As America’s first university, the University of Pennsylvania has a proud tradition of translating knowledge into social-minded action that dates to founder Benjamin Franklin. This tradition of active pragmatism, articulated in Franklin’s maxim “well-done is better than well-said” lives today through the Penn Compact 2022 and its inclusive policies, innovative work, and impactful engagement of our faculty, students, and staff.

The Opportunity

UPenn is seeking a Vice Dean for Advancement for the School of Arts and Sciences, the largest of Penn’s academic divisions. The VDA occupies a central role at the University. The College, SAS’s undergraduate division, enrolls 6,200 students and is by far the largest undergraduate school at UPenn. SAS also includes the Graduate Division, the College of Liberal and Professional Studies, and numerous research centers and programs.

The VDA will oversee a coordinated advancement program and manage a team of 36 that annually raises up to $75 million and is close to completing its $550 million goal as part of the University’s $4 billion Power of Penn Campaign. Since 2007, through the Making History and Power of Penn campaigns SAS has raised close to $1 billion.

Reporting to the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and the University’s Senior Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations, the Vice Dean provides strategic leadership for an advancement program and will be an integral member of the Dean’s leadership team and participate in the academic, financial, and physical planning of the School of Arts and Sciences, while also serving as a member of the Senior Vice President’s senior management team.