Project Specialist

Engineering Management Student Association (EMSA); Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 41,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Southern California (USC) Student Life seeks a highly organized Project Specialist to support the Associate Vice President for Administration and Chief of Staff. The role focuses on event planning, operations, and collaboration across departments to foster student success and a vibrant campus community.

Ideal candidates will have a strong project-management background, excellent communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities with accuracy.

Qualifications

• Minimum of three years of directly related professional experience.
• Experience coordinating complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage multiple concurrent projects with senior leadership alignment.
• Develop project plans, track milestones, and report outcomes.
• Plan leadership meetings, staff events, and student engagement programs.
• Coordinate event logistics including invites, venues, and vendors.
• Create communications and presentations for divisional projects and events.
• Prepare briefings, meeting materials, and logistical plans for leadership.
• Assist with data collection, databases, and reporting for progress tracking.
• Summarize research findings and present effective results.

Skills

Project management

Communication

Attention to detail

Independent work

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree (preferred)

Job description

Project Specialist

Los Angeles, CA

About USC

The University of Southern California (USC) is a leading private research university. The university offers students a world‑class education with highly ranked programs in virtually every field — from cinema to the sciences — as well as unparalleled research, internship, and professional opportunities in a wide array of organizations including nonprofits, Fortune 500 companies and global businesses.

About USC Student Life

Student Life is a collective of departments, programs, and people all dedicated to one mission: supporting the students’ journey as a Trojan! From career support and campus activities to wellbeing resources, community centers, and the Trojan Welcome Experience, we’re here to help you thrive in every part of your USC experience. Learn more at https://studentlife.usc.edu/our-vision-mission-and-purpose/

About The Opportunity

USC Student Life seeks a highly organized, collaborative, and service‑oriented Project Specialist to support the Associate Vice President for Administration and Chief of Staff in the Office of the Vice President for Student Life. This position plays an important role in advancing initiatives that foster student success, strengthen the student experience, and cultivate a vibrant campus community.

The Project Specialist serves as a key operational partner, managing complex projects, planning events, coordinating communication efforts, and facilitating collaboration across departments. The ideal candidate is a skilled project manager and thoughtful communicator who can manage multiple priorities, build strong working relationships, and ensure the effective and timely execution of high‑impact initiatives. Primary focus areas include event/meeting planning, operations, community building, project management, communication, and assessment.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage multiple concurrent projects in partnership with the Associate Vice President for Administration and Chief of Staff, ensuring alignment with Student Life priorities and student success goals.
• Develop project plans, coordinate cross‑departmental teams and working groups, monitor milestones, and promote timely execution, accountability, and clear reporting of outcomes.
• Lead the planning and execution of leadership meetings, staff gatherings, student engagement programs, seasonal celebrations, and other events that foster connection and community.
• Coordinate event logistics and timelines, including scheduling, invitations, reminders, materials, facilities, vendors, and other operational needs.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for event participants, campus partners, vendors, and other stakeholders, providing clear, timely, and welcoming communication.
• Develop and coordinate communications that support divisional projects, events, and initiatives, including correspondence, invitations, presentations, reports, and informational materials.
• Prepare briefings, presentations, meeting materials, and logistical plans to support leadership participation in meetings, committees, events, and other engagements.
• Assist with planning and implementing data‑collection efforts, including recommending methods for data acquisition, management, and quality control.
• Develop and maintain databases and other records for tracking and reporting purposes, ensuring the accuracy and integrity of information.
• Research, gather, organize, and analyze information for project and administrative reports; summarize findings and recommend effective approaches for presenting results.
• Create charts, graphs, tables, dashboards, and other visual materials that clearly communicate data, progress, outcomes, and impact.
• Prepare project status reports and coordinate the production and distribution of materials to ensure deadlines are met and stakeholders remain informed.
• In addition, the successful candidate must demonstrate, through ideas, words and actions, a strong commitment to USC’s Unifying Values (opens in new window).

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum of three (3) years of directly related professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience in project management, including coordination of complex, multi‑stakeholder initiatives.
• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and maintain strong attention to detail.
• Strong organizational, analytical, verbal, and written communication skills.

Preferred Requirements

• Five (5) years of directly related professional experience.
• Master’s degree.
• Prior leadership experience within higher education.

The hourly base rate for this position is $30.00-40.00. 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.

• Preferred Education: - Master's degree
• Minimum Education: - Bachelor's degree
• Preferred Experience: - 3 years
• Minimum Experience: - 2 years
• Minimum Field of Expertise: - Directly related project or administrative experience.