Senior Associate Director, East Coast WEMBA & Global Programs, Wharton School

University of Pennsylvania

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Associate Director, East Coast WEMBA & Global Programs, serves as a senior program delivery leader within the Wharton Executive MBA program (WEMBA). Reporting directly to the Deputy Vice Dean, this role provides operational leadership for the East Coast and Global WEMBA cohorts and supervises assigned program staff. The Sr. Associate Director serves as the accountable program owner and operational lead for Block Weeks and Global programs, including Global Business Weeks and integrative block weeks, leading planning, vendor strategy, and execution in partnership with the Director, MBA Program for Executives, and other key stakeholders. The role ensures consistent, high-quality program delivery within assigned domains while supporting broader WEMBA operational strategy led by the Director, MBA Program for Executives. The Sr. Associate Director partners closely with the Senior Class Manager, West Coast, to oversee and coordinate operational alignment of the WEMBA program across campuses. This includes aligning on program operations, policies, processes, student experience considerations, and day-to-day administrative decision-making, while sharing broader program priorities into consistent operational practices and approaches across the Class Manager function. This position requires a strong managerial presence, sound strategic judgment, advanced people management capability, and the ability to lead in high-intensity executive education environments, with a high-touch, service-oriented approach and exceptional attention to detail. The role demands consistently high standards of professionalism, responsiveness, and student experience delivery. On-site presence, particularly Thursday through Saturday, is required, along with domestic and international travel as needed.

Requirements

A bachelor's degree and 7-10 years of experience is required, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Progressively responsible experience in higher education administration, executive education, academic program management, student services, or a related field.
Demonstrated experience leading complex, high-visibility programs or operations involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
Proven experience managing coaching, and developing professional staff while fostering a collaborative, high-performing team culture.
Strong project and operational management skills, with the ability to lead multiple initiatives simultaneously while maintaining exceptional attention to detail.
Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, solve complex problems, and make decisions in fast-paced, service-oriented environments.
Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across all organizational levels and with external partners.
Experience managing vendors, negotiating contracts, and overseeing budgets or financial resources.
Strong customer service orientation with a commitment to delivering an exceptional participant experience.
Ability and willingness to work on-site, including evenings and weekends as needed (particularly Thursday through Saturday), and travel domestically and internationally.

Nice To Haves

Experience in graduate business education, executive education, or another high-touch professional education environment.
Experience leading global programs, international travel experiences, or complex off-site events.
Experience partnering with faculty and senior academic or organizational leaders.
Experience managing large-scale events, conferences, or academic program delivery.
Experience implementing process improvements, operational efficiencies, or organizational change initiatives.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a matrixed, multi-campus, or geographically distributed organization.

Responsibilities

Serves as the accountable program owner and operational lead for Block Weeks and Global programs, including Global Business Weeks and integrative block weeks.
Leads planning, vendor strategy, and execution in partnership with the Director, MBA Program for Executives, and other key stakeholders.
Ensures consistent, high-quality program delivery within assigned domains while supporting broader WEMBA operational strategy.
Partners closely with the Senior Class Manager, West Coast, to oversee and coordinate operational alignment of the WEMBA program across campuses.
Aligns on program operations, policies, processes, student experience considerations, and day-to-day administrative decision-making.
Shares broader program priorities into consistent operational practices and approaches across the Class Manager function.
Supervises assigned program staff.

Benefits

Excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families
Generous retirement benefits
Wide variety of professional development opportunities
Supportive work and family benefits
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 with pre-tax dollars
Tuition assistance for employee, spouse, and dependent children at Penn and potentially other institutions
Generous retirement plans (Basic, Matching, and Supplemental) with pre-tax or Roth basis options and investment choices through TIAA and Vanguard
Substantial amount of time away from work (vacations, personal affairs, illness/injury recovery, 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, 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 up to two adoptions)