Job Details

Senior Director, Strategy & Operations, Wharton Undergraduate Division
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Position Number: 5684961
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Position Type: Business - Finance

Senior Director, Strategy & Operations, Wharton Undergraduate Division

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn's distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America's Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes 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, and much more.

Posted Job Title
Senior Director, Strategy & Operations, Wharton Undergraduate Division

Job Profile Title
Director E, Business and Finance

Job Description Summary
Wharton School Overview
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 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 worldwide 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 diverse staff population representing a rich array of backgrounds, expertise, and cultures. To learn more, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.

The Senior Director of Strategy & Operations provides senior leadership, strategic planning, and data-driven decision-making for the Wharton Undergraduate Division. The role involves managing critical areas such as student experience, operations, marketing/communication, finance, and data, while building out metrics for success.

The Senior Director works closely with the Vice Dean, students, staff, and alumni stakeholders to advance the long-term mission and vision of the division and Wharton. In collaboration with other Senior Directors, this role ensures that strategic initiatives are aligned with the priorities of the division and school-wide goals.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

Serve as a strategic thought-partner to the Vice Dean in evaluating and adapting division strategies, ensuring they meet long-term goals and the overall mission of Wharton
Lead the division's strategic planning process, working with senior leaders, students, staff, and alumni to drive key initiatives forward and foster alignment.
Manage and oversee a team of five direct reports (including those in student experience, operations/communications, finance, equity and inclusion, and research and scholars), promoting collaboration between academic and student engagement teams to enhance the student experience.
Oversee the division's financial management, including budget processes, multi-year financial planning, and resource allocation based on outcome assessments and metrics.
Lead operational analysis for continuous process improvement and change management to support data-driven planning efforts that span a wide range of initiatives across the division.
Manage and direct the division's yearly strategic planning process. Analyze data from various systems to produce data-driven reports, including an end-of-year summary, and oversee the administration of the annual stakeholder survey.
Collaborate with key internal and external stakeholders (e.g., MBA Division, External Affairs, McNulty Leadership Program) to align and implement strategic initiatives that enhance the division's goals and the overall student experience. Act as a liaison between the division and Wharton constituencies, as well as the broader University, to enact school-wide and university strategic priorities.
Engage with division-sponsored student organizations, leading collaborative projects that foster student involvement and align with the division's goals.

Qualifications

A master's degree and 7-10 years of related experience is required, or equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience in leadership roles focused on strategy, operations, financial management, or related areas within an academic, non-profit, or related environment is required.
Proven experience in strategic planning, budget oversight, and data-driven decision-making, including multi-year financial planning and resource allocation.
Demonstrated success in managing and developing teams, with the ability to promote collaboration across different functional areas.
Strong analytical skills and experience conducting operational analyses to support process improvement and organizational change management.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a proven ability to engage effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior leaders, faculty, staff, students, and external partners.
Proven ability to manage complex projects and initiatives from concept through execution while ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
Commitment to fostering an inclusive environment and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications Include:

Prior experience in higher education administration, particularly in student experience or academic operations.
Knowledge of higher education organizational structures and processes, or experience working within a similar academic setting.
Experience managing change management initiatives and leading teams through organizational transitions.
Strong financial acumen, with experience in managing multi-million-dollar budgets and aligning resources with strategic outcomes.
Familiarity with data analysis tools and methodologies, such as Excel, Tableau, or similar platforms, to generate reports and inform decision-making.
Ability to act as a liaison between various departments and foster strong partnerships across an organization.
Experience working with student organizations and facilitating student engagement projects.

Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School
Wharton School

Pay Range
$110,850.00 - $234,133.00 Annual Rate
Salary offers are made based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile.

Affirmative Action Statement
Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.

Special Requirements
Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: 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.
Tuition: 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.
Retirement: 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.
Time Away from Work: 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.
Long-Term Care Insurance: 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.
Wellness and Work-life Resources: 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.
Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.
University Resources: 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.
Discounts and Special Services: 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 Hours: 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 Home Ownership Services: 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.
Adoption Assistance: 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.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay

To apply, visit https://wd1.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/recruiting/upenn/careers-at-penn/job/SteinbergDietrich-Hall/Senior-Director--Strategy---Operations--Wharton-Undergraduate-Division_JR00097995