Associate Director, Event and Venue Operations - Wharton San Francisco

University of Pennsylvania; United (PA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 119,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Tuition benefits

Retirement plans

Flexible work hours

Job summary

Wharton San Francisco at the University of Pennsylvania seeks an Associate Director, Event and Venue Operations to lead event strategy, planning, and delivery across Wharton SF venues. This hands-on leader will manage budgets, vendor relationships, and on-site execution, coordinating with faculty, staff, alumni and external partners.

The role requires an experienced professional who can balance long-range planning with meticulous, on-site operations while ensuring a high-quality Wharton

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 5–7 years of job-related experience or equivalent combination.
• Experience overseeing event strategy, planning, operations, and execution of complex institutional events.
• Experience supervising and developing event staff and cross-team collaboration.
• Experience developing event policies, procedures, processes, and standards.
• Experience managing event operations, budgets, and performance metrics.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute event strategy, planning, production, and delivery for Wharton San Francisco events.
• Serve as primary client contact from conception to post-event closeout, translating objectives into timelines and staffing plans.
• Direct space setup, vendor activity, live execution, troubleshooting, teardown and follow-up.
• Establish and monitor event standards supporting Wharton's priorities across all venues.
• Oversee event operations across multiple venues, including transition to TheCube, ensuring scalable processes.

Skills

Event strategy

Budget management

Team leadership

Vendor negotiation

Communication skills

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Cvent

Eventbrite

EMS

Salesforce

Job description

Associate Director, Event and Venue Operations - Wharton SanFrancisco

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer inPhiladelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research,and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranksamong the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & WorldReport survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provideopportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education,all influenced by Penn's distinctive interdisciplinary approach toscholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been rankednationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbeswho named Penn one of America's Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city ofPhiladelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urbancampus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural,andrecreational activities. With its historical significance andlandmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety ofatmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home forwork and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includesexcellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and theirfamilies, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety ofprofessional development opportunities, supportive work and familybenefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources,and much more.

Posted Job Title

Associate Director, Event and Venue Operations - Wharton SanFrancisco

Job Profile Title

Associate Director D, Arts and Media, Events

Job Description Summary

Founded in 1881 as the world's first collegiate business school,the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is shaping thefuture of business by incubating ideas, driving insights, andcreating leaders who change the world. With campuses in bothPhiladelphia and San Francisco, Wharton has over 850 staff, afaculty population of more than 235 renowned professors, and 5,000undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students. Each year13,000 professionals from around the world advance their careersthrough Wharton Executive Education's individual,company-customized, and online programs. More than 104,000 Whartonalumni form a powerful global network of leaders who transformbusiness every day. Wharton is home to a dynamic population ofstaff, representing a rich array of backgrounds, expertise, andcultures. To learn more, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.

Wharton San Francisco is the West Coast home of the Wharton Schooland a hub for learning, innovation, industry engagement, andhigh-impact programs and events. WSF continues to expand itsprogramming, partnerships, facility use, and presence in the BayArea.

Under the direction of senior leadership, the Associate Director,Event and Venue Operations develops and executes event strategiesand oversees the planning, production, and delivery of WSF events.The role is accountable for event planning, client service, on-siteexecution, vendor and budget management, marketing, revenuegeneration, space readiness, and facility utilization. The managerdesigns and implements event systems, workflows, service standards,vendor relationships, inventory controls, and operating proceduresthat support consistent, scalable event operations.

The Associate Director will oversee event operations acrossmultiple WSF venues and establish and maintain the systems andoperating practices required to support high-quality, scalableevent delivery. As WSF transitions to its permanent home at TheCube, this includes coordinating venues with different layouts,equipment, access requirements, vendors, and operating constraints,while establishing the operational foundation for The Cube andmaintaining service continuity and a high-quality Whartonexperience.

The position partners with WSF leadership, the Senior ClientServices Manager, faculty, program teams, students, alumni,external clients, building partners, and vendors. The role requiresan experienced, hands-on event operations professional whoexercises sound judgment, manages competing priorities, buildsscalable operations, and moves between long-range planning anddetailed on-site execution.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Event Strategy Planning and Execution
  • Under the direction of senior leadership, develop and executethe strategy, planning, production, and delivery of events servingfaculty, students, alumni, partners, and external clients.
  • Serve as the primary client contact from initial conceptthrough post-event closeout, translating program objectives intodetailed timelines, staffing plans, communications, productionrequirements, and contingency plans.
  • Direct space setup, vendor activity, live execution,troubleshooting, teardown, and follow-up. Remain visible andhands-on during events.
  • Establish, implement, and monitor event standards that supportWharton's academic, research, alumni, student, andprofessional-development priorities.
  • Deliver a consistent, high-quality Wharton experience acrossall WSF venues.
• Operational Systems and Scalable Growth
  • Manage event and program operations across WSF Venues,including two to three swing spaces during the transition to TheCube and The Cube following opening.
  • Manage event resources and inventory to ensure WSF venues areappropriately equipped and supported for event and programneeds.
  • Create venue-specific operating plans addressing layouts,access, security, AV, catering, equipment, storage, staffing,transportation, and escalation requirements.
  • Design and implement The Cube's event workflows, playbooks,service standards, vendor model, inventory controls, schedulingpractices, and operating procedures.
  • Coordinate operational readiness, testing, opening,stabilization, and ongoing operations with WSF leadership, programteams, building partners, technology teams, and vendors.
  • Build systems that can scale as WSF expands programming,partnerships, bookings, facility use, and audience reach after themove.
• Vendor and Operational Management
  • Develop and manage relationships with catering, AV, security,housekeeping, building operations, rental, and other eventpartners.
  • Negotiate scopes, service levels, pricing, and contracts toprotect service quality, cost effectiveness, andaccountability.
  • Coordinate logistics, access, equipment, safety, and Universitypolicy compliance across all operating locations.
  • Identify operational risks, establish contingency plans,resolve issues quickly, and maintain service continuity duringchange.
  • Create redundancy through documentation, cross-training, andclear ownership of recurring operational work.
• Marketing, Communications, and Facility Utilization
  • Develop event programming and marketing strategies thatincrease engagement, external bookings, weekday utilization, andresponsible use of shared spaces.
  • Set and pursue revenue and utilization goals while balancingmission-driven programming, partner needs, and facilityconstraints.
  • Collaborate with internal teams on event positioning,communications, and audience development.
  • Maintain WSF website, newsletter as well as core internal andselect external communications
  • Strengthen WSF's visibility and market presence in the BayArea.
• Budget Development and Financial Oversight
  • Under the direction of senior leadership, develop and manageevent and venue operating budgets, including transition-relatedexpenses, in alignment with established financial priorities andgoals.
  • Prepare financial projections, negotiate costs, track expensesand revenue, and analyze event profitability.
  • Recommend resource allocations, vendor strategies, andoperating investments that support service quality, financialsustainability, and growth.
  • Maintain accurate financial documentation and ensure compliancewith University requirements.
• Reporting Performance and Stakeholder Communication
  • Track attendance, engagement, revenue, space utilization,service quality, operational readiness, and other key performancemeasures.
  • Provide regular forecasts, transition updates, riskassessments, and performance reports to WSF leadership.
  • Use results, incident reviews, and stakeholder feedback ihmprove programs, systems, vendor performance, and resourceplanning.
• Team Leadership
  • Supervise and develop the Events Coordinator and AdministrativeCoordinator and oversee temporary staff supporting events andprograms.
  • Set clear expectations, assign and prioritize work, hold teammembers accountable for results, and manage performance to supporthigh-quality service and the continued growth of WSF's eventoperations.
  • Provide guidance, share expertise, model sound judgment, andhelp team members strengthen their event planning and operationalcapabilities.
  • Coordinate student workers, temps and vendors as needed, andbuild operational redundancy through documentation andcross-training.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

This role requires a proactive, hands-on leader who can developevent strategy while also being actively involved in execution,ensuring high-quality, engaging experiences at Wharton SanFrancisco.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree and 5 to 7 years of job-related experience,or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Highereducation experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing event strategy, planning,operations, and execution, including complex institutionalevents.
• Experience supervising, motivating, and developing event staffand fostering collaboration and accountability across teams.
• Experience developing and implementing event policies,procedures, processes, and standards.
• Experience managing event operations, budgets, and performancemetrics.
• Strong strategic mindset, business insight, sound judgment, andsituational adaptability.
• Strong communication, collaboration, customer focus, andinterpersonal skills, with the ability to build effectiverelationships across organizational units and with keystakeholders.
• Demonstrated accountability, integrity, and ability to followthrough on commitments and support high-quality results.
• Strong collaborator who works effectively with diversestakeholders in a matrixed environment and brings a flexible,adaptable, approachable, and service-oriented style to buildingrelationships and achieving shared goals.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends as required to supportevent schedules, programs, and operational needs.

Preferred

• Experience in negotiating contracts with vendors, caterers, AVproviders, and other service providers.
• Proficiency in event management software (e.g., Cvent,Eventbrite, EMS, Salesforce) or knowledge of event space managementsoftware and systems for scheduling and tracking usage.
• Experience in identifying and implementing strategies toincrease external bookings and optimize space utilization.
• Proven experience designing event programs that driveengagement, revenue, and brand impact with an ability to managemultiple events simultaneously, from intimate gatherings tolarge-scale conferences.

Job Location - City, State

San Francisco, California

Compensation Note

In compliance with California law, theminimum salary for this position is $70,304 annually.

Department / School

Wharton School

Pay Range

$80,891.00 - $118,500.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate's qualifications,experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to therequirements of the position, and in alignment with salary rangesbased on external market data for the job's level. Internalorganization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The 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), citizenshipstatus, age, disability, veteran status or any class protectedunder applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements

Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer ismade. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to therequirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Pennoffers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health,dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and yourfamily's health and welfare. You can also use flexible spendingaccounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent careexpenses with pre-tax dollars.
• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuitionbenefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can gettuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are alsoeligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans tohelp you save for your future. Penn's Basic, Matching, andSupplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on apre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investmentoptions through TIAA and Vanguard.
• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with asubstantial amount of time away from work during the course of theyear. This allows you relax, take vacations, attend to personalaffairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time withfamily-whatever your personal needs may be.
• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with GenworthFinancial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible familymembers) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of thecosts of long-term care services received at home, in the communityor in a nursing facility. If you apply when you're newly hired, youwon't have to provide proof of good health or be subject tounderwriting requirements. Eligible family members must alwaysprovide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed tosupporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competingdemands of work and personal life. That's why we offer a widevariety of programs and resources to help you care for your health,your family, and your work-life balance.
• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides anarray of resources to help you advance yourself personally andprofessionally.
• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community,you have access to a wide range of University resources as well ascultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of theUniversity's libraries and athletic facilities, or visit ourarboretum and art galleries. There's always something going on atPenn, whether it's a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latestmusic or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the PennRelays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a memberof the Penn community, you're right in the middle of theexcitement-and you and your family can enjoy many of theseactivities for free.
• Discounts and Special Services: From arts andentertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find greatdeals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts andcultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admissionand memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoysubstantial savings on other goods and services such as new carsfrom Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movietickets, and admission to theme parks.
• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offercreative approaches for completing work while promoting balancebetween work and personal commitments. These approaches involve useof non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or jobstructures.
• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivableloan for eligible employees interested in buying a home orcurrently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used forclosing costs or home improvements.
• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligibleemployees on qualified expenses in connection with the legaladoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for upto two adoptions in your household.

To learn more, visit https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay