Job Information
University of Pennsylvania Interim Director of Conferences and Events in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
University Overview
The 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 Penn’s 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 America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.
Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, 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 for work and play.
The University 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.
Posted Job Title
Interim Director of Conferences and Events
Job Profile Title
Director B, Arts and Media, Events
Job Description Summary
The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School is one of the nation’s oldest and most distinguished Law Schools. The School offers a unique approach, incorporating cross-disciplinary legal education, a distinctly collaborative environment, and an innovative curriculum to enrich student learning. The small and highly interdisciplinary faculty achieves scholarly excellence while emphasizing a shared effort to advance understanding of the law. The result is an intellectual community that bridges traditional boundaries and disciplines within a renowned internal culture of collegiality, making the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School an extraordinarily supportive academic community for all its members.
The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School has a high caliber, extremely productive law faculty. Our faculty teaching and research is at the forefront of important societal issues. We support this by bringing scholars, practitioners, and students to the Law School for a variety of world-class events.
Alongside a phased retirement for the current Executive Director of Conferences and Events, we have a one-year term position as Director of Conferences and Events. The Director serves as chief strategic partner to faculty and others on the high-level implementation of live, virtual, and hybrid events. The Director consults with individual faculty members, Center and Institute faculty and staff, staff colleagues, and visitors/guests to envision and develop significant faculty conferences, colloquia, symposia, and meetings. The Director manages a team of experienced conference and event Program Managers and an Administrative Coordinator and ensures excellence in a wide array of events hosted each year by Penn Carey Law and its faculty.
Reporting to the Associate Dean for Finance and Administration, the Director holds a one-year term position through June of 2025, full-time, that is hybrid eligible. Responsibilities include:
Job Description
STRATEGIC
Strategically partner with faculty and department leads in planning, conceptualizing, and communicating around best in class conferences and events at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.
Design and implement a strategic approach to conferences and events, establishing best practices and ensuring maximum coordination of events to enhance the reputation of Penn Carey Law.
Provide advice to and consult with Conferences and Events team members, as well as with faculty members and departments, to ensure the highest standards of event management throughout all programs.
PROGRAMMATIC
Ensure the development and implementation of systems for the management and logistical execution of a wide array of events, conferences, symposia, and activities at Penn Carey Law.
Supervise the creation of event plans that match the level of stewardship and expectations of a variety of audiences, both internal and external.
Ensure the efficient management of logistics for multiple events simultaneously.
Oversee the coordinated calendaring of all Penn Carey Law events; ensure cross-checks and broad communication with Law School and other constituents about opportunities and potential conflicts.
OPERATIONAL
Ensure that all conferences and events planning is coordinated with the Facilities department, establishing regular and efficient communication mechanisms between the offices.
With a goal of ensuring wide knowledge of Penn Carey Law events and activities, supervise the sharing of information, systems, and event content with Penn Carey Law’s Communications Department.
Ensure coordination and collaboration on events across all departments, and especially in support of events from Development and Alumni Relations and from Student Affairs.
Represent Penn Carey Law to high level guests and event participants, as well as to University of Pennsylvania offices and departments collaborating on events at the Law School.
MANAGEMENT
Hire, inspire, and manage a talented team of five full-time colleagues in support of conferences and events.
Develop and carefully manage an events budget that incorporates all expenses and coordinates vendors and supplies across the School.
Develop reports on conferences and events for the Dean and others; present these reports on request.
Other duties and responsibilities as assigned
REQUIREMENTS:
B.A. or B.S. required, along with five to seven years of increasing managerial and programming responsibility.
Portfolio of creative, innovative, exciting work, demonstrating the ability to design and implement, from start to finish, a wide variety of high-level events.
Established track record as collaborator in the workplace, within the immediate department and within a larger institution.
Demonstrated ability to conceptualize and execute (both personally and by managing others) both large and small events that match educational, pedagogical, and stewardship goals, with the ability to design programming over an extended period of time and to implement a planning and budgeting process across the cycle of individual events and an academic cycle.
Experience managing a disparate group of staff and constituents and coordinating large projects while successfully championing an integrated approach and excellent end result.
Experience working with various constituencies including faculty members and academics, alumni and donors, vendors and caterers, facilities management, high-level administrators, and others.
Must be available to work occasional weekends and/or after regular business hours.
Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Department / School
Law School
Pay Range
$61,046.00 - $92,000.00 Annual Rate
Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile.
Affirmative Action Statement Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.
Special Requirements Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.
University Benefits
Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts : Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
Tuition : Take advantage of Penn's 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.
Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s 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.
Time 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 family—whatever your personal needs may be.
Long-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 you’re newly hired, you won’t 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.
Wellness and Work-life Resources : Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.
Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.
University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.
Discounts and Special Services : From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.
Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.
Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.
Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.
To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay
The University of Pennsylvania's special character is reflected in the diversity of the Penn community. We seek talented faculty and staff who will constitute a vibrant community that draws on the strength that comes with a substantive institutional commitment to diversity along dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, veteran status, interests, perspectives, and socioeconomic status. Grounded in equal opportunity, nondiscrimination, and affirmative action, Penn's robust commitment to diversity is fundamental to the University's mission of advancing knowledge, educating leaders for all sectors of society, and public service. The University of Pennsylvania prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.