Program Administrator

University of Southern California; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 86,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Southern California (USC) Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work seeks a Program Administrator to provide senior-level administrative support and program coordination for the Academic Affairs Office, in a full-time hybrid role in Los Angeles.

Reporting to the Director of Academic Affairs, this position coordinates administrative services, faculty support activities, onboarding, budgeting, and compliance with university policies to advance academic priorities and ensure

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; master's degree preferred.
• 3–7 years of progressively responsible experience in higher education administration or related field.
• Experience with enterprise systems (Workday, PeopleSoft), MS Office, and project management tools.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate administrative services and activities for the Academic Affairs Office, academic programs, faculty, and leadership.
• Assist with onboarding of new faculty and staff in collaboration with HR and Academic Personnel.
• Prepare reports, correspondence, presentations, and official academic documentation.
• Manage meetings, committees, and events with budget coordination and follow-up.

Skills

Organizational skills

Analytical skills

Written communication

Interpersonal communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

Workday

PeopleSoft

Microsoft Office

Project management tools

Job description

The mission of the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work is to improve the well-being of vulnerable individuals and communities, advance social and economic justice, and eradicate pressing societal problems in complex and culturally diverse urban environments throughout Southern California, the nation, and the world. Our mission is achieved by providing students with experiential, practice-based, and competency-driven learning informed by evidence and best practices.

The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work seeks a Program Administrator to provide senior-level administrative support and program coordination for the Academic Affairs Office. Reporting to the Director of Academic Affairs, this position coordinates administrative services, faculty support activities, and institutional initiatives that advance the School's academic priorities. The Program Administrator serves as a key administrative resource to faculty, staff, and university partners by facilitating cross-functional collaboration, coordinating projects, supporting compliance with university policies, and ensuring the timely implementation of Academic Affairs initiatives.

Job Accountabilities

• Coordinate administrative services and activities that support the Academic Affairs Office, academic programs, faculty, and school leadership.
• Assist with Academic Affairs new hire onboarding in collaboration with Human Resources and Academic Personnel, ensuring an efficient and compliant onboarding process for faculty and staff.
• Develop, maintain, and recommend administrative procedures, guidelines, and documentation that promote consistency, efficiency, and effective program administration.
• Coordinate academic initiatives, administrative priorities, project timelines, and program deliverables to support the successful implementation of Academic Affairs goals.
• Monitor administrative activities to ensure compliance with university policies, accreditation requirements, and applicable procedures.
• Coordinate assigned administrative projects and facilitate cross-functional initiatives that support Academic Affairs priorities.
• Develop and maintain workflow documentation, training materials, reference guides, and administrative resources that support continuous improvement and knowledge sharing.
• Serve as a primary liaison between Academic Affairs and university departments, facilitating communication and coordinating collaborative administrative efforts.
• Prepare, review, and maintain reports, correspondence, presentations, and official academic and administrative documentation.
• Monitor project milestones, timelines, and deadlines; coordinate follow-up activities and communicate project status to leadership and stakeholders.
• Assist with budget planning, purchasing, expense tracking, reconciliation, and financial reporting in accordance with university policies and departmental procedures.
• Coordinate meetings, committees, faculty activities, and special events, including scheduling, agenda preparation, logistics, documentation, registration, budget coordination, and follow-up.
• Research administrative issues, evaluate alternatives, and recommend process improvements that enhance program administration, service quality, and operational effectiveness.
• Provide functional oversight, training, and work coordination for staff, student workers, and temporary employees, as assigned.
• Maintain confidential records, databases, and administrative information systems while ensuring data integrity, security, and compliance with university policies.
• Perform other related duties, special projects, and responsibilities as assigned in support of the mission and objectives of Academic Affairs.

Minimum Education/Experience

Bachelor's degree required; master's degree preferred.

Three to seven years of progressively responsible experience in higher education administration, program administration, project coordination, or a related administrative field.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting faculty affairs, academic administration, or university operations.
• Experience coordinating multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines in a complex academic environment.
• Strong organizational, analytical, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Experience with enterprise systems (e.g., Workday, PeopleSoft), Microsoft Office, and project management or workflow tools.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships across departments while exercising sound judgment, discretion, and attention to detail.

This position is full-time, hybrid-schedule, permanent position.

Compensation

Compensation : This position's annual base salary range is up to $95,000 annually. 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 candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant fund