Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives

The University of Pennsylvania seeks a Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives to serve as a senior member of the President's Office and integral member of the President's leadership team.

Position Overview:
Reporting to the Vice President and Chief of Staff and working under the Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, this role is responsible for advancing Penn Forward and other major strategic initiatives from concept through execution, evaluation, and communication.

Key Responsibilities:
• Drive Penn Forward and strategic initiatives from planning to implementation with clear milestones and deliverables
• Partner with SVP for Strategic Initiatives and senior administrators to coordinate workstreams and resolve barriers
• Provide high-level project management for complex, cross-institutional initiatives
• Engage with faculty, staff, students, trustees, alumni, and external partners
• Prepare briefings, presentations, and materials for President and senior leadership
• Supervise, mentor, and develop 3-6 interns/early-career professionals
• Conduct research on strategic questions and peer-institution practices
• Lead stakeholder communication in coordination with VP University Communications
• Support general operations of Office of the President

Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree and 7-10 years progressive experience in strategic initiatives, project management, consulting, or higher education administration (graduate degree and 10 years preferred)
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in fast-paced, high-stakes environment
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build trusted relationships
• Experience supervising early/mid-career professionals
• Ability to handle sensitive matters with discretion
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Salary: $133,000-$175,000 annually
Application Deadline: January 16, 2026