Director, Academic Business Operations (Department of Medicine) - University of 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

Director, Academic Business Operations (Department of Medicine)





Job Profile Title

Director D, Research





Job Description Summary

This position has a dual report to the Chief Academic & Research Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Medicine and is primarily responsible for the department's university and PSOM fiscal operations. This role will partner with the Director or Research Administration and Sr. Director of Clinical Research Operations to provide strategic financial and operational oversight of research operations.





Job Description


The Director's responsibilities include oversight of research administration, financial management, compliance, systems integration, and compensation management, including faculty compensation for the Department’s research programs. This role involves leading a team to manage budgets, sponsored projects financial reporting, faculty and staff compensation plans, financial analysis, and reporting. The Director will collaborate with faculty, department heads, and institutional leadership to ensure that research initiatives are financially sustainable, compliant with regulations, and supported by optimized systems, resources, and competitive compensation practices. Additionally, the position will establish and maintain systems for and monitoring financial and administrative policies; review and oversight of human resource compensation requests, salary determinations and coverage for University personnel within the Divisions; Manage and approve access to various university financial systems and applications; providing leadership, professional development, training and supervision of financial analyst staff. The individual will also oversee the management of university budgets, research-related funds, gifts and endowments, ADF, and unrestricted funds across all divisions, programs and centers in Medicine. Develop and refine reporting throughout the department. Position serves as the primary point of contact for the Department with PSOM finance.




Director will be the primary lead for financial data projects and technology enhancements, including the annual budget submission and faculty compensation management, and will lead strategic projects. The Director will provide strategic oversight of research administration systems, including financial management platforms, grant management software, and reporting tools; lead the integration of research systems with institutional finance, HR, and other administrative systems to ensure data consistency and streamlined operations; collaborate with IT and other departments to implement, upgrade, or optimize technology solutions that enhance research operations and compliance tracking. The position oversees the provisioning of system access, reimbursement policies and management of human capital management system architecture, such as the architecture of the Department’s Workday hierarchy and liaison with PennforPeople provisioning. Duties can also include provision of business services: computing services; recruitment; interfacing with a large number of collaborators in the US and globally.




In collaboration with Department of Medicine’s Chief Academic and Research Officer, CFO, Director of Research Administration, and the Associate Director of Finance/CPUP will recommend, develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure uniformity in reporting and compliance with the University, School, CPUP and sponsor requirements. Director will develop these procedures collaboratively with staff in the department and divisions to ensure input from key stakeholders and promote adoption by end-users. The Director will leverage the financial analyst staff to support these activities and develop effective and efficient approaches to managing financial operation workflows across the Department. The Director will serve as a mentor and have primary responsibilities in the development of training and mentoring programs for onboarding new senior divisional administrators, DDAs and research BAs. Lead training sessions, workshops, and outreach efforts to educate administrators on financial management, compliance, compensation policies, and effective use of University financial systems.




Director will facilitate and provide financial policy expertise to all DOM Divisions, programs and centers; and the PSOM Office of Finance and PSOM Decision Support.






Qualifications





+ Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and 7 to 10 years or Master of Science, Master of Arts, and 5 to 7 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.







Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania





Department / School

Perelman School of Medicine





Pay Range

$90,860.00 - $168,837.00 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.




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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.