Executive Director, Venture Lab

divh2Executive Director, Venture Lab/h2pThe 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 Penns 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 Americas Best Large Employers in 2023./ppPenn 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./ppThe Executive Director (ED) reports to the Vice Dean of Entrepreneurship and serves as the most senior staff leader of Venture Lab and its home in Tangen Hall. The ED is responsible for maximizing Venture Labs impact, visibility, community, brand recognition, and partnerships, while ensuring the workplace functions as a high-performing, collaborative ecosystem. The ED works closely with students, alumni, faculty, staff, and external partners, aligning with University priorities and expanding stakeholder networks. This role drives organizational growth, leads change, and strengthens culture, ensuring priorities are clear, collaboration is effective, and work is both engaging and productive. The ED provides accessible, hands-on leadership to a team of professional staff, advancing strong management practices, operational efficiency, and a consistently high level of service to all constituents. The ED has a critical leadership role providing strategic oversight of programming, core support functions, and resource management, including more than 80 funds comprising a self-sustaining budget of over $8 million annually. In close partnership with External Affairs and University Development, the ED supports donor stewardship and cultivates relationships that ensure financial sustainability. As the steward of Tangen Hall, the ED provides oversight so the facility operates as a vibrant, strategically aligned hub for the entrepreneurial community. This role requires balancing significant financial, managerial, and operational responsibilities with indirect but meaningful influence on day-to-day activities, while serving as a visible, trusted leader who engages broadly across students, alumni, and external partners./ppWharton School Overview/ppFounded in 1881 as the worlds 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 Educations 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./ppThe Executive Director (ED) reports to the Vice Dean of Entrepreneurship and serves as the most senior staff leader of Venture Lab and its home in Tangen Hall. The ED is responsible for maximizing Venture Labs impact, visibility, community, brand recognition, and partnerships, while ensuring the workplace functions as a high-performing, collaborative ecosystem./ppThe ED works closely with students, alumni, faculty, staff, and external partners, aligning with University priorities and expanding stakeholder networks. This role drives organizational growth, leads change, and strengthens culture, ensuring priorities are clear, collaboration is effective, and work is both engaging and productive. The ED provides accessible, hands-on leadership to a team of professional staff, advancing strong management practices, operational efficiency, and a consistently high level of service to all constituents./ppThe ED has a critical leadership role providing strategic oversight of programming, core support functions, and resource management, including more than 80 funds comprising a self-sustaining budget of over $8 million annually. In close partnership with External Affairs and University Development, the ED supports donor stewardship and cultivates relationships that ensure financial sustainability. As the steward of Tangen Hall, the ED provides oversight so the facility operates as a vibrant, strategically aligned hub for the entrepreneurial community. This role requires balancing significant financial, managerial, and operational responsibilities with indirect but meaningful influence on day-to-day activities, while serving as a visible, trusted leader who engages broadly across students, alumni, and external partners./ppQualifications/pulliA Masters degree and 10+ years of leadership experience are required or equivalent combination of education and experience./liliProven track record in organizational growth, change leadership, and building high-functioning teams./liliAbility to balance strategic vision with hands-on leadership, ensuring both high-level alignment and indirect oversight of daily execution./liliStrong people management skills with ability to coach leaders, address performance gaps, and strengthen collaboration./liliDemonstrated ability to engage with a variety of audiences (e.g., student, alumni, community) through workshops, office hours, or similar forums./liliDemonstrated success in partnership development, brand-building, and donor stewardship./liliExceptional communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to represent the organization effectively at local, national, and global levels./liliProven ability to manage complex, multi-million-dollar budgets and diverse funding sources, with a focus on financial sustainability./liliRegular in-person presence is required. Must also be able to work evenings and weekends as needed, and travel domestically and internationally./liliSubstantive experience in the startup landscape and entrepreneurial ecosystem strongly preferred./li/ulpApplicants must submit a cover letter./ppPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania/ppWharton School/pp$164,500.00 - $215,000.00 Annual Rate/ppSalary offers are made based on the candidates 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 jobs level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered./ppThe 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./ppBackground 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./ppUniversity Benefits/pulliHealth, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your familys health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars./liliTuition: Take advantage of Penns 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./liliRetirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penns 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./liliTime 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 familywhatever your personal needs may be./liliLong-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 youre newly hired, you wont 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./liliWellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. Thats why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance./liliProfessional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally./liliUniversity Resources: As a member of the/li/ul/div