Assistant Director for Graduate Programs

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

Assistant Director for Graduate Programs

Job Profile Title

Coordinator C

Job Description Summary

The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School is one of the nation's oldest and most distinguished law schools. Penn Carey Law offers a distinctive approach to legal education that emphasizes cross-disciplinary study, collaboration, and curricular innovation. Its highly interdisciplinary faculty achieves scholarly excellence while fostering a shared commitment to advancing the understanding of the law. The result is a vibrant intellectual community that bridges traditional academic boundaries within a renowned culture of collegiality, making Penn Carey Law School an extraordinarily supportive academic environment for students, faculty, and staff.

Each year, Penn Carey Law attracts outstanding legal practitioners and scholars from around the world to its LLM, LLCM, SJD, and Visiting Scholars Programs. The Office of Graduate Programs is responsible for recruiting, matriculating, and supporting these students and scholars; delivering exceptional academic and co-curricular programming; and cultivating strong relationships with alumni.

Reporting to the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs, the Assistant Director supports the mission and strategic goals of the Office of Graduate Programs and the law school. The Assistant Director represents the law school throughout the graduate admissions process, both on campus and internationally, and provides critical organization, analytical and operational support across all stages of the recruitment, admissions, enrollment, and student engagement.

The ideal candidate is a dynamic, detail-oriented professional with strong interpersonal, organizational, and public speaking skills, and a demonstrated ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, international academic environment.

Job Description

The Assistant Director will be responsible for, but not limited to the following

Recruitment and Admissions

• Counsel prospective students via email, phone, and in-person or virtual appointment regarding the admissions and enrollment processes.
• Manage, track, and report admissions data using UNITE and other databases.
• Review files and make admissions and scholarship recommendations as assigned by Assistant Dean.

Communications and Representation

• Assist with the development and updates of the viewbook, marketing materials, and other prerecruitment collateral.
• Coordinate on-campus visits for prospective and accepted students.
• Support the planning and execution of Admitted Student Week, Pre-Term, and other on-campus and virtual events.
• Represent Penn Carey Law at domestic and international recruitment events; evening, weekend, and international travel are required.

Student Life

• Collaborate with law school and university partners to plan social, cultural, and professional events that support onboarding, community-building, networking, and student well-being for LLM, LLCM, SJD students and Visiting Scholars.
• Coordinate with departments, including Financial Aid, Registrar, Student Affairs, Off-Campus Housing, and International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) regarding the enrollment and orientation processes.

Operations and Data Management

• Support the Graduate Programs Coordinator in processing more than 1,400 applications annually for the LLM, LLC, SJD, and Visiting Scholar programs across UNITE and other application platforms.
• Assist the Associate Director with all social, co-curricular, surveys, and workshops.
• Prepare and produce statistical reports for internal planning and external reporting purposes.

Other Duties

• Perform additional responsibilities as assigned.

Candidate Qualifications

We seek candidates who are reliable, adaptable, and committed to continuous learning and professional growth, with a demonstrated record of successful collaboration in a professional setting: The successful candidate will have:

• A Bachelor's degree (required), with a Master's Degree preferred.
• Two to four years of progressively responsible experience in higher education administration, with admissions experience preferred,
• Strong proficiency in Excel and admissions databases such as UNITE.
• Experience working in an international or globally focused environment and engaging with individuals from diverse cultural and geographic backgrounds.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, written, and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to build and maintain strong professional relationships with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and external partners.
• Foreign language skills and international work experience are valued but not required.

Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School
Law School

Pay Range
$64,500.00 - $76,500.00 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.