This role reports to the Vice President of Human Resources and collaborates with University HR leadership to align HR strategy with institutional goals . This role requires a leader who can balance strategic vision with operational execution , navigate the complexity of higher education, and build modern, inclusive talent practices that serve faculty, staff, and leaders across the institution . The successful Executive Director of Talent will be:
Future oriented and systems minded
Comfortable balancing strategy and execution
Credible with senior leaders, faculty, and staff
Skilled at influencing without overreliance on hierarchy
Data informed and values driven
Passionate about building inclusive, high impact talent systems
Responsibilities
Talent Strategy & Integration
Develop and execute a comprehensive, integrated talent strategy aligned with the university's strategic plan, academic priorities, and workforce needs
Ensure alignment across Talent Acquisition, Talent Development , Engagement, and Recognition programs
Evaluate current talent acquisition practices across Penn and develop a comprehensive talent acquisition approach
Serve as a strategic advisor to the VP of HR, senior leaders, and academic partners on talent trends, risks, and opportunities
Monitor external trends in higher education, labor markets, and talent technology to inform future ‑ state design
Talent Acquisition and Workforce Planning
Drive the evolution of talent acquisition strategies to support staff hiring in a competitive and evolving labor market
Partner with academic and administrative leaders to align hiring strategies with workforce planning, enrollment and research trends, and institutional growth
Advance inclusive hiring practices and equitable candidate experiences
Leverage data and technology to improve recruitment effectiveness, time to fill, and quality of hire
Learning, Development & Capability Building
Design and oversee learning and development strategies that support:
Leadership development at all levels
Professional growth for staff
Emerging skill needs driven by technology, pedagogy, and operational change
Strengthen onboarding and early-career development experiences through a consistent and comprehensive orientation /onboarding program .
Partner with academic leaders to align staff and leadership development with the university's educational mission
Engagement & Culture
Lead institutional engagement initiatives in partn
Benefits
Health insuranceVision insurance
Additional Information
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
Executive Director, Talent
Job Profile Title
Executive Director B, Human Resources
Job Description Summary
The University of Pennsylvania is seeking an Executive Director of Talent to provide strategic and operational leadership for the university's end-to-end talent ecosystem, including Talent Acquisition, Talent Development, Employee Engagement (including Employee Resource Groups), and Recognition Programs. Reporting to the Vice President for Human Resources, this role is responsible for designing and delivering a cohesive, future‑ready talent strategy that supports the university's mission, academic excellence, and long‑term workforce needs. The Executive Director of Talent will lead the evolution of talent practices as the institution scales, workforce expectations change, and technology becomes a more central enabler of talent management. The Executive Director will join the Division of Human Resources Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and work closely with school and center HR professionals to create and define comprehensive talent strategies.
Job Description
Upenn · 3624 Market