Senior Director of Leadership Research

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 of Leadership Research

Job Profile Title

Director D, Research

Job Description Summary

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. 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.

Job Description

The Senior Director's responsibilities will include:

• 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.

Qualifications

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.

Position is contingent upon funding.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Wharton School

Pay Range

$112,433.00 - $120,000.00 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