Operations Coordinator, Venture Lab, Wharton School

Job Description Summary

Wharton School Overview
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.

Venture Lab is a partnership by The Wharton School, Penn Engineering, and The Stuart Weitzman School of Design that provides a physical start here button to serve all students and alumni across the University of Pennsylvania who are interested in entrepreneurship and innovation. Housed in Tangen Hall, Venture Lab is the hub of entrepreneurship for the University of Pennsylvania. We provide students with resources to launch and grow their students businesses through programming, workshops, community, and over 1.5 Million a year in undiluted funds. At seven stories and 68,000 square feet, Venture Lab is the largest student entrepreneurship hub in the world.

Job Description

The Operations Coordinator plays a critical role in supporting Tangen Hall and Venture Lab Operations, and is responsible for office management & community experience, systems operations, and the support of executive functions of Tangen Hall and Venture Lab leadership. This role ensures the seamless day-to-day functioning of Tangen Hall while supporting process improvements and supporting strategic initiatives across Venture Lab.

The Operations Coordinator builds and maintains strong relationships with Tangen Hall tenants to foster a cohesive, welcoming, and creatively activated environment for student makers and entrepreneurship-focused groups. The Coordinator will support the Director of Tangen Hall to identify initiatives that will encourage increased usage of Tangen Hall and engagement with Venture Lab.The Coordinator collaborates closely with the Director of Tangen Hall, the Program Coordinator of Community Development, security, housekeeping, and Wharton Operations to oversee office management, space usage, maintain functional building resources, and ensure efficient scheduling and communication across teams. In addition, the Operations Coordinator manages building access in partnership with Allied Security and Access Services, maintaining accurate access lists, processing weekly reports, and ensuring appropriate access levels for students, faculty, and staff.

The Operations Coordinator supports the Director of Tangen Hall in improving day-to-day operations and enhancing the student and staff experience. This role focuses on executing process improvements, maintaining systems, and helping streamline workflows to increase efficiency and effectiveness across Venture Lab.

In this role, the Operations Coordinator will assist in identifying operational gaps and implementing solutions, including supporting process enhancements and basic automations that reduce administrative burden. The Coordinator will help maintain and support core business systems and processes across Venture Lab, including CRM/database management, project management tools, file management and data retention, recruitment and onboarding processes, and KPI tracking and reporting.

The Operations Coordinator will also assist in collecting, tracking, and organizing key performance data, contributing to the preparation of internal and external reports. This role requires strong collaboration with cross-functional teams across Venture Lab, as well as coordination with partners at Wharton and the University of Pennsylvania.

The Coordinator oversees core office management functions, including procurement and inventory management of office, mailing, and kitchenette supplies, vendor coordination and contract management, mail and package distribution, copier and equipment maintenance, facilities requests and work order coordination; space organization and upkeep, budget tracking for operational expenses; and implementation of office policies and procedures. The Coordinator ensures shared spaces are well-maintained, functional, and welcoming, proactively identifying operational needs and resolving issues to support a productive and professional environment.

The Operations Coordinator also partners with the Program Coordinator for Community Development and other internal stakeholders and external event managers to deliver seamless events-from reviewing certificates of insurance to coordinating catering, staging, lighting, sound, recording, and livestreaming. They triage and resolve issues in real time and ensure all activities adhere to University of Pennsylvania operational requirements, including fire codes and alcohol policies. The role regularly books supplemental support such as movers, rental furniture, decor, security, and housekeeping.

A function of this role is to provide high-level administrative and operational support to the Vice Dean and Executive Director of Venture Lab. This includes complex calendar management, meeting prioritization, domestic and international travel logistics, expense management, research tasks, project tracking, and preparation of materials. The Coordinator assists with strategic initiatives across Venture Lab.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree, with 2-3 years of experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience in operations, event planning, facilities coordination, administrative support, or similar roles.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills; ability to work effectively with students, staff, faculty, tenants, and external partners.
• Proven ability to manage and optimize complex calendars for senior leaders, including prioritizing requests and aligning scheduling with strategic priorities.
• Experience coordinating travel arrangements, preparing itineraries, and processing expense reports in compliance with university or organizational policies.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify operational gaps, streamline workflows, and implement process improvements.
• High level of discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment when working with senior leaders and sensitive information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in higher education, entrepreneurship centers, innovation hubs, or student-focused environments.
• Experience working with diverse student populations and supporting community engagement initiatives.
• Background in project management, process optimization, or automation tools.
• Ability to support high-visibility events, donor engagements, and cross-departmental initiatives.
• Flexibility to work evenings or weekends as required for events or special projects.

Job Location

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Wharton School

Pay Range

$23.80 - $30.00 Hourly Rate