Senior Business Administrator, Wharton Finance Department

The Wharton School

1d•$76,000 - $93,000

About The Position

The Senior Business Administrator is a dual-reporting role dedicated to supporting the Finance Department and advancing its academic and operational mission. Serving the second largest academic department within the School, this position provides leadership and oversight of the department’s financial and operational functions in service of faculty, students, and staff. The role reports jointly to the Senior Director, Financial Strategy and Controller within Finance & Administration and to the Finance Department Chair. The Senior Business Administrator is responsible for the end-to-end management of departmental financial operations, including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and compliance, and for maintaining effective systems that support transparency, accountability, and sound financial stewardship to enable the department’s teaching, research, and academic priorities. In addition, the Senior Business Administrator provides management oversight for the department’s financial and front desk staff and partners closely with the Finance Department Chair and School colleagues on financial and operational matters affecting faculty, doctoral students, staff, and visitors.

Requirements

A Bachelor’s degree is required, preferably in accounting, business administration, or a related field.
Candidates should have a minimum of three to five years of progressively responsible experience in financial management, budgeting, or operational administration or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
This role requires the capability to manage multiple projects and workstreams independently - from initial design through successful implementation - while balancing department priorities and operational details.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential, as this position involves frequent collaboration with faculty, staff, and University partners across various levels.

Nice To Haves

Five to seven years of progressively responsible financial management experience strongly preferred.
The ideal candidate brings strong financial skills, with familiarity in using Penn financial systems or university-based financial platforms.
A self-starter with a strong desire to learn and engage across diverse business functions will thrive in this environment.
The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to see the big picture while maintaining a keen eye for detail and accuracy.

Responsibilities

Manage all expense reporting, procurement systems, and reimbursement processes with attention to compliance and timely execution
Lead the department’s budgeting and forecasting processes with a focus on accuracy, clarity, and proactive planning
Oversee payroll, faculty funding allocations, and salary distributions
Day-to-day management of the department’s financial, course, and front desk staff, and ensure efficient operational execution
Primary liaison with school partners related to departmental office operations
Collaborate with Chair’s office on financial and operational issues for faculty, doctoral students, staff and visitors.
Ensure effective vendor management and procurement practices
Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Benefits

Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare.
You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.
In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.
Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.
As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.
From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.
Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.
Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.
Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.