Senior Director, Open Enrollment Programs - Wharton Executive Education

University of Pennsylvania; United (PA); On-site; USD 132,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Tuition benefits

Retirement plans

Flexible work hours

Wellness resources

Job summary

University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Executive Education seeks a Senior Director of Open Enrollment Programs to lead the Open Enrollment director team, guiding the portfolio across in-person, blended, and online formats. You will partner with Wharton and Penn faculty to innovate curricula and align programs with strategic goals.

Based in Philadelphia, PA, you will drive revenue growth, manage governance and stakeholder relations, and lead teams to deliver exceptional participant experiences

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; 10+ years in executive education or related field; master's preferred.
• Proven leadership of high-performing teams with strategic direction and accountability.
• Strong business and financial acumen; experience managing program portfolios for growth and profitability.
• Ability to build trusted relationships with faculty, executives, clients, and cross-functional partners.
• Experience developing and evolving educational programs in response to market needs.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Open Enrollment director team across in-person, blended, and emerging modalities.
• Lead directors responsible for design, delivery, and evaluation of Open Enrollment programs; manage portfolio priorities and growth opportunities.
• Supervise and develop Directors; set performance expectations and foster a collaborative, high-performing culture.
• Oversee financial performance of the Open Enrollment portfolio; partner to develop strategies and achieve revenue and profitability goals.
• Build strategic relationships with Wharton and Penn faculty to advance curriculum innovation and portfolio growth.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic thinking

Financial acumen

Stakeholder management

Program management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Senior Director, Open Enrollment Programs - Wharton ExecutiveEducation

University Overview

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, 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 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

Senior Director, Open Enrollment Programs - Wharton ExecutiveEducation

Job Profile Title

Director E, Student Services, Executive Education

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 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 community ofstaff, bringing a wide range of skills, experiences, andperspectives. To learn more, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the OpenEnrollment director team, overseeing a portfolio of executiveeducation programs and ensuring alignment with Wharton ExecutiveEducation's strategic objectives.
• Lead and develop a team of Directors responsible for thedesign, delivery, evaluation, and continuous improvement of openenrollment programs. Establish portfolio priorities, identifyopportunities for growth and innovation, and oversee the evolutionof the portfolio across in-person, blended, and emerging learningmodalities. Directly manage a portfolio of high-profile strategicprograms and institutional partnerships.
• Supervise, coach, mentor, and evaluate a team of Directorsresponsible for program management and portfolio performance.Establish performance expectations, support professionaldevelopment, and foster a collaborative, high-performing teamculture. Guide Directors in strategic planning, decision-making,financial management, and stakeholder engagement.
• Provide oversight for the financial performance of the OpenEnrollment portfolio, including revenue, expenses, profitability,enrollment performance, and resource utilization. Partner withDirectors to develop financial strategies, monitor programperformance, and achieve annual revenue and profitability goals.Allocate resources to optimize portfolio performance and supportorganizational growth objectives.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with Wharton andPenn faculty to advance curriculum innovation, program quality, andportfolio growth. Collaborate with faculty and academic leadershipto identify emerging topics, refresh existing programs, and developnew executive education offerings. Develop strategies to diversifyand expand the faculty pool by engaging Wharton and Penn faculty,industry leaders, and global subject matter experts.
• Participate as a key member of the Open Enrollment leadershipteam, contributing to strategic planning, policy development, andorganizational decision-making. Collaborate with senior leadersacross Business Development, Revenue Management, Marketing, ClientRelations, Operations, Online, and Custom Executive Education toadvance strategic initiatives and deliver an integrated participantexperience. Serve as a strategic advisor on executive educationtrends, supporting business development efforts, proposaldevelopment, and institutional partnerships.
• Establish standards for instructional excellence andparticipant experience across the Open Enrollment portfolio.
• Monitor participant satisfaction, learning outcomes, andprogram evaluations, ensuring feedback is incorporated into programenhancements. Lead continuous improvement initiatives thatstrengthen program quality, innovation, and serviceexcellence.
• Monitor global business, leadership, executive education, andcompetitive market trends to inform portfolio strategy and identifyopportunities for innovation and growth. Evaluate market demand,participant needs, and competitive positioning to guide investmentand program portfolio decisions. Represent Wharton ExecutiveEducation internally and externally, promoting the value and impactof the Open Enrollment portfolio.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 10+ years of progressively responsibleexperience in executive education, higher education, professionaleducation, or a related field, or an equivalent combination ofeducation and experience. Master's degree preferred.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing high-performingteams, with the ability to provide strategic direction, establishpriorities, and foster collaboration and accountability.
• Strong business and financial acumen, including experiencemanaging a portfolio of programs, products, or services withresponsibility for growth, revenue, profitability, resourceallocation, and overall performance.
• Proven ability to build trusted relationships and collaborateeffectively with senior-level stakeholders, including faculty,academic leaders, executives, clients, and cross-functionalpartners.
• Experience developing, evaluating, and evolving educationalprograms or comparable offerings in response to changing customerneeds, market trends, participant feedback, and emergingopportunities.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, communication, andorganizational skills, with demonstrated ability to navigatecomplex organizations, manage multiple priorities, and lead throughinfluence.
• This position is considered essential personnel, and expectedto travel (domestic and international) as well as work outside ofnormal business hours including early mornings, late evenings, andweekends.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Wharton School

Pay Range

$132,275.00 - $180,000.00 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 to 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, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay