Executive Assistant, Leonard Davis Institute of Economics

Description

Responsibilities include managing complex, dynamic calendars with a high volume of scheduling requests from internal and external stakeholders, coordinating across Penn schools, health systems, and national partners. This position will anticipate scheduling needs, diplomatically resolve conflicts, and communicate final schedules with accuracy and professionalism.

The Executive Assistant will gather, synthesize, and prepare briefing materials for high-level meetings, conferences, speeches, and appointments; draft and edit presentation decks and communications; and coordinate all logistics for Executive Director travel and reimbursement. This position also supports governance functions by planning, organizing, and executing board meetings, governing board meetings and high-profile events, ensuring seamless delivery and follow-through.

This role will design, implement, and maintain critical office operations and infrastructure, including protocols, electronic and physical file systems, institutional recordkeeping, and internal knowledge management. Responsibilities also include managing archival materials; maintaining and optimizing key communications infrastructure such as email listservs and stakeholder databases; and overseeing the development and upkeep of office operations and policy manuals.

The Executive Assistant represents the Executive Director and Penn LDI to senior University leadership, board members, funders, and leading national figures in health policy. This includes handling high-level inquiries and interactions with discretion and diplomacy, managing sensitive and confidential matters, and serving as a key point of contact for internal and external audiences.

This position will also draft, manage, and coordinate executive-level communications, including emails, letters, memos, and reports, often on behalf of or in consultation with the Executive Director. The Executive Assistant must be able to exercise sound judgment, manage competing priorities with poise, and resolve issues with discretion, accuracy, and efficiency.

Qualifications

A bachelor’s degree and 5 to 7 years of relevant experience—or an equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible experience—is required. Ten or more years of experience supporting senior leadership or C-suite executives is strongly preferred. Advanced proficiency with Microsoft 365 (particularly Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams) is required. Prior experience managing high-stakes scheduling, logistics, and communications at the executive level is essential.

The ideal candidate will have exceptional written and verbal communication skills, high emotional intelligence, and the ability to navigate a fast-paced environment with professionalism and discretion. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, independent problem-solving ability, and a proactive, collaborative mindset are critical for success in this role.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Wharton School

Pay Range

$76,000.00 - $80,000.00 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, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization 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), citizenship status, 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 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.