Operations and Events Manager, Dean's Office

Job Details

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.