Program Specialist, Curricular Extension

Description

The Program Specialist of Curricular Extensions plays a central operational leadership role in supporting Wharton’s undergraduate and graduate leadership education. Reporting to the Director of Undergraduate Leadership Development, this position independently oversees key operational workflows that connect Wharton’s foundational leadership courses with high-impact co-curricular programming.

The Program Specialist serves as the end-to-end operational owner for Gateway P3 : Purpose, Passion, Principles—designing and refining program workflows, managing registration systems and communications templates, coordinating vendor and partner engagement, and serving as the primary logistical point of contact for students, facilitators, staff, and external partners. The Program Specialist also acts as the operational liaison to Penn Athletics for PAWLA, coordinating support structures, communications sequences, and program materials to ensure alignment with leadership development goals.

In addition, the Program Specialist serves as the operations lead for core operational functions for Wharton’s foundational leadership courses—MGMT 6100, WH1010, and MGMT 4020—including overseeing logistical planning, client-engagement workflows, TA onboarding processes, systems documentation, and coordination with Wharton Operations, IT / AV, program offices, and administrative units. The Program Specialist trains and supervises temporary staff, graduate assistants, and / or undergraduate student workers who are responsible for routine execution (for example, scheduling, materials preparation, data entry, event-day logistics) and maintains lead responsibility for accuracy, timeliness, and adherence to established workflows.

Through independent problem-solving, cross-unit collaboration, and stewardship of core systems and processes, the Program Specialist strengthens the integration of curricular and co-curricular leadership learning and supports program excellence across Wharton’s undergraduate and MBA audiences.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree and 2–3 years of related experience, preferably in a university setting, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, required.

• Proven project management skills with the ability to coordinate complex logistics and workflows across diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated attention to detail and accuracy, strong analytical skills, and the capacity to exercise independent judgment within the scope of the role, with a high level of accountability for delivering reliable, timely, and well-documented work.
• Ability to work effectively with faculty, students, administrators, and external partners to create solutions that meet program needs.
• Must be able to successfully manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment while maintaining professionalism, clear communication, and strong interpersonal relationships.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) required; knowledge of basic accounting preferred.
• Experience with online survey instruments such as Qualtrics is desirable.
• Comfort with, and ideally enthusiasm for, data and spreadsheets will serve a candidate well in this role.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Wharton School

Pay Range

$55,000.00 - $67,128.00 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.