Job Details

Senior Director of Leadership Research

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 Director of Leadership Research

Job Profile Title
Director D, Research

Job Description Summary
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.

The Wharton School's 20+ research centers and initiatives serve as a hub for exchange and study where faculty, students, and members of the business community address pressing global business challenges. Their work generates courses, academic programs, community outreach, working papers, published research, and partnerships among academics, industry, and government. Wharton's Leadership Research Pillar supports and disseminates cutting-edge work across centers, programs, and initiatives in Leadership, covering areas including management, people analytics, human resources, operations and decisions, and leadership and change management.

Under the leadership of the Executive Director for the McNulty Leadership Program, the Senior Director of Leadership Research for the Wharton Leadership Pillar plays a strategic and integrative role in building Wharton's leadership research mission and priorities. This position drives collaboration and alignment across multiple faculty-led research centers to amplify Wharton's global impact on leadership-related research and practice.

The Senior Director of Leadership Research works in close partnership with the Leadership Research Pillar faculty lead, advancing the Pillar's research agenda by translating faculty research and institutional priorities into coordinated research themes, high-impact conferences and sponsored research opportunities. The Senior Director works with the McNulty Leadership Program Senior Leadership team and other institutional partners to set research priorities, identify emerging trends, and elevate the centers' collective research strengths into influential outputs and high-profile engagement opportunities. This is a newly established position with an evolving research pillar, and a high degree of initiative, comfort with ambiguity and the ability to build structure and momentum from the ground up is needed.

The Senior Director has the opportunity to teach up to 1 course (1 C.U.) per year, based on availability and background.

Job Description

The Senior Director's responsibilities will include:

Shape and coordinate Leadership Research priorities across centers and the Pillar: Partner with faculty directors to define and document research activity across the leadership research centers, ensuring each center maintains a clear and distinct focus, and creating opportunities for new research areas to emerge. Lead faculty conversations to surface new ideas, shape emerging research opportunities, and link related lines of inquiry during the creation of the Wharton Leadership Pillar. Track new leadership and management topics and create timely engagement opportunities with faculty, industry partners, and external stakeholders. Build relationship with faculty leads and affiliated faculty across the School.
Develop and deliver flagship research programming: Provide strategic oversight for the design and execution of high-profile academic and industry conferences and round tables. Shape agendas, themes, and content that reflect each center's strengths and bring together leading voices from academia and practice.
Build and manage industry partnership relationships and pipeline: Work closely with McNulty Senior Leadership and Wharton External Affairs to cultivate relationships with industry and foundations whose interests align with center priorities. Offer informed guidance on potential corporate partnerships and opportunities for sponsored research engagement.
Advance pillar and University collaboration: Build strong relationships with faculty and staff across academic departments to support research collaborations and shared initiatives. Connect centers with partners across Penn to promote interdisciplinary leadership and management research and expand the reach of Pillar activities.
Oversee internal research funding process: Manage the administration of internal Wharton research funding programs and the Wharton Research Common Application process, including proposal intake and evaluation, coordination with faculty reviewers, award decisions, and effective allocation of research resources.
Supervise Leadership Pillar support staff: Supervise Leadership Pillar support staff, providing direct oversight and day-to-day guidance on the execution program activities, research support tasks, marketing and event logistics. Work closely with any management and hiring Postdoctoral Researchers, RAs, and predoctoral researchers. Leads and supports direct report(s) through coaching, regular feedback, and goal setting, fostering a positive inclusive and high-performing environment.

Qualifications

Ph.D. strongly preferred; Master's degree required. 7+ years of progressively responsible experience managing research initiatives, academic programs, or comparable strategic research environments, or an equivalent combination of advanced education and relevant professional experience. A background or research focus in leadership, organizational behavior, human resources, people analytics, neuroscience, management, organizational psychology, sociology, or marketing preferred.

Experience in a research university with deep understanding of faculty partnership, academic research processes, and multi-center coordination strongly preferred.
Demonstrated success leading global or complex research projects, conferences, and high-profile events.
Proven ability to supervise and develop staff, manage complex operations, and lead multidisciplinary teams.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a collaborative and relationship-oriented approach and the ability to work effectively with faculty, senior administrators, donors, granting agencies, and external partners.
A proactive, self-directed leader who thrives in ambiguous, evolving environments and can build structure, momentum, and clarity from the ground up. Demonstrated success building new initiatives or functions within complex, matrixed organizations. Ability to translate academic research into externally relevant, high-impact programming and partnerships. Brings strong political acumen and the ability to influence without direct authority to align stakeholders, advance priorities, and drive results with sound judgment and a high degree of ownership.
Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, exercise sound judgment, and operate with integrity in a complex organizational environment.

Position is contingent upon funding.

Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School
Wharton School

Pay Range
$112,433.00 - $120,000.00 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.