Assistant Director of Engagement and Events, Penn Libraries

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.

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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.

Assistant Director of Engagement and Events, Penn Libraries

Associate Director B, Development, Events

About the Penn Libraries

The Penn Libraries provides a network of information resources and knowledge services that are vital to teaching, research, and learning at the University of Pennsylvania. This network includes 19 physical libraries, recognized for their collections, and a digital library known for innovation and richness of content. Through dynamic programming and exhibitions, and through the acquisition and preservation of literary and artistic artifacts, the Penn Libraries documents a wealth of social and historical periods, bringing scholarship to life at the University and in the various communities it serves.

Reporting to the Executive Director of Development (EDoD), the Assistant Director, Engagement and Events leads the Libraries’ strategic event and engagement portfolio. This position develops, plans, and executes high-touch, mission-aligned engagement opportunities—including board meetings, regional cultivation events, on-campus programs, and development-adjacent initiatives—to strengthen donor and stakeholder relationships and advance Penn Libraries fundraising goals.

The Assistant Director serves as the primary project manager for the Libraries’ donor-facing engagement calendar; coordinates across internal and external partners; and ensures events are executed with sophistication, consistency, and strategic alignment. The role also supports stewardship by planning campus visits and ensuring meaningful, personalized experiences.

• Plan, organize, and execute two annual on-campus Board of Advisors meetings.
• Provide end-to-end logistical, technical, and catering support.
• Build infrastructure enabling senior leadership and volunteers to participate meaningfully.
• Ensure gatherings align with institutional priorities and development goals.

• Partner with the EDoD and Senior Major Gift Officers to plan cultivation events in New York and other major cities inhabited by Libraries donors.
• Manage logistics including registration, venues, vendors, timelines, briefings, and follow-up.
• Design experiences that advance donor cultivation pipelines.