Executive Director, Strategy & Planning

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, Strategy & Planning

Job Profile Title

Information Technology Executive Director

Job Description Summary

Information Systems & Computing (ISC) is the University of Pennsylvania’s central IT organization, providing the core network, data, voice, video, and enterprise application infrastructure and services upon which Penn’s numerous Schools and Centers build their unique tools and capabilities.

ISC’s 300-plus employees work closely with the University’s IT organizations in order to create, deliver and support products and services that help Schools and Centers operate efficiently and effectively. We strive to be easy to work with, and to serve as a trusted advisor to Penn’s IT community, faculty, staff and students in support of an environment of discovery and progress.

ISC’s focus on customer service and the high-quality, cost-effective, reliable implementation of modern IT solutions advances the mission of the University, as well as that of each individual School and Center. At Penn, technological freedom and departmental autonomy represent dearly held core values. ISC supports those ideas by providing foundational services and cogent counsel, empowering individuals and departments to employ their distinct strengths in support of their goals.

Learn more about us by visiting or

The Executive Director of Strategy & Planning is a senior leader within Information Systems & Computing (ISC), reporting to the Vice President for ISC / Chief Information Officer. This role is responsible for advancing ISC’s strategic, operational, and organizational effectiveness priorities and for helping the VP/CIO and ISC senior leadership team steer major institutional technology decisions. The Executive Director leads enterprise Information Technology (IT) planning, governance, portfolio and program oversight, and executive decision support to ensure that major initiatives are effectively governed, sequenced, and executed in support of Penn’s mission.

The Executive Director ensures alignment across ISC and the University by leading governance structures, overseeing the Project Management and Service Management Offices. This role translates vision into measurable outcomes, enables informed decision-making, and drives successful delivery.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

Executive Leadership:

• Serve as a strategic advisor to the VP/CIO and ISC senior leadership team.

• Support the VP/CIO in managing short- and long-term critical IT priorities, initiatives, and activities related to ISC’s strategic plan, ensuring effective coordination, follow-through, and executive visibility.

• Build strong partnerships and represent ISC across schools, centers, administrative units, University committees, governance bodies, and cross-functional initiatives.

• Develop external relationships while staying current on emerging trends, technologies, and innovations to assess institutional needs and inform long range strategy.

Strategic Planning & Execution:

• Lead refinement, implementation, and periodic refresh of ISC’s strategic plan.

• Define, implement and assess ISC’s short & long-term strategic priorities, technical roadmaps, and IT enterprise initiatives.

• Track progress on strategic priorities and major initiatives; surface risks, issues, and tradeoffs; and support the VP/CIO and ISC senior leadership team with recommendations and follow-up.

Governance:

• Design, implement, and maintain enterprise IT governance structures, frameworks, and processes to support effective decision-making.

• Facilitate governance bodies and ensure alignment of investments, priorities, and policies with institutional strategy.

Change Management:

• Lead organization IT-related change efforts and develop change management strategies to ensure stakeholder engagement, and sustained outcomes.

• Partner with leaders across ISC to drive strategic initiatives, transformation, cultural and operational change.

• Foster a culture of accountability, adaptability, and continuous improvement.

Project & Portfolio Management:

• Provide executive oversight of ISC’s project management efforts. Define and promote standards for project lifecycle management, risk mitigation, performance tracking, and best practices.

• Oversee IT portfolio planning, prioritization, and execution of IT strategic initiatives and major programs.

Service Management & Organizational Effectiveness:

• Oversee the ISC Service Management Office and staff.

• Drive continuous improvement in ISC processes, service delivery, and operational maturity.

• Partner on financial, vendor, and contract considerations impacting IT strategic initiatives.

• Enable coordination across portfolio, process, and service domains within ISC.

Data, Metrics & Reporting:

• Establish key IT performance indicators aligned with strategic goals and promote data-informed decision making.

• Report on initiatives, trends, and organizational performance.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in IT strategy, or organizational leadership.

• Experience in higher education or similarly complex organizations preferred.

• Demonstrated experience in IT enterprise initiatives, IT governance frameworks, IT strategic planning, and IT portfolio/program management within large, decentralized environments.

• Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional IT initiatives through change with sound judgment, discretion, and strong organizational awareness.

• Proven ability to operate effectively at the executive level, advising senior leaders and influencing decision-making across complex organizations.

• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate vision into execution and measurable outcomes.

• Demonstrated ability to leverage IT data, metrics, dashboards, and reporting to drive performance and inform decision-making.

• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage, align, and influence stakeholders at all levels.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Information Systems and Computing

Pay Range

$190,000.00 - $275,000.00 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 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.

​

To learn more, please visit:

The University of Pennsylvania’s special character is reflected in the wide variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives of the Penn community. We seek talented faculty and staff who will constitute a vibrant community and help create an educational and working environment that best supports the University’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship. 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.