Project Specialist - Administrative, USC Schaeffer Institute (Washington, D.C.)

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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 Director’s 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 Institute’s Chief of Staff. The Schaeffer Institute serves a varied and diverse group of internal and external constituents—including students, academics, industry executives, philanthropists, and leading policymakers and staffers—across 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 Institute’s policy impact reporting.

• Develop policy engagement reports for Institute leadership.

• Support the Institute’s 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:

Bachelor’s 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:

Master’s 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 candidate’s 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