Executive Director, Talent

Executive Director, Talent

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.
About the Role
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
Key Responsibilities
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
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
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
Lead institutional engagement initiatives in partnership with HR colleagues, academic leaders, and campus stakeholders
Oversee Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and measurable impact
Support culture-building initiatives that foster belonging, engagement, and collaboration across faculty and staff populations
Partner with communications and leadership to reinforce inclusive values through talent practices and messaging
Design and manage recognition programs that reinforce desired behaviors, values, and contributions
Ensure recognition approaches are equitable, meaningful, and aligned with institutional culture
Continuously assess and improve elements of the employee experience connected to attraction, development, and retention
Qualifications
Required
Master's Degree and Over 10 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
Possess strong business acumen and proven ability to stay with evolving HR trends, legislation, and best practices
Demonstrated success leading multiple talent functions (e.g., talent acquisition, learning, engagement)
Strong knowledge of all functional areas of Human Resources, talent acquisition, and talent development
Expertise and demonstrated experience in developing and driving strategy across a large organization
Strong interpersonal, communication, and conflict-resolution skills
Proficiency in data-informed decision-making
Preferred
Master's degree in a related field
Familiarity with Workday
10+ years of HR experience, including in higher education or unionized settings
HR certifications (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR)
Experience implementing or modernizing talent technology platforms
Comfort operating in environments with evolving structure, priorities, and expectations
Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Department / School
Human Resources
Pay Range
$190,000.00 - $260,000.00 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 familywhatever 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