project timelines, budgets, and team capacity.
Track and analyze operational data to support planning and decision-making, proactively identifying risks, resource constraints, and opportunities for improvement.
Leverage tools such as Asana and Excel to enhance transparency and strengthen operational oversight across initiatives.
Serve as a key point of coordination for departmental operations, including managing access requests in partnership with central Operations and administering appointments for visiting scholars and senior fellows.
Oversee onboarding logistics for external affiliates, ensuring a seamless experience across systems and stakeholders.
Maintain strong working relationships with internal partners and external constituents, supporting a high volume of concurrent activities with a high level of responsiveness and attention to detail.
Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Benefits

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
Comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits
Flexible spending accounts for health care and dependent care expenses
Tuition assistance for employees, spouses, and dependent children at Penn and other institutions
Retirement plans (Basic, Matching, and Supplemental) with pre-tax or Roth options through TIAA and Vanguard
Substantial amount of time away from work (vacations, personal affairs, illness, family time)
Long-Term Care Insurance through Genworth Financial
Wellness and Work-life Resources
Professional and Personal Development resources
Access to a wide range of University resources, cultural and recreational activities (libraries, athletic facilities, arboretum, art galleries)
Discounts and Special Services (arts and entertainment, transportation, mortgages, new cars, cellular phone service, movie tickets, theme parks)
Flexible Work Hours
Penn Home Ownership Services (forgivable loan for eligible employees in West Philadelphia)
Adoption Assistance (reimbursement for qualified expenses up to two adoptions)