Project Specialist - Administrative, USC Schaeffer Institute (Washington, D.C.)
University of Southern California (USC)
Application
Details
Posted: 07-Nov-24
Location: Washington D.C.,
Internal Number: REQ20156629
In order for your application to be considered, please attach a cover letter and resume to your employment application.
The USC Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service is seeking a Project Specialist, Administrative to work with the External Affairs and Policy team and the Directors Office providing general administrative and operations support, special project support, and event support at the USC Capital Campus in Washington, DC. This position serves as a liaison between Schaeffer Institute leadership and its constituents, and a bridge with Schaeffer Institute faculty and staff in Los Angeles. The Project Specialist will report to the Director of Public Policy and work in close collaboration with the communications and events functions of the Institute, along with the Institutes Chief of Staff. The Schaeffer Institute serves a varied and diverse group of internal and external constituentsincluding students, academics, industry executives, philanthropists, and leading policymakers and staffersacross the political spectrum. The best candidate will work effectively with these different communities. Experience with hosting and providing hospitality for VIP guests, including trustees, board members, and government officials, is a plus.
The External Affairs and Policy team oversees events, communications, and stakeholder and policy engagement. It ensures that research produced at the Institute informs public policy. This position offers a unique window into policy research center operations. The right candidate will have administrative expertise and an interest in developing skills in policy research support, strategic communications, and stakeholder engagement. We value candidates who combine strong administrative capabilities with intellectual curiosity and an interest in public policy.
This position will be based at the USC Capital Campus in Washington, D.C. and is currently a full-time, two-year fixed term, contract/grant/gift funded position.
Key duties include but are not limited to the following:
Manage administrative operations for the DC Institute location.
Coordinate Institute meetings, events, conferences, and seminars in DC; arrange for vendors, facilities, catering as needed.
Host and interact with guests of the Schaeffer Institute, including USC Trustees, Advisory Board members, and distinguished policy leaders.
Collect and track key metrics to help shape the Institutes policy impact reporting.
Develop policy engagement reports for Institute leadership.
Support the Institutes policy initiatives and external affairs activities.
Collaborate with Institute leadership on policy communications, including document preparation and production, with opportunities to contribute to content development.
Foster relationships with USC Capital Campus leadership and staff.
Manage any student workers and volunteers.
Minimum Education:
Bachelors Degree
Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education
Minimum Experience:
2 years
Minimum Fields of Expertise:
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Strong organizational skills; project management experience is a plus
Collaborative, team-player attitude; ability to work collaboratively and independently
Ability to prioritize across multiple tasks and deliver high-quality output in a timely manner
Demonstrated ability to prioritize and handle multiple projects of varying complexity simultaneously with attention to detail and a high level of excellence and professionalism
Flexibility and tolerance for ambiguity; willingness to handle both complex and mundane matters
Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint
Preferred Education:
Masters Degree
Preferred Experience:
3 years
Compensation
The hourly rate range for this position is $29.44 - $33.33. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidates work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.
Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.
Hours
8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Subject to change based on event needs, which may include early mornings and evenings, and the occasional weekend.
Since its inception in 2009, theUSC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economicshas established itself as one the worlds top health policy research organizations. A joint enterprise with the Price School of Public Policy and the Mann School of Pharmacy, the Schaeffer Center is a recognized nonpartisan voice helping to shape health policy in Washington DC.
TheLeonard D. Schaeffer Fellows in Government Serviceprogram introduces undergraduates to government and its impact through paid internship placements at the federal, state, and local levels. Schaeffer Fellows represent a diversity of backgrounds, political perspectives, and academic disciplines; common among them is their interest in public service and informed citizenship. Since 2015, the Fellows program has placed more than 350 undergraduates from five partner universities in over 190 government offices and agencies.
Building on the successes of these programs, the Schaeffer Institute serves as a policy laboratory to develop and test ideas generated by the USC academic community. It fosters civic engagement, supports new generations of public service leaders, and provides a forum to reach federal policymakers. It has offices at USC in Los Angeles and at the USC Capital Campus in Washington, DC.
About the Price School
USC Price is the second oldest public policy school in the country and is ranked fourth in the U.S. News & World Report rankings of public affairs schools. We offer academic programs at the graduate and undergraduate levels in six distinct fields: health policy and management, nonprofit management and leadership, public administration, public policy, real estate development, and urban planning. Much of our research is housed in 18 interdisciplinary research centers and institutes. Price School expertise spans the public, nonprofit and private sectors, with impact that is mission-driven and global.
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 Dfor specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying.
The University of Southern California is an Equal Opportunity Employer that Values Diversity.
Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree Addtional Education Requirements Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education Minimum Experience: 2 years Minimum Skills: Directly related project or administrative experience. Preferred Education: Master's degree Preferred Experience: 3 years
USC is the leading private research university in Los Angeles—a global center for arts, technology and international business. With more than 47,500 students, we are located primarily in Los Angeles but also in various US and global satellite locations. As the largest private employer in Los Angeles, responsible for $8 billion annually in economic activity in the region, we offer the opportunity to work in a dynamic and diverse environment, in careers that span a broad spectrum of talents and skills across a variety of academic and professional schools and administrative units. As a USC employee and member of the Trojan Family—the faculty, staff, students, and alumni who make USC a great place to work—you will enjoy excellent benefits, including a variety of well-being programs designed to help individuals achieve work-life balance.