Operations Coordinator, Venture Lab, Wharton School

Operations Coordinator, Venture Lab, Wharton School

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
Operations Coordinator, Venture Lab, Wharton School

Job Profile Title
Coordinator, Program

Job Description Summary
Wharton School Overview
Founded in 1881 as the world's first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is shaping the future of business by incubating ideas, driving insights, and creating leaders who change the world. With campuses in both Philadelphia and San Francisco, Wharton has over 850 staff, a faculty population of more than 235 renowned professors, and 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students. Each year 13,000 professionals from around the world advance their careers through Wharton Executive Education's individual, company-customized, and online programs. More than 104,000 Wharton alumni form a powerful global network of leaders who transform business every day. Wharton is home to a dynamic community of staff, bringing a wide range of skills, experiences, and perspectives. To learn more, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.

Venture Lab is a partnership by The Wharton School, Penn Engineering, and The Stuart Weitzman School of Design that provides a physical start here button to serve all students and alumni across the University of Pennsylvania who are interested in entrepreneurship and innovation. Housed in Tangen Hall, Venture Lab is the hub of entrepreneurship for the University of Pennsylvania. We provide students with resources to launch and grow their students businesses through programming, workshops, community, and over 1.5 Million a year in undiluted funds. At seven stories and 68,000 square feet, Venture Lab is the largest student entrepreneurship hub in the world.

Job Description

The Operations Coordinator plays a critical role in supporting Tangen Hall and Venture Lab Operations, and is responsible for office management & community experience, systems operations, and the support of executive functions of Tangen Hall and Venture Lab leadership. This role ensures the seamless day-to-day functioning of Tangen Hall while supporting process improvements and supporting strategic initiatives across Venture Lab.

The Operations Coordinator builds and maintains strong relationships with Tangen Hall tenants to foster a cohesive, welcoming, and creatively activated environment for student makers and entrepreneurship-focused groups. The Coordinator will support the Director of Tangen Hall to identify initiatives that will encourage increased usage of Tangen Hall and engagement with Venture Lab.The Coordinator collaborates closely with the Director of Tangen Hall, the Program Coordinator of Community Development, security, housekeeping, and Wharton Operations to oversee office management, space usage, maintain functional building resources, and ensure efficient scheduling and communication across teams. In addition, the Operations Coordinator manages building access in partnership with Allied Security and Access Services, maintaining accurate access lists, processing weekly reports, and ensuring appropriate access levels for students, faculty, and staff.

The Operations Coordinator supports the Director of Tangen Hall in improving day-to-day operations and enhancing the student and staff experience. This role focuses on executing process improvements, maintaining systems, and helping streamline workflows to increase efficiency and effectiveness across Venture Lab.

In this role, the Operations Coordinator will assist in identifying operational gaps and implementing solutions, including supporting process enhancements and basic automations that reduce administrative burden. The Coordinator will help maintain and support core business systems and processes across Venture Lab, including CRM/database management, project management tools, file management and data retention, recruitment and onboarding processes, and KPI tracking and reporting.

The Operations Coordinator will also assist in collecting, tracking, and organizing key performance data, contributing to the preparation of internal and external reports. This role requires strong collaboration with cross-functional teams across Venture Lab, as well as coordination with partners at Wharton and the University of Pennsylvania.

The Coordinator oversees core office management functions, including procurement and inventory management of office, mailing, and kitchenette supplies, vendor coordination and contract management, mail and package distribution, copier and equipment maintenance, facilities requests and work order coordination; space organization and upkeep, budget tracking for operational expenses; and implementation of office policies and procedures. The Coordinator ensures shared spaces are well-maintained, functional, and welcoming, proactively identifying operational needs and resolving issues to support a productive and professional environment.

The Operations Coordinator also partners with the Program Coordinator for Community Development and other internal stakeholders and external event managers to deliver seamless events-from reviewing certificates of insurance to coordinating catering, staging, lighting, sound, recording, and livestreaming. They triage and resolve issues in real time and ensure all activities adhere to University of Pennsylvania operational requirements, including fire codes and alcohol policies. The role regularly books supplemental support such as movers, rental furniture, decor, security, and housekeeping.

A function of this role is to provide high-level administrative and operational support to the Vice Dean and Executive Director of Venture Lab. This includes complex calendar management, meeting prioritization, domestic and international travel logistics, expense management, research tasks, project tracking, and preparation of materials. The Coordinator assists with strategic initiatives across Venture Lab.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree, with 2-3 years of experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience in operations, event planning, facilities coordination, administrative support, or similar roles.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills; ability to work effectively with students, staff, faculty, tenants, and external partners.
• Proven ability to manage and optimize complex calendars for senior leaders, including prioritizing requests and aligning scheduling with strategic priorities.
• Experience coordinating travel arrangements, preparing itineraries, and processing expense reports in compliance with university or organizational policies.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify operational gaps, streamline workflows, and implement process improvements.
• High level of discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment when working with senior leaders and sensitive information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in higher education, entrepreneurship centers, innovation hubs, or student-focused environments.
• Experience working with diverse student populations and supporting community engagement initiatives.
• Background in project management, process optimization, or automation tools.
• Ability to support high-visibility events, donor engagements, and cross-departmental initiatives.
• Flexibility to work evenings or weekends as required for events or special projects.

Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School
Wharton School

Pay Range
$23.80 - $30.00 Hourly 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 protected under 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.

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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay


Equal Employment 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 protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.


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