Sr. Director, Custom Programs, Business Development, Executive Education

Sr. Director, Custom Programs, Business Development, Executive Education

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.

The Senior Director, Custom Business Development, Wharton Executive Education, is responsible for leading the execution of business development strategy, managing team performance, and overseeing the day-to-day operations of a team of Directors focused on driving revenue growth across in-person and online executive education offerings. Reporting to the Senior Director of Revenue and working closely with the Sr Executive Director, Custom, and the Sr Executive Director, Live Online, this role ensures alignment with portfolio priorities while owning pipeline management, forecasting, and the full business development lifecycle, from lead generation and qualification through deal execution across segments and modalities.

Serving as the leader of the Custom business development function, the Sr Director translates enterprise and portfolio-level growth priorities into actionable plans, oversees both inbound and outbound efforts, and drives accountability through performance metrics and consultative sales practices. The role also requires cross-functional collaboration with marketing, program development, and academic stakeholders, while maintaining senior-level client relationships, contributing directly to high-value deals, and supporting contract negotiation and proposal development across the team.

The role also plays a key role in ensuring consistent business development approaches across the Custom portfolio and in identifying opportunities for growth across industries, regions, and delivery formats. Success metrics include:

• Revenue growth
• Pipeline health and conversion rates
• Team performance and productivity
• Expansion of strategic client relationships
• Quality and consistency of proposals and contracts

• Master's degree and 7–10 years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, required.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in business development, consultative sales, and account management in a n executive education, higher education, professional services, leadership development, or corporate learning organization.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing high-performing business development or sales teams, including performance management, coaching, and goal setting.
• Experience leading the full business development lifecycle through proactive outbound business development, including strategic prospecting, lead generation, qualification, relationship cultivation, solution development, proposal creation, contract negotiation, and successful deal execution.
• Experience collaborating across cross-functional teams, including marketing, product/program development, operations, and executive leadership.
• Strong analytical, communication, presentation, and negotiation skills with the ability to influence internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience using CRM platforms and pipeline management tools to monitor performance, forecast revenue, and drive business development activities.

• Strong preference for 10-15 years of relevant experience.
• Experience selling customized enterprise learning, talent development, or leadership development solutions to Fortune 1000 or global organizations.
• Experience leading geographically dispersed or hybrid business development teams.
• Knowledge of executive education market trends and corporate learning ecosystems.
• Experience developing strategic account growth plans and…