Senior Associate Director, Research Programming

University of Pennsylvania•Fargo, ND

3d•$80,891 - $90,000•Onsite

About The Position

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.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required and 5–7 years of relevant experience in program management, academic administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
Strong organizational skills and the ability to build and sustain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to facilitate collaboration and move projects forward.
Demonstrated success managing complex projects and initiatives across multiple teams or functions, coordinating efforts and driving execution in a highly collaborative, faculty-driven environment.
Proven ability to plan and execute events, including workshops, conferences, and convenings, with strong attention to logistics, stakeholder coordination, and program delivery.
Experience supporting marketing and communications efforts, including promotion of programs and initiatives through email, web, and other channels, with the ability to effectively reach and engage target audiences.
Excellent interpersonal skills, with the capacity to work effectively with faculty, university staff, students, and external partners.
Ability to manage multiple priorities while exercising independent judgment, discretion, and confidentiality.
Proficiency with standard office software (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite) and the ability to learn and utilize institutional systems.

Responsibilities

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 logistics, program materials, event marketing, speaker preparation, and cross-center execution.
Oversee marketing and communication efforts on behalf of the Leadership Pillar and the leadership centers and initiatives, including calls for papers, research proposal solicitations, event marketing, including website and email marketing.
Promote and implement operational best practices and shared processes across existing Leadership Pillar centers.
Work with internal partners to standardize approaches in areas including marketing and communications, HR, finance, and fundraising, improving coordination and connecting activities to the broader Wharton ecosystem.
Administer internal research funding programs, including managing proposal intake, coordinating eligibility screening, award distribution, and reporting.
Coordinate and execute meeting logistics, and prepare meeting agendas and project briefs as needed.