Senior Program Manager

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 Program Manager, Wharton Opportunity Lab

Job Profile Title

Manager C, Student Services, Academic Programs

Job Description Summary

About Wharton Impact
The Impact, Value, and Sustainable Business Initiative (Wharton Impact) brings together Wharton faculty and students to conduct academically rigorous research and develop new curricular materials and
co-curricular experiences that analyze how business activities affect natural, human, and social capital - and how these impacts influence risk, opportunity, and sustainable business performance.

About Opportunity Lab
The Opportunity Lab conducts academically rigorous and practically relevant research that addresses barriers to economic mobility, uncovering the challenges and opportunities that individuals and communities often face at critical junctures. Informed by this research, we offer a variety of experiential and co-curricular learning opportunities and host industry-specific convenings. We advance Wharton's best-in-class education of current and future leaders, equipping them with the critical tools, skills, and perspectives needed to navigate a world in which barriers to economic mobility are increasingly material.

Job Description

Job Description Summary
The Senior Program Manager is a full-time role within the Wharton Impact, Value, and Sustainable Business Initiative (“Wharton Impact”), with a primary focus on Opportunity Lab.
The Senior Program Manager is responsible for Opportunity Lab programs, including program management, student management, liaising with program partners; working with Opportunity Lab Faculty Lead Damon Phillips on planning and strategy for the Lab. Beyond Opportunity Lab specifically, the Senior Program Manager will support other programs across Wharton Impact, as time allows, and collaborate with other colleagues within Wharton Impact, across the school and university, and the Philadelphia community. This individual will report to Wharton Impact’s Director of Student Programs, with a dotted line reporting to the Opportunity Lab Faculty Lead, Damon Phillips.

This includes the current programs that are a part of Opportunity Lab:

• The primary focus of the Senior Program Manager's role is leading the program management of Wharton WORKS. This includes support of in-prison teaching, teaching for returning citizens, workforce and entrepreneurship mentoring, development of assistance for formerly incarcerated entrepreneurs, education of employers, and the overall satisfaction of each WORKS stakeholder (as measured by participants' evaluations, employment, and recidivism rates, and the success of businesses and non-profits started by formerly incarcerated entrepreneurs). The Senior Program Manager will work closely with Civic House, a key partner in this work at the University, as well as Resilience Education, and the PA Department of Corrections and related organizations like Ardella's House. The Senior Program Manager will need to be an experienced and confident leader of this program, including onsite management of students at correctional facilities, who can manage dynamic situations to keep programming on track.

• Support Wharton's role as curriculum partner for the Champions for Financial Legacy program: supporting training events for participating schools, executing program survey and analysis of survey results.

• Supporting other programs with economic opportunity elements across Wharton Impact's programs; for example, supporting relevant project work in the Wharton Impact and Sustainability Consulting program, or the Penn Medicine- Wharton Fund for Health and Wharton Impact Venture Associates program, as time allows.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage the Wharton WORKS program, including student engagement, logistics, data, and outcomes.

• Apply Opportunity Lab insights to strengthen Wharton Impact programs and advise colleagues on best practices.

• Partner with Faculty Lead Damon Phillips on strategy, priorities, and new initiatives.

• Coordinate the Champions for Financial Legacy Program, including annual training and survey.

• Direct Opportunity Lab student fellows and workers, primarily MBA and Executive MBA students

• Participate in initiative-wide events and perform other duties as assigned.

RequiredQualifications:

• Minimum of 5 years of project and/or program management experience, preferably in a higher-education setting, with a focus on graduate-level programs and community engagement.  Proven ability to work effectively across diverse stakeholders and complex environments. 

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as: business, public policy, public administration, sociology, or human services, or project/program management.  A relevant Master’s degree (MSW, LSCW, etc) or equivalent professional experience is preferred. 

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively engage with diverse students, faculty, staff, and external stakeholders. Ability to represent Wharton, Opportunity Lab and our programs with professionalism across audiences.

• Excellent leadership and management skills, with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.

• Experience in managing complex programs and initiatives, with a track record of increasing responsibility in an organization. Ability to manage resources effectively.

• Attention to detail, strong problem-solving skills, and strong project management skills.

• Ability to work independently and exercise sound, ethical judgment.

• Experience in pushing projects/initiatives forward.

• Eagerness to work with individuals and communities impacted by the criminal justice system, including onsite at criminal justice facilities.

• Expertise in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).

• Willingness/ability to travel around the Philadelphia area (flexibility on public transit, ride share programs like Lyft, or personal vehicle.)

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated success in working with individuals and communities impacted by the criminal justice system, including onsite at criminal justice facilities.

• Demonstrated success in developing and implementing learning programs that achieve measurable learning outcomes.

• Willingness to travel outside the Philadelphia area occasionally for conferences and events.

• Experience working closely with and building rapport with graduate students. 

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Salary Range:  $80,000 to $85,000 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.

• Funding: This position is contingent upon gift/restricted funding.

• Work Schedule/Modality: This position is in-person in Philadelphia, PA, with some flexibility for hybrid work. This is a full-time role. During the academic year, events will take place in evening hours, including off-site events.   

Department / School

Wharton School

Pay Range

$66,000.00 - $85,000.00 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