Admissions & Visitor Experience Assistant, Penn GSE

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 & Visitor Experience Assistant, Penn GSE

Job Profile Title

Administrative Assistant B

Job Description Summary

This position has primary responsibility for managing the Admissions front desk including incoming phone calls and visitors, overseeing the GSE Admissions general email inbox, assisting with application processing, and providing project-based support to the Admissions and Financial Aid Team. The individual will play a critical role in ensuring the smooth and efficient functioning of our front desk, which is a highly visible role that manages a large volume of inquiries. This role supports students in the application process, helps maintain the integrity of that process, and provides responsive and welcoming customer service.

Job Description

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, answering incoming calls and responding to questions, routing calls or taking messages as appropriate; responding in a timely manner to student inquiries from the admissions inbox; greeting visitors and assisting with requests for information, problem-solving, or referring to appropriate individuals for timely resolution; assisting with processing prospective student applications and admitted student files; managing the supply closet and maintaining office supplies/admissions swag. The person in this role will also provide event support for on-campus and virtual events for both prospective and admitted students events. Successful candidates will need to become familiar with our programs, the application process, and the admissions software used to manage the process, as well as other offices at Penn and Penn GSE. 

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the Admissions front desk: Answer incoming calls and voicemails, respond to questions, and route calls or take messages as appropriate. Respond timely to inquiries from the admissions inbox. Greet visitors and assist with requests for information, problems, and/or complaints or refer to appropriate individuals for timely resolution. Process incoming mail. Create a welcoming culture for our guests and provide a high level of customer service. 
• Assist with processing prospective student applications and admitted student files, especially as it relates to incoming documents.
• Assist the Vice Dean of Admissions & Student Affairs and other members of the Admissions and Financial Aid Team with special projects/initiatives on an ad-hoc basis.
• Provide the admissions team with event support for on-campus or virtual prospective and admitted student events.
• Manage supply closet and maintain office supplies.
• Represent GSE and the University at off-campus recruitment events.
• Perform additional duties as assigned

Qualifications

Essential:

• A high school diploma or GED and 3-5 years of experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Familiarity with office procedures in an academic or complex organizational setting
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to draft professional emails, memos, and reports, and handle inbound and outbound phone calls
• Highly organized with keen attention to detail; able to manage multiple calendars, meetings, and files
• Proven ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive information

• Proven Customer-Service Skills

• Able to anticipate needs, troubleshoot issues, and propose solutions

Preferred:

• Experience in an education or nonprofit setting
• Experience working in admissions and with admissions-related databases
• Experience working with Penn systems

*All applicants must submit a cover letter along with their resume, detailing their interest in the position.

Expected Base Salary: $50,000, commensurate with experience

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Graduate School of Education

Pay Range

$18.99 - $24.04 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.

​

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