Senior Director of Leadership Research

Job Profile

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania seeks a Senior Director of Leadership Research to shape and coordinate leadership research priorities across centers and the Pillar.

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.
• Demonstrated success building new initiatives or functions within complex, matrixed organizations.
• Ability to translate academic research into externally relevant, high-impact programming and partnerships.
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, exercise sound judgment, and operate with integrity in a complex organizational environment.

Job Description

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.