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

Admissions Coordinator, Non-Degree Programs

Job Profile Title

Coordinator, Program

Job Description Summary

Wharton School Overview
Founded in 1881 as the world’s first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is shaping the future of business by incubating ideas, driving insights, and creating leaders who change the world. With campuses in both Philadelphia and San Francisco, Wharton has over 850 staff, a faculty population of more than 235 renowned professors, and 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students. Each year 13,000 professionals from around the world advance their careers through Wharton Executive Education’s individual, company-customized, and online programs. More than 104,000 Wharton alumni form a powerful global network of leaders who transform business every day. Wharton is home to a dynamic community of staff, bringing a wide range of skills, experiences, and perspectives. To learn more, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.

The Wharton Global Youth Program, part of Wharton Non-Degree Programs (which includes Wharton Executive Education), offers various opportunities for high school students aged 14 to 18 and undergraduate students aged 18 to 25. Our programming also includes strategic partnership programs with other institutions and organizations.

Job Description

The Admissions Coordinator supports the effective delivery of student recruitment and admissions, applicant services, and enrollment operations throughout the full application cycle. The role coordinates applicant tracking, application review, reader onboarding and support, and admissions documentation to promote an efficient and consistent review process. Serving as a key point of contact for applicants, families, educators, and partners, the position evaluates and resolves complex inquiries, provides accurate guidance across programs and admissions requirements, audits frontline responses, and maintains helpdesk knowledge resources.

The position also coordinates virtual and in-person recruitment events, including event research, logistics, staffing, communications, materials, and on-site representation. It tracks participation and recruitment outcomes, assesses event effectiveness, and recommends improvements informed by data and stakeholder feedback. In addition, the role maintains admissions, recruitment, enrollment, scholarship, and award data; monitors data quality; produces reports and leadership summaries; and develops partner, donor, and stakeholder communications that highlight student experiences, outcomes, and program impact.

Job Responsibilities

​​Admissions Operations

• Support admissions operations throughout the application cycle, including maintaining applicant tracking and enrollment activities.
• Assist with application review activities and participate in the admissions review process using established evaluation criteria.
• Assist with onboarding application readers and supporting application readers throughout the admissions cycle.
• Facilitate communication between admissions readers and internal staff to ensure an efficient review process.
• Maintain admissions procedures, documentation, and operational resources to promote consistency across application cycles.

Applicant Support and Helpdesk Operations

• Serve as a point of contact for applicant, parent, educator, and partner inquiries throughout the admissions and enrollment process.
• Triage helpdesk cases by reviewing contact history, prior interactions, and related issues and applying deep knowledge of program and course offerings, requirements, and ongoing initiatives to accurately assess each inquiry and determine the appropriate course of action.
• Resolve helpdesk cases related to applications, enrollment, programs, competitions, and general admissions questions, providing accurate and consistent guidance while meeting established service standards.
• Audit Tier 1 helpdesk responses to ensure accuracy, consistency, and quality of customer service.
• Lead annual maintenance and enhancements to Helpdesk Knowledge Base documentation by updating and organizing support resources.

Recruitment Events Coordination

• Research events, fairs, and conferences that align with target audiences and support lead generation, with manager oversight.
• Coordinate logistics, registration, and staffing for virtual and in-person recruitment events.
• Attend recruitment events as needed to provide additional staff support.
• Maintain recruitment calendars and coordinate event schedules across the unit.
• Prepare and distribute recruitment materials, event communications, and presenter resources.
• Track event participation, campaign performance, and recruitment outcomes. Evaluate which events, fairs, and conferences provide the most return, and communicate data and results with leadership.
• Collect participant and staff feedback and recommend improvements to recruitment programming and event operations.

Data, Reporting, and Administrative Operations

• Maintain accurate admissions, recruitment, and enrollment data in Salesforce and other systems.
• Generate routine and ad hoc reports to support admissions planning, enrollment management, and leadership decision-making.
• Monitor data quality and resolve inconsistencies across admissions and recruitment systems.
• Compile scholarship and award data, maintain documentation, and support scholarship communications.
• Prepare communications for partners and stakeholders across various formats, including student bios, donor summaries, student success stories, and impact narratives.
• Compile admissions and recruitment data and prepare summaries for leadership.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree and two to three years of professional experience in admissions, customer service, higher education, program administration, student services, enrollment management or a related field.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a strong commitment to customer service.
• Strong attention to detail and demonstrated ability to identify and resolve data inconsistencies.
• Proven proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong attention to detail and demonstrated ability to identify and resolve data inconsistencies.

Preferred

• Experience supporting admissions or recruitment operations in a higher education setting
• Familiarity with Salesforce, Airtable, or other customer relationship management (CRM) or database systems.
• Experience analyzing recruitment, admissions, enrollment, or event-performance data and communicating findings to leadership.
• Availability for occasional evening or weekend work and travel related to recruitment events.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Wharton School

Pay Range

$24.21 - $30.00 Hourly 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