Project Specialist

USC Student Life seeks a strategic and highly organized Project Specialist to support the Senior Associate Vice President for Student Life in managing high-level projects and initiatives. This role plays a critical part in advancing divisional initiatives that foster student success, strengthen the student experience, and build a vibrant campus community. The Project Specialist serves as a key operational and strategic partner, managing complex projects, coordinating cross-departmental efforts, and ensuring continuity of essential initiatives that positively influence the student experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage multiple concurrent, high-level projects in partnership with the Senior Associate Vice President for Student Life, ensuring alignment with divisional priorities and student success goals.
• Develop comprehensive project plans; coordinate cross-departmental teams and working groups; monitor milestones; and ensure timely execution, accountability, and clear reporting of outcomes.
• Serve as a strategic continuity partner for key initiatives during high-priority periods, maintaining momentum and follow-through across stakeholders.
• Identify emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities affecting student success and the student experience, and provide senior leadership with analysis and recommended courses of action.
• Support divisional assessment initiatives by identifying areas for evaluation, connecting departments with appropriate assessment tools and resources, and compiling and analyzing reports to inform leadership decisions and demonstrate impact on student success and the student experience.
• Research, draft, and edit executive correspondence, reports, and strategic materials related to student experience initiatives, policy development, and divisional priorities.
• Prepare briefings, materials, and logistics to support effective participation in meetings, committees, and engagements.
• Manage the Senior Associate Vice President’s calendar and operational budget.

• In addition, the successful candidate must demonstrate, through ideas, words and actions, a strong commitment to USC’s Unifying Values.

Preferred Experience & Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in project management, including coordination of complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Five (5) years of directly related project coordination or management experience.
• Advanced degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, or a related field.
• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and maintain strong attention to detail.
• Strong organizational, analytical, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Prior leadership experience within higher education, particularly in student affairs, student life, or related areas.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Minimum of three (3) years of directly related professional experience.
• Field of Expertise: Program coordination, project management, or student life operations.

The hourly range for this position is $30.14–$38.71. When determining an offer, the University of Southern California considers factors such as the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate’s experience, education, training, key skills, internal peer alignment, applicable laws, contractual requirements, grant funding, and market conditions.

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Minimum Education:
Bachelors degree
Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education

Minimum Experience:
2 years, directly related project or administrative experience.

Preferred Education:
Masters degree
Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education

Preferred Experience:
3 years, directly related project or administrative experience.

                                                  

USC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying. 

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100, or by email at uschr@usc.edu. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

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