University of Pennsylvania · 3 months ago
Executive Director, Venture Lab
Tangen Hall
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
$164K/yr - $215K/yr
10+ years expThe University of Pennsylvania, a leading institution in education and research, is seeking an Executive Director for the Venture Lab. This role involves maximizing the Lab's impact, visibility, and partnerships while ensuring a high-performing and collaborative workplace, with strategic oversight of programming and resource management.
Continuing EducationEdTechEducationSTEM EducationUniversities
Responsibilities
Maximizing Venture Lab’s impact, visibility, community, brand recognition, and partnerships
Ensuring the workplace functions as a high-performing, collaborative ecosystem
Working closely with students, alumni, faculty, staff, and external partners, aligning with University priorities and expanding stakeholder networks
Driving organizational growth, leading change, and strengthening culture, ensuring priorities are clear, collaboration is effective, and work is both engaging and productive
Providing accessible, hands-on leadership to a team of professional staff, advancing strong management practices, operational efficiency, and a consistently high level of service to all constituents
Providing strategic oversight of programming, core support functions, and resource management, including more than 80 funds comprising a self-sustaining budget of over $8 million annually
Supporting donor stewardship and cultivating relationships that ensure financial sustainability in close partnership with External Affairs and University Development
Providing oversight so Tangen Hall operates as a vibrant, strategically aligned hub for the entrepreneurial community
Balancing significant financial, managerial, and operational responsibilities with indirect but meaningful influence on day-to-day activities
Qualification
Required
A Master's degree and 10+ years of leadership experience are required, or equivalent combination of education and experience
Proven track record in organizational growth, change leadership, and building high-functioning teams
Ability to balance strategic vision with hands-on leadership, ensuring both high-level alignment and indirect oversight of daily execution
Strong people management skills with ability to coach leaders, address performance gaps, and strengthen collaboration
Demonstrated ability to engage with a variety of audiences (e.g., student, alumni, community) through workshops, office hours, or similar forums
Demonstrated success in partnership development, brand-building, and donor stewardship
Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to represent the organization effectively at local, national, and global levels
Proven ability to manage complex, multi-million-dollar budgets and diverse funding sources, with a focus on financial sustainability
Regular in-person presence is required. Must also be able to work evenings and weekends as needed, and travel domestically and internationally
Preferred
Demonstrated success leading within higher education or similarly complex, matrixed institutions with multiple stakeholders and governance structures
Substantive experience in the startup landscape and entrepreneurial ecosystem
Benefits
Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts
Tuition
Retirement
Time Away from Work
Long-Term Care Insurance
Wellness and Work-life Resources
Professional and Personal Development
University Resources
Discounts and Special Services
Flexible Work Hours
Penn Home Ownership Services
Adoption Assistance
Company
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is an American private Ivy League Research University that excels in producing future leaders.
10001+ employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$81.46MKey Investors
National Science FoundationUS Department of EnergyParent Project Muscular Dystrophy
2024-08-28Grant
2023-06-26Grant· $18M
2022-09-15Grant· $55M
Leadership Team
Mark Dingfield
Executive Vice President
Angela Duckworth
Faculty Co-Director of Wharton People Analytics
Recent News
2026-01-16
The Philadelphia Inquirer
2026-01-16
Company data provided by crunchbase