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 Employers By State in 2021.

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.

COVID-19 vaccination is a requirement for all positions at the University of Pennsylvania. New hires are expected to be fully vaccinated before beginning work at the University. For more information about Penn’s vaccine requirements and the use of Penn Open Pass, visit the Penn COVID-19 Response website for the latest information.

Posted Job Title

Executive Director, Center for Guaranteed Income Research (CGIR), (Hybrid Eligible)

Job Profile Title

Director C

Job Description Summary

The Executive Director will manage the daily operations of the Center for Guaranteed Income Research across fundraising, research portfolio development, research dissemination, strategic planning, and supervision of research and business staff.

Job Description

The Center for Guaranteed Income Research (CGIR) is an unconditional cash-transfer research center headquartered at the School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. CGIR conducts applied cash-transfer studies and pilot designs in concert with community-based organizations and government stakeholders in order to add to the empirical scholarship on cash, economic mobility, poverty, and narrative change, and is committed to public science that challenges dominant narratives on poverty, deservedness, and economic mobility. Learn more about CGIR:

https://www.penncgir.org/

The Executive Director will manage the daily operations of the Center for Guaranteed Income Research across fundraising, research portfolio development, research dissemination, strategic planning, and supervision of research and business staff. She/He/They will also be responsible for providing leadership and coordination between academia, policymakers, and government on research, communications, and narrative shifts pertaining to cash-transfers and poverty alleviation. This position will report directly to the Co-Founders of the Center. As a team, they will collaborate on strategic planning, developing a board of advisors, and providing thought leadership on dissemination of research findings in academic and policy arenas.

Position is contingent on grant funding. Some travel involved.

* All SP2 staff are required to participate in convocation and graduation ceremonies as needed.

Responsibilities:

• Supervise all financial aspects of the center including ensuring grant and budget deadlines are met, securing external awards (federal and foundation), and managing donor relationships. Will serve as the primary financial liaison between CGIR and Penn development, the SP2 finance office, internal and external financial relationships. Includes cultivating and sustaining new relationships alongside our existing donor base. Includes identifying federal grants and working with the grant manager, Co-PIs and SP2 research faculty to prepare grant proposals. Forecasts funding for staff positions and advises the Co-Founders on budget allocations. Oversees a budget exceeding $12 million dollars.
• Serve as the primary operations lead for CGIR ensuring the center hires and retains research staff, establishes clear lines of communication for managing staff and research teams, setting performance expections with direct reports, assisting research team leads with developing performance goals with their respective staff, and managing staff needs. Creates a structured, but flexible environment for staff and Co-PIs to develop and hone skills relevant to their positions. Primary liaison between CGIR and SP2's Human Resource department.
• Work alongside the CGIR Co-Founders and the SP2 Dean to convene a Board of Advisors.
• Develops and maintains a 5 year strategic plan for CGIR in concert with the forthcoming Board of Advisors and the CGIR Co-Founders. Ensures milestones and deliverables associated with the plan are met and adjusted as needed due to shifts in the policy landscape or significant changes in the empirical literature. Leads external facing communications to policymakers, the press, and other academics alongside the short and long-term goals developed in the plan. This includes public speaking as a content expert and translating complex research findings into written formats and language that are accessible for a general audience and the press. Formats include white papers, policy briefs, and outward facing forms of data visualization with internal and external stakeholders. Primary liaison between CGIR and external stakeholders in the sub-field of unconditional cash, economic mobility, and poverty alleviation.
• Perform additional duties as assigned, including participation in convocation and graduation ceremonies as needed.

Qualifications:

Master’s Degree and 6-8 years of successful experience leading an academic, research, or policy center (PhD preferred). Demonstrated ability to manage a budget of over $10 million dollars with diverse funding streams, lead diverse teams, supervise staff, and allocate resources according to staffing needs. Experience working with high-level donors, policymakers, and elected officials required. Demonstrated evidence of an existing network within relevant sub-fields and a desire to work in a research environment marked by innovation required. Established track record of securing external gifts and grant funding required (federal preferred). Excellent communication skills across diverse audiences including community organizations, the press, elected officials, policymakers, and academia. Exceptional organizational skills and capacity for managing multiple deadlines requiring advance forecasting. A desire to build infrastructure for CGIR that ensures outcomes are met, but that can withstand the flexibility required by the sub-field while maintaining a curiosity and tolerance for changing political, policy, and media landscapes. Strong commitment to poverty alleviation, an intersectional approach to research, social justice, diversity, and building a healthy work environment characterized by innovation and boundaries between work and home.

Targeted Pay Range:

$138K commensurate with education and experience.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Hybrid Eligible - This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule with a work week divided between working onsite and working remotely.

Department / School

School of Social Policy and Practice

Pay Range

$74,476.00 - $117,086.00

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.

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