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

Managing Director, Penn Medicine Nudge Unit

Job Profile Title

Director D, Research

Job Description Summary

The Penn Medicine Nudge Unit is currently recruiting a talented, motivated, and proven leader to be its Managing Director. Join a collaborative, impactful, and mission-driven team working to improve health outcomes and effect systemic change at Penn Medicine and across the healthcare industry.

The Nudge Unit is a joint venture between the Penn Medicine Center for Health Care Transformation and Innovation (CHTI) and the University of Pennsylvania Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics (CHIBE). Founded in 2016, the Penn Medicine Nudge Unit is the world's first behavioral design team embedded within a health system. We leverage insights from behavioral and implementation science to design, implement, evaluate, and scale nudges that steer medical decision-making toward higher-value care, improved patient outcomes, and more equitable healthcare delivery. Our vision is a future where the right choice the easy choice.

The Nudge Unit has worked on 100+ projects, testing interventions in health systems and over 25 randomized trials. Our work has resulted in over 100 publications in leading medical journals such as NEJM, JAMA, Nature, and PNAS. The Nudge Unit currently supports a broad portfolio of projects to improve care within Penn Medicine as well as an extramurally funded program of research aimed at improving acute care and the prevention of overdoses and injuries. Our interventions often use electronic health records, automated text messaging, smartphone apps, and other digital interventions to change behavior.

Job Description

The Penn Medicine Nudge Unit (NU) at the Center for Health Care Transformation and Innovation (CHTI) is seeking a Managing Director to provide high-level oversight and management of staff leading research projects and initiatives executed across Penn Medicine and partnering project sites. This role will report directly to the Faculty Director and manage the strategic development of NU’s portfolio by overseeing operational staff working to develop, test, and scale new nudges to improve clinical care and patient outcomes. Working collaboratively with NU and CHTI staff, Principal Investigators, internal leadership, and external stakeholders, this role manages a complex portfolio and is accountable for its success. The Managing Director will oversee operational staff and interns, helping to support high-quality team outputs, growth, and culture. In addition, this individual will provide important subject matter expertise to the NU community regarding strategic planning, executive communication, process improvement, and professional development.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• STAFF MANAGEMENT: Serve as the “chief of staff” for NU operational and research staff (currently 6 direct reports, total of 13 staff) and facilitate a culture of learning and growth among the team.

• Direct and manage staff and interns, with responsibilities including recruitment, training, coaching, and performance evaluation and management.

• Develop measurable performance goals/objectives, in alignment with departmental and program objectives, to ensure direct reports clearly understand expectations and responsibilities.

• Direct staff in problem solving, conflict resolution, and process improvements.

• Allocate staffing and other essential resources across the project portfolio.

• Manage staff coverage for active projects during staff vacations, sick calls, and urgent situations, or provide interim coverage as necessary.

• Facilitate team meetings to ensure proper execution of study-related responsibilities and deliverables to meet key milestones.

• Supervise education and training for direct reports, including department-specific onboarding.

• Lead team culture pathways such as team retreats and pulse survey, NU events such as the annual symposium, and CHTI-wide culture initiatives and research collaboratives.

• Foster a positive culture, maintaining psychological safety and welfare of each staff member.

• OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT: Serve as point person on key processes related to the NU’s operations including best practices, SOPs, methods, communication, and budgeting.

• Create project-related process workflows, timelines, and milestones associated with the conduct of clinical/research projects to ensure compliance with the protocol, institutional policies, and all applicable regulations.

• Develop specific standards, including standardized operating procedures, guidance documents, and education/training in accordance with key objectives, milestones, and institutional policies and regulations.

• Cultivate and manage internal health system stakeholder relationships with executive leadership, informatics partners, and clinical and operational leaders to ensure project support and prioritization and remove obstacles as necessary.

• Manage, set agendas, and lead team meetings such as all-staff meetings, operations meetings, collaborative learnings, staff meetings, and CHTI monthly meetings.

• Manage strategic communications and related programs such as newsletters, impact reports, dissemination of research findings, and publications through the appropriate communication streams.

• Develop and manage mechanism to streamline and prioritize internal and external requests for Nudge Unit consultations and project support.

• Oversee the planning and execution of NU hosted events including the Annual Nudges in Health Care Symposium, which draws an international audience of 200 clinicians, researchers, and operational stakeholders.

• Oversee NU budgeting and operations across its portfolio of health system and grant-funded projects

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and 7 to 10 years or Master of Science, Master of Arts, and 5 to 7 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.

• Demonstrated experience bringing operational excellence to an organization.

• Takes on new opportunities with a sense of urgency, providing direction, delegating, and removing obstacles to drive results.

• Outstanding people management skills with over 4 years of experience directly supervising staff.

• Experience working with IRB and human research protection regulations.

• Exceptional writing, analysis, and presentation skills.

Preferred

• Experience managing large-scale implementations across health systems.

• Background in healthcare management or innovation.

• Experience developing and managing multi-stakeholder initiatives in a university-based setting.

• Experience in application of behavioral science, implementation science, informatics, and/or design thinking.

• Experience working with IRB and human research protection regulations.

  Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Perelman School of Medicine

Pay Range

$90,860.00 - $130,000.00 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.

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.