Executive Director, McGraw Center for Educational Leadership

The University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE) seeks a seasoned, collaborative leader to serve as Executive Director of the McGraw Center for Educational Leadership.

About Penn GSE

For 110 years, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education has defined success by our positive impact on society. Today, Penn GSE is known worldwide for rigorous scholarship, high-quality instruction, and impactful, innovative practice. Our academic programs span the educational landscape, producing some of the most highly sought-after educators, leaders, researchers, counselors, and entrepreneurs. Our faculty are widely regarded as leading experts in their fields, our students bring a deep commitment to impact, and our dedicated staff are committed to realizing our mission every day. Penn GSE alumni, numbering nearly 20,000, lead transformative educational change in over 90 countries. Our work is rooted in the belief that education is a public good—essential to a just and thriving society.

The McGraw Center for Educational Leadership

Established in 2022 by a $10 million gift from the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Family Foundation, the McGraw Center for Educational Leadership is a hub for innovation and collaboration, dedicated to advancing educational leadership across PreK-12, higher education, corporate and lifelong learning, and nonprofit sectors. Through a blend of research, professional learning, and practice, the Center cultivates leaders who can drive systemic change and address the evolving challenges of education and learning today and tomorrow. By partnering with educators, policymakers, and thought leaders globally, the McGraw Center supports a wide community of leaders committed to educational excellence.

Our Next Executive Director

The Executive Director will lead a center dedicated to shaping the future of educational leadership across sectors. The ideal candidate for this role will bring extensive experience in educational leadership, with a deep understanding of the leadership continuum spanning PreK through postsecondary education and extending into corporate and lifelong learning, and nonprofit environments. This position demands not only a strategic visionary but a “doer” with an action orientation, ready to build the center’s capacity in its early years of operation.

The Executive Director will work closely with colleagues across Penn GSE, as well as with partners throughout the educational landscape, to drive impactful initiatives. Penn GSE’s outstanding faculty, reputational excellence, and collaborative spirit will provide critical support for the Executive Director in developing programs and convening gatherings that benefit multiple constituents—students, alumni, local, national, and global thought leaders, scholars, and practitioners. In addition to advancing new initiatives, the Executive Director will guide the continued integration and growth of the Center for School Study Councils and the Coalition for Educational Excellence.

Managing a small team, the Executive Director will report directly to the Vice Dean of Innovative Programs and Partnerships with a dotted-line reportage to the Penn GSE Dean. They will also collaborate closely with the directors and faculty of our leadership programs to ensure the success of the Center's mission. A master’s degree is required; Ph.D., Ed.D., or equivalent strongly preferred.