Executive Director, Strategy & Planning

Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System•Philadelphia, PA

3d•$190,000 - $275,000•Onsite

About The Position

Information Systems & Computing (ISC) is the University of Pennsylvania’s central IT organization, providing the core network, data, voice, video, and enterprise application infrastructure and services upon which Penn’s numerous Schools and Centers build their unique tools and capabilities. ISC’s 300-plus employees work closely with the University’s IT organizations in order to create, deliver and support products and services that help Schools and Centers operate efficiently and effectively. We strive to be easy to work with, and to serve as a trusted advisor to Penn’s IT community, faculty, staff and students in support of an environment of discovery and progress. ISC’s focus on customer service and the high-quality, cost-effective, reliable implementation of modern IT solutions advances the mission of the University, as well as that of each individual School and Center. At Penn, technological freedom and departmental autonomy represent dearly held core values. ISC supports those ideas by providing foundational services and cogent counsel, empowering individuals and departments to employ their distinct strengths in support of their goals. The Executive Director of Strategy & Planning is a senior leader within Information Systems & Computing (ISC), reporting to the Vice President for ISC / Chief Information Officer. This role is responsible for advancing ISC’s strategic, operational, and organizational effectiveness priorities and for helping the VP/CIO and ISC senior leadership team steer major institutional technology decisions. The Executive Director leads enterprise Information Technology (IT) planning, governance, portfolio and program oversight, and executive decision support to ensure that major initiatives are effectively governed, sequenced, and executed in support of Penn’s mission. The Executive Director ensures alignment across ISC and the University by leading governance structures, overseeing the Project Management and Service Management Offices. This role translates vision into measurable outcomes, enables informed decision-making, and drives successful delivery.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required
10+ years of progressive leadership experience in IT strategy, or organizational leadership.
Demonstrated experience in IT enterprise initiatives, IT governance frameworks, IT strategic planning, and IT portfolio/program management within large, decentralized environments.
Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional IT initiatives through change with sound judgment, discretion, and strong organizational awareness.
Proven ability to operate effectively at the executive level, advising senior leaders and influencing decision-making across complex organizations.
Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate vision into execution and measurable outcomes.
Demonstrated ability to leverage IT data, metrics, dashboards, and reporting to drive performance and inform decision-making.
Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage, align, and influence stakeholders at all levels.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree preferred.
Experience in higher education or similarly complex organizations preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as a strategic advisor to the VP/CIO and ISC senior leadership team.
Support the VP/CIO in managing short- and long-term critical IT priorities, initiatives, and activities related to ISC’s strategic plan, ensuring effective coordination, follow-through, and executive visibility.
Build strong partnerships and represent ISC across schools, centers, administrative units, University committees, governance bodies, and cross-functional initiatives.
Develop external relationships while staying current on emerging trends, technologies, and innovations to assess institutional needs and inform long range strategy.
Lead refinement, implementation, and periodic refresh of ISC’s strategic plan.
Define, implement and assess ISC’s short & long-term strategic priorities, technical roadmaps, and IT enterprise initiatives.
Track progress on strategic priorities and major initiatives; surface risks, issues, and tradeoffs; and support the VP/CIO and ISC senior leadership team with recommendations and follow-up.
Design, implement, and maintain enterprise IT governance structures, frameworks, and processes to support effective decision-making.
Facilitate governance bodies and ensure alignment of investments, priorities, and policies with institutional strategy.
Lead organization IT-related change efforts and develop change management strategies to ensure stakeholder engagement, and sustained outcomes.
Partner with leaders across ISC to drive strategic initiatives, transformation, cultural and operational change.
Foster a culture of accountability, adaptability, and continuous improvement.
Provide executive oversight of ISC’s project management efforts.
Define and promote standards for project lifecycle management, risk mitigation, performance tracking, and best practices.
Oversee IT portfolio planning, prioritization, and execution of IT strategic initiatives and major programs.
Oversee the ISC Service Management Office and staff.
Drive continuous improvement in ISC processes, service delivery, and operational maturity.
Partner on financial, vendor, and contract considerations impacting IT strategic initiatives.
Enable coordination across portfolio, process, and service domains within ISC.
Establish key IT performance indicators aligned with strategic goals and promote data-informed decision making.
Report on initiatives, trends, and organizational performance.

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 eligible health care and dependent care expenses
Tuition assistance for employees, spouses, and dependent children
Retirement plans (Basic, Matching, and Supplemental) with pre-tax or Roth options
Substantial amount of time away from work (vacations, personal affairs, illness, family time)
Long-Term Care Insurance
Wellness and Work-life Resources
Professional and Personal Development resources
Access to a wide range of University resources, cultural and recreational activities
Discounts on arts and entertainment, transportation, mortgages, new cars, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and theme parks
Flexible work options (non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures)
Penn Home Ownership Services (forgivable loan for eligible employees)
Adoption Assistance (reimbursement for qualified expenses)