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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 of Public Programs, Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies

Job Profile Title

Associate Director B, Academic Affairs, Academic Center

Job Description Summary

The position of the Klatt Family Director for Public Programs at Penn’s Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies has the job of creating innovative programming and content that communicates the work of the high level of scholarship associated with a center for advanced studies, with a range of publics local and global.

Job Description

The Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania is driven by the mission to deepen and broaden the understanding of Jewish history, texts, cultures, ideas, and experiences. The research it supports spans all periods of Jewish history, from distant antiquity through to the present day; it reaches into every part of the globe where Jews have lived, and it is grounded in a wide range of disciplines and approaches. Over the decades, after supporting hundreds of scholars and untold numbers of discoveries and publications, it has earned a reputation as the nation’s preeminent research center in the study of Jewish history and culture.

It did not secure this status overnight. The Katz Center is heir to an intellectual legacy that is more than 110 years old, developing out of an earlier institution known as the Dropsie College for Hebrew and Cognate Learning, founded in 1907 as the first secular institution to grant PhDs in Jewish studies. From Dropsie, the Katz Center has inherited some of the features that define its success such as the core of its Judaica library and the Jewish Quarterly Review, but in the quarter-century since it merged into the University of Pennsylvania, it has come to reflect Penn’s strengths and has advanced its mission in keyways. Especially relevant is Penn’s commitment to “integrated knowledge,” its investment in bringing different disciplines and approaches together in ways that lead scholarship in new directions. The Katz Center is organized around this idea of integrated knowledge, using its fellowship program and other activities to bring scholars from different fields and disciplines together to pursue research in a collaborative setting.

As a scholarly institution striving for inclusivity, the Katz Center is committed to creating an intellectual space welcoming to all scholars regardless of nationality, religious orientation, racial or ethnic identity, gender identity and expression, professional rank, or institutional affiliation.

Job Responsibilities

+ Work with and under the supervision of the Center director to conceive all public programming, and work with Center staff to organize and execute said programs.

+ Coordinate and lead the team responsible for the advertising and execution for all events under their jurisdiction, keep track of expenses and hew to a budget.

+ Work with staff and outside partners to execute collaborative programs that involve working with other academic units or institutions beyond the university

+ Work with communications coordinator and other staff to contribute to public-facing communication—blogging, newsletter, occasional press releases, etc.

+ Participate in the intellectual life of the center and fellowship by attending seminars and other activities.

+ Keep abreast of university and community events and units of relevance to the center’s public mission.

Qualifications

At a minimum, a Bachelor of Arts degree and 2- 3 years of relevant work experience are required, but a PhD or another advanced degree in Jewish Studies or related field is strongly preferred, as is a substantial track record in public programming.

The ideal candidate will hold a deep commitment to the academic study of Jewish civilization and an ability to articulate the fruits of scholarship to the community at large. We seek an innovator able to build on the Katz Center's strong track record of online and in person programming and minicourses, and who is willing and able to conceive, develop, and implement new forms and formats of public academic programming in new media.

This person must possess outstanding interpersonal abilities, excellent written and spoken skills, and an ability to engage with scholars from a range of disciplines as well as heads of our institutional partners and help to translate their work for lay audiences. They should be able to work cooperatively with senior and junior staff. The role requires a sense of effective pedagogy, strong attention to detail and follow through, an ability to coordinate and oversee the efforts of relevant staff, and to follow through with the various stages of planning and executing a successful public program.

Required

+ At a minimum, a Bachelor of Arts and 2 to 3 years of relevant work experience or equivalent combination of education and experience

+ Experience with creating public facing scholarship and/or pedagogy addressed to varied audiences.

+ Knowledge of Jewish Studies or some other academic field in the humanities or social sciences.

Preferred

+ An advanced degree beyond the BA in Jewish Studies or another relevant academic field.

+ Experience working with and coordinating the efforts of a team.

+ Experience with creating in-person and online programs

+ Experience in using new media or platforms for public scholarship such as podcasting.

+ Experience advertising in traditional venues (print and radio) as well as using social media, my Emma or other software, databases.

+ Familiarity with Jewish communal life and organizations locally, nationally, and/or internationally.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

School of Arts and Sciences

Pay Range

$57,500.00 - $70,000.00 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.

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

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.