Reporting to the Executive Director of CURF, the Nationally Competitive Fellowships Director (NCF Director) will lead a team that works to support all students as they pursue transformative experiences through participation in nationally competitive fellowships. The NCF Director will oversee CURF’s fellowships outreach plan with the Associate Director for Fellowships and Assistant Director for Outreach and Operations to promote these opportunities to undergraduate, graduate, professional student... more details
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
Director, Nationally Competitive Fellowships
Job Profile Title
Director B, Academic Affairs
Job Description Summary
Reporting to the Executive Director of CURF, the Nationally Competitive Fellowships Director (NCF Director) will lead a team that works to support all students as they pursue transformative experiences through participation in nationally competitive fellowships. The NCF Director will oversee CURF’s fellowships outreach plan with the Associate Director for Fellowships and Assistant Director for Outreach and Operations to promote these opportunities to undergraduate, graduate, professional students, and alumni and to recognize recipient successes. The NCF Director will collaborate with faculty and administrators throughout the University to recruit a competitive and diverse pool of applicants for scholarships such as the Rhodes, Marshall, Fulbright, Schwarzman, Churchill, Truman, Beinecke, Udall and Goldwater scholarships, among others. The NCF Director will also take the lead in promoting the Thouron Award, an internal scholarship program between universities in the United Kingdom and Penn that offers a life-changing opportunity for exceptional students. The NCF Director will also serve as the liaison between Penn and the foundations awarding the nationally competitive fellowships.
Job Description
Job Responsibilities
Scholarship Advisor for Post-Graduate Nationally Competitive Fellowships
Manages fellowships advising for Penn undergraduate, graduate, and professional students as well as young alumni
Develops and conducts workshops with the Associate Director of Fellowships to provide applicants experience with interviewing and writing personal and program statements
Manages Penn’s institutional endorsement process for those fellowships requiring letters of endorsement
Promote the Thouron Award to Penn students and recent alumni, and provide advising for this unique internal opportunity to pursue post-graduate study in the U.K.
Develops and supervises the application process for undergraduate scholarship programs such as the Truman, Goldwater, Udall, and Beinecke
Monitors trends in fellowship advising and advises Penn administration on best practices
Represents Penn as an active member and leader within the National Association of Fellowships Advisors
Recruits and trains faculty and staff members to serve on campus endorsement committees and practice interviews
Provides support to faculty on writing of fellowship recommendation letters
Serves as the primary point of contact with scholarship foundations
Nationally Competitive Fellowships Outreach
Develops and implements a communication plan with the Assistant Director for Outreach and Operations and University Communications to promote participation in nationally competitive fellowships among all Penn students and to create press releases for highlighting fellowships recipients
Maintains a list of Penn student faculty and staff who can help recruit candidates
Invites and hosts national foundations on campus to raise campus awareness of fellowship opportunities
Nationally Competitive Scholarship operations, data management, and assessment
Work with CURF administrative team to oversee internal application management system, ensuring system functionality in alignment with most up-to-date requirements of the scholarship programs
Strategizes with Executive Director and Assistant Director for Outreach and Operations on effective ways to collect, assess, and present fellowships data
Manages the database of nationally competitive fellowship opportunities
Works with the CURF Administrative Coordinator to run queries for student recruitment and for the Penn graduation program
Liaises with University Counsel and FERPA specialists to ensure compliance in protecting student information
Consults with the Center for Community Standards and Accountability for student eligibility
Fellowships Team Management
Supervises the Associate Director of Fellowships and two Graduate Fellows
Manages the Fellowships budget and prepares reports for annual budget proposal
Fellowships Event Planning with Associate Director of Fellowships and CURF Program Coordinator
Organizes fellowship endorsement and nomination interviews
Schedules practice interviews for fellowship finalists
Develops fellowship programming for Research and Fellowships February
Coordinates Rhodes practice reception and scholarship celebrations
Perform additional duties as assigned
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and 5 to 7 years of experience or a Master's and 3-5 years experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
Preferred
- PhD with atleast 3 years of experience working in Higher Education
Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Department / School
Provost Interdisciplinary Programs
Pay Range
$61,046.00 - $100,000.00 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, 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.
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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay