Job Details

Operations and Events Manager, Dean's Office

Position Number: 7212689
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Position Type: Conference and Events Administration

Operations and Events Manager, Dean's Office

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
Operations and Events Manager, Dean's Office

Job Profile Title
Associate Director B, Academic Affairs, Academic Administration

Job Description Summary
The Operations and Events Manager is a key operational, administrative, and event planning partner to the Chief of Staff and the Dean's Office. Reporting to the Chief of Staff, the Manager coordinates and supports priorities and projects of the Dean's Office and provides day-to-day operational support, including secondary administrative support for the Dean. The Manager also oversees end-to-end planning and execution of events, programs, and meetings led by the Dean's Office, including recurring faculty, staff, and leadership meetings as well as large-scale schoolwide or public programs. The role welcomes and assists guests visiting the Dean's Office and monitors and manages correspondence through the Dean's Office inbox, routing items appropriately and drafting or sending responses as needed to ensure timely, accurate resolution.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

Dean's Office Operations: Coordinate day-to-day Dean's Office operations (e.g., scheduling support, correspondence, office workflows), providing back-up administrative coverage for the Dean on behalf of the Executive Assistant to the Dean as needed; Greet and assist visitors to the Dean's Office, ensuring guests are welcomed, oriented, and connected with the appropriate host; Manage Dean's Office business processes, including vendor contracts, independent service provider agreements, expense reconciliations, and budget tracking; Provide administrative support to the Chief of Staff, including meeting coordination, materials preparation, recordkeeping, purchasing/expenses, and travel planning; Draft, format, fact-check, and proofread briefing notes, presentations, remarks, and other materials in coordination with the Chief of Staff and relevant partners; Handle sensitive information with discretion and represent the Dean's Office professionally with faculty, staff, and external partners.
Meeting Planning, Support, and Operations: Manage logistics and operations for standing Dean's Office and School meetings, in coordination with planning partners (e.g., GSE Human Resources for Staff Meetings, Office of Research and Faculty Affairs for Faculty Meetings, Development and Alumni Relations for alumni-facing programs); Staff and support recurring meetings and committees as requested (e.g., Senior Leadership Team, Executive Committee, Faculty/Staff meetings, ad hoc working groups), ensuring participants have what they need and follow-ups are captured and routed; Coordinate calendars/holds, rooms, setup, catering, materials distribution, agendas/pre-reads, and day-of support to keep meetings running smoothly.
Event Planning and Execution: Plan and deliver Dean's Office-led schoolwide and community events (e.g., receptions, retreats, dinners, staff/community gatherings, special programs); Build and manage event workplans (scope, timeline, run-of-show, staffing, vendors, accessibility, contingencies) and coordinate cross-functional partners to hit milestones; Oversee event budgets and administration: purchasing, contracts, reconciliation, and spend tracking; recommend tradeoffs as needed; Lead logistics and production: venues/room sets, catering, registration, signage, speaker/guest support, and day-of execution; Ensure compliance with University policies and best practices and document processes for repeatability.
Dean's Office Inbox and Correspondence Follow-Through: Monitor and triage the Dean's Office inbox daily; route items to the appropriate owner and track to timely closure; Draft and send routine responses as appropriate (scheduling, event communications, administrative follow-up), maintaining consistency with Dean's Office norms; Maintain simple intake categories, templates, and documentation so recurring requests are handled efficiently and consistently.
Perform additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications

ESSENTIAL:

A Bachelor's degree and 2-3 years of relevant experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Must be highly proficient in Microsoft Suite applications.
The ideal candidate will possess exceptional interpersonal and customer service skills, adept at collaborating with various stakeholders toward common goals. They will be capable of building trust by demonstrating competence, discretion, and thoughtfulness. They must be capable of and ready to "manage up" with senior colleagues to support execution and follow through.

PREFERRED:

At least 3 years of relevant experience with a preference for project management and administrative support roles for senior administrators in higher education.
The ideal candidate will be meticulous, with strong written and verbal communication and a positive, collaborative work style. Additionally, the candidate should demonstrate a high level of discretion with confidential information, robust problem-solving skills, and the capacity to manage multiple tasks simultaneously in a dynamic environment, adapting flexibly to shifting priorities and deadlines.
Prior experience with project management methodologies and Asana project management platform a plus.

*All applicants must submit a cover letter detailing their interest in the position. Cover letters can be uploaded to the same section as the resume/CV section.

Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School
Graduate School of Education

Pay Range
$58,506.00 - $70,000.00 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 protected under 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.

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

Equal Employment 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 protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

To apply, visit https://wd1.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/recruiting/upenn/careers-at-penn/job/Graduate-School-of-Education/Operations-and-Events-Manager--Dean-s-Office_JR00120158