Senior Director of Leadership Research

University of Pennsylvania•Fargo, ND

1d•$112,433 - $120,000•Hybrid

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. 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. Wharton's Leadership Research Pillar supports and disseminates cutting-edge work across centers, programs, and initiatives in Leadership, covering areas including management, people analytics, human resources, operations and decisions, and leadership and change management. Under the leadership of the Executive Director for the McNulty Leadership Program, the Senior Director of Leadership Research for the Wharton Leadership Pillar plays a strategic and integrative role in building Wharton's leadership research mission and priorities. This position drives collaboration and alignment across multiple faculty-led research centers to amplify Wharton’s global impact on leadership-related research and practice. The Senior Director of Leadership Research works in close partnership with the Leadership Research Pillar faculty lead, advancing the Pillar's research agenda by translating faculty research and institutional priorities into coordinated research themes, high-impact conferences and sponsored research opportunities. The Senior Director works with the McNulty Leadership Program Senior Leadership team and other institutional partners to set research priorities, identify emerging trends, and elevate the centers' collective research strengths into influential outputs and high-profile engagement opportunities. This is a newly established position with an evolving research pillar, and a high degree of initiative, comfort with ambiguity and the ability to build structure amd moment from the ground up is needed. The Senior Director has the opportunity to teach up to 1 course (1 C.U.) per year, based on availability and background.

Requirements

Ph.D. strongly preferred; Master’s degree required.
7+ years of progressively responsible experience managing research initiatives, academic programs, or comparable strategic research environments, or an equivalent combination of advanced education and relevant professional experience.
A background or research focus in leadership, organizational behavior, human resources, people analytics, neuroscience, management, organizational psychology, sociology, or marketing preferred.
Experience in a research university with deep understanding of faculty partnership, academic research processes, and multi-center coordination strongly preferred.
Demonstrated success leading global or complex research projects, conferences, and high-profile events.
Proven ability to supervise and develop staff, manage complex operations, and lead multidisciplinary teams.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a collaborative and relationship-oriented approach and the ability to work effectively with faculty, senior administrators, donors, granting agencies, and external partners.
A proactive, self-directed leader who thrives in ambiguous, evolving environments and can build structure, momentum, and clarity from the ground up.
Demonstrated success building new initiatives or functions within complex, matrixed organizations.
Ability to translate academic research into externally relevant, high-impact programming and partnerships.
Brings strong political acumen and the ability to influence without direct authority to align stakeholders, advance priorities, and drive results with sound judgment and a high degree of ownership.
Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, exercise sound judgment, and operate with integrity in a complex organizational environment.

Responsibilities

Shape and coordinate Leadership Research priorities across centers and the Pillar: Partner with faculty directors to define and document research activity across the leadership research centers, ensuring each center maintains a clear and distinct focus, and creating opportunities for new research areas to emerge.
Lead faculty conversations to surface new ideas, shape emerging research opportunities, and link related lines of inquiry during the creation of the Wharton Leadership Pillar.
Track new leadership and management topics and create timely engagement opportunities with faculty, industry partners, and external stakeholders.
Build relationship with faculty leads and affiliated faculty across the School.
Develop and deliver flagship research programming: Provide strategic oversight for the design and execution of high-profile academic and industry conferences and round tables.
Shape agendas, themes, and content that reflect each center's strengths and bring together leading voices from academia and practice.
Build and manage industry partnership relationships and pipeline: Work closely with McNulty Senior Leadership and Wharton External Affairs to cultivate relationships with industry and foundations whose interests align with center priorities.
Offer informed guidance on potential corporate partnerships and opportunities for sponsored research engagement.
Advance pillar and University collaboration: Build strong relationships with faculty and staff across academic departments to support research collaborations and shared initiatives.
Connect centers with partners across Penn to promote interdisciplinary leadership and management research and expand the reach of Pillar activities.
Oversee internal research funding process: Manage the administration of internal Wharton research funding programs and the Wharton Research Common Application process, including proposal intake and evaluation, coordination with faculty reviewers, award decisions, and effective allocation of research resources.
Supervise Leadership Pillar support staff: Supervise Leadership Pillar support staff, providing direct oversight and day-to-day guidance on the execution program activities, research support tasks, marketing and event logistics.
Work closely with any management and hiring Postdoctoral Researchers, RAs, and predoctoral researchers.
Leads and supports direct report(s) through coaching, regular feedback, and goal setting, fostering a positive inclusive and high-performing environment.

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, Supplemental) with pre-tax or Roth options and investment choices through TIAA and Vanguard
Substantial 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 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)