Associate Director of Operations

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

Associate Director of Operations

Job Profile Title

Associate Director B, 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 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.

The Associate Director of Operations oversees the financial and administrative operations of the finance pillar, optimizing resources and processes, and ensuring compliance with University policies and procedures. The Associate Director also serves as the operational systems lead for the pillar, supporting clear workflows and operational visibility across recurring initiatives and cross-functional projects. This position reports to the Managing Director of the Finance Research Centers.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Oversee department purchasing, including purchase orders, non-PO payments, purchasing and meeting card purchases, and additional payments. Execute and review transactions to ensure accuracy, compliance, and timeliness, while managing end-to-end purchasing workflows in coordination with internal stakeholders. Advise team members on purchasing best practices, support competitive bidding processes for large-scale purchases, and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, strengthen controls, and optimize resource utilization.
• Lead the development, standardization, and ongoing refinement of operational systems and workflows that support effective project execution and team coordination. Establish and maintain tools such as Asana templates, shared calendars, and tracking mechanisms for key initiatives and spending. Promote consistent adoption across the team, proactively identify gaps or risks in workflows, and implement process improvements that enhance clarity, accountability, and operational efficiency.
• Manage the administrative end-to-end hiring and onboarding processes for researchers, student workers, and temporary staff, with primary ownership of Workday transactions and employment administration. Partner with leadership and faculty to facilitate recruitment efforts and ensure a smooth and compliant onboarding experience. Provide high-touch support for specialized hiring needs, particularly for research roles, while ensuring alignment with institutional policies and timelines.
• Oversee the administration of travel and reimbursement processes for external guests, including senior academics, industry leaders, and government officials. Manage payment workflows across systems, directly support guests throughout the reimbursement process, and resolve issues as they arise, particularly in nuanced cases such as international payments and honoraria. Provide guidance and review support to the department coordinator, while continuously improving processes to enhance efficiency and user experience.
• Develop and maintain reporting tools and dashboards that provide visibility into project timelines, budgets, and team capacity. Track and analyze operational data to support planning and decision-making, proactively identifying risks, resource constraints, and opportunities for improvement. Leverage tools such as Asana and Excel to enhance transparency and strengthen operational oversight across initiatives.
• Serve as a key point of coordination for departmental operations, including managing access requests in partnership with central Operations and administering appointments for visiting scholars and senior fellows. Oversee onboarding logistics for external affiliates, ensuring a seamless experience across systems and stakeholders. Maintain strong working relationships with internal partners and external constituents, supporting a high volume of concurrent activities with a high level of responsiveness and attention to detail.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required and 2-3 years of experience in business, operations, or project coordination, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience managing purchasing, hiring, and/or administrative operations for a team.
• Demonstrated experience improving operational processes or implementing workflow systems.
• Experience coordinating projects involving multiple stakeholders.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and exercise sound judgment and discretion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with University policies, procedures, and financial systems.
• Experience using project management or workflow software, such as Asana and Smartsheet.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Submitting by June 1 is encouraged for priority consideration. All applicants must submit a cover letter.

Department / School

Wharton School

Pay Range

$65,628.00 - $72,000.00 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, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin(including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protectedunder applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements
Background checks may be 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.

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