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.

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.

Job Description Summary

Reporting to the Sr. Director Human Resources, Development and Alumni Relations, the Associate Director will function as an HR Generalist for Central DAR staff and departments.  A key focus of this role will be building a culture of community with diversity, equity and inclusion as a foundation for the division.  The person will be a thought partner with the Sr. Director on the evolving and strategic talent management and employee lifecycle planning that enables DAR staff to fully embrace the division’s core values.

The Associate Director will collaborate with Core HR and other University offices and centers, and Penn’s School and Center HR Departments regarding DEI, trainings and resources, University-wide projects (including Workday), communications, attendance at meetings, etc.  They will be the HR subject matter expert and trusted partner both internally to DAR HR and externally to all DAR, collaborating with all schools and centers for seamless operations and strategic planning processes.

The Associate Director will maintain confidentiality and professionalism at all times and provide a high level of customer service.  They will participate in Alumni Weekend and Homecoming, and be visible at DAR events representing HR as a partner in support of the organization’s mission.

Job Description

Recruitment and Selection

The Associate Director will oversee the hiring process and strategic planning for all DAR openings. They will work on creating a diverse candidate pipeline for strategic and key positions, partnering with School and Center HR teams and Core HR Talent Acquisition. This will include building an infrastructure to support external outreach and advertising and targeting underrepresented groups.

Engagement

The Associate Director will collaborate with DAR Professional Development and Core HR on new staff orientation and onboarding, including coaching new managers on their role to build a culture of community and inclusion. This will include the administration and interpretation of pulse and engagement surveys as metrics of success and identification of areas for action planning and continuous improvement.  They will advocate for University and DAR employee wellness opportunities including flexible work arrangements, communicating and championing University resources and work with Professional Development on DAR specific offerings.  The Associate Director will recommend solutions on employee rewards and recognition using creative non-compensatory solutions.  They will work with Sr. Director and across DAR to positively impact the sustainable and actionable efforts with DAR’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives.

Staff Development

The Associate Director will partner with DAR Professional Development on aspects of staff and manager development and ongoing workplace planning initiatives that support DAR’s talent management objectives.  Specifically, they will have an opportunity to create and collaborate on talent management programs, career pathing models, turnover analysis and succession planning. They will also align DAR job descriptions and job profiles with DEI initiatives

This person will manage the Ongoing Feedback program for performance management, including operational processes, communications and coaching with a lens toward staff development.  The Associate Director will function as the HR Generalist for all DAR departments, handling staff relations, advising managers and staff on HR policies and practices and advising on all performance management issues.  The person will partner with Professional Development on  management training related to employee relations challenges and staff development.

Working with Core HR Compensation and the Sr Director they will proactively identify and assist with and lead compensation strategic initiatives of approved plans based on internal and external market influences.  The Associate Director will be responsible for facilitating the annual merit increase and reclass programs, coordinate with DAR Finance on all staff budget issues, approve salaries for offers and advocate for a balanced approach to salary expenditures.

Separation and Transition

The Associate Director will coordinate and oversee exit interviews conducted by the Assistant Director of DAR HR, providing feedback to the Sr Director and DAR management.  They will coach and work with staff and managers on accountability and performance management objectives, and exit strategies as needed to help develop high performing teams to achieve optimum results.  Anticipate and proactively engage in strategic succession planning and workforce (re)structuring conversations and modelling.

Please provide a resume and cover letter for consideration. Please upload all documents in the “Resume/CV” section of the application prior to submitting.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree and minimum 3-5 years HR experience required, or equivalent education and experience combined, previous management experience preferred.
• Ability to shift between and bridge tactical operations and strategic planning in the Talent Management employee lifecycle.
• Ability to think outside the box and evaluate current processes, staff needs, HR interventions to identify continuous improvement opportunities in building and sustaining high performing teams in DAR.
• Ability to proactively build relationships to build trust both internally and externally with diverse staff and departments across the University.
• Exceptional employee relations, coaching and consulting track record in an HR environment highly desirable as is previous experience or exposure to training, DEI, recruitment and compensation.
• Ability and desire to stay abreast of changing HR trends, technology, and best practices across the employee life cycle and share information proactively.
• Strong organizational, verbal and written communication skills, working effectively with staff at all levels in the organization.
• Expert MS Office (especially Excel) skills in addition to HRIS experience required.
• HR certification preferred or willingness to certify

Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School
Development and Alumni Relations

Pay Range
$50,684.00 - $91,232.00

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.