Senior Communications Specialist

The University of Southern California (USC) is one of the world's leading private research universities. An anchor institution in Los Angeles, a global center for arts, technology, and international business, USC is also one of the largest private employers in the City of Los Angeles. We are searching for exceptional individuals to help us fulfill our mission: Developing individuals and society as a whole through the cultivation and enrichment of the human mind and spirit.

The Senior Communications Specialist plays a vital role on the HR, Equal Opportunity, and Compliance (HREC) division's Strategic Communications team, driving alignment of messaging and supporting change and transition initiatives. This position manages communications across all HREC channels, including executive communications, newsletters, websites, and social media, while ensuring clarity, consistency, and engagement for USC's faculty and staff. The Senior Communications Specialist oversees and reviews content development, collaborates with writers and designers to shape strategy and execution for engagement-focused programs, and leads departmental public relations efforts to strengthen HREC's brand and customer experience. In doing so, the role helps advance USC's vision and champions the university's Unifying Values.

This is a remote position.

Job Accountabilities

The candidate for the position of Sr. Communications Specialist:

• Manages structural leadership on objectives, strategies, and plans by assisting with the review and approval process for internal communications. Collaborates with the organizational engagement team, aligning messaging and supporting needs for change and transition initiatives. Maintains currency with university projects, steering and advisory committees, campus-wide initiatives, and technology events and councils, to sustain and further build a comprehensive understanding of key constituent groups.

• Supports communication needs for change and transition initiatives, in collaboration with project and change teams. This is done through conducting research and benchmarking to inform communication planning and ensure alignment with best practices and audience needs.

• Oversees and reviews content creation and development, ensuring clear, engaging communications are developed and disseminated to faculty, staff, and a broad range of partners and stakeholders. Develops content for publications and presentations (e.g., websites, newsletters, executive messages, video scripts, and speech writing).

• Manages structural leadership on objectives, strategies, and plans, aligning messaging and supporting needs for change and transition initiatives. Oversees and reviews content creation and development, ensuring clear, engaging communications. Leads development efforts regarding documentation, intranet, and social media presence. Manages departmental public relations efforts, maintaining continuity and consistency in the divisions brand and voice.

• Leads development efforts regarding documentation, intranet, and social media presence. Reviews and manages changes and updates to antiquated or obsolete documentation. Supports efforts to streamline messaging, providing consultation support to leaders, departments, and project teams.

• Manages departmental public relations efforts (e.g., content for specific audiences, social media outreach), maintaining customer-experience continuity and consistency for the division's brand, image, and voice. Performs impact analysis for different communication channels. Defines communication and distribution policies and procedures, developing and refining staff distribution channels.

• Aids the cultivation of an inclusive environment and a culture of trust and transparency, sharing information broadly, openly, and deliberately. Builds and maintains collaborative relationships with diverse team members, peers, and leaders. Actively embodies values and behaviors (e.g., accountability, ethics, best-in-class customer service).

• Collaborates with team members and management, implementing effective communications, engagement, and culture solutions to support the division's vision.

• Maintains currency with technology, standards, and best practices. Supports process improvement efforts within and across teams.

• Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

Preferred Qualifications

The ideal candidate for the position of Sr. Communications Specialist has the following qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in communications, marketing, journalism, or a related field.

• Experience working in higher education administration or governmental administration (e.g., federal, state, or local legislative or executive administration).

Minimum Qualifications

The candidate for the position of Sr. Communications Specialist must meet the following qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or combined experience/education as substitute

• Five years' experience in communications, marketing, higher education, or related fields.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, and proven copyediting experience.

• Exemplary understanding of the nuanced messaging required for various audiences and distribution channels.

• Demonstrated understanding or experience managing public relations and a solid grasp of professionally utilizing social media platforms.

• Experience with large and complex distribution lists.

• Ability to interpret, analyze, and apply pertinent policies, procedures, regulations, and requirements.

• Ability to build, develop, and manage positive working relationships with diverse, high-performing teams.

• Proven ability to provide both detailed information and summaries to management-level individuals and groups, and experience presenting technical topics to non-technical audiences.

The annual base salary range for this position is $91,866 - $104,000.00 annually. 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.

To support faculty and staff well-being, USC provides benefits-eligible employees with a broad range of benefits and perks to help protect their and their dependents' health, wealth, and future. These benefits are available as part of the overall compensation and total rewards package. You can learn more about USC's comprehensive benefits here.

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree

Additional Education Requirements Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education

Minimum Experience: 5 years in communications, marketing, higher education or related fields.

Minimum Skills: Excellent written and oral communication skills, and proven copy editing experience. Exemplary understanding of the nuanced messaging required for various audiences and distribution channels. Demonstrated experience managing public relations and developing social media presence for an organization, and solid grasp of professionally utilizing social media platforms. Experience with large and complex distribution lists. Ability to interpret, analyze, and apply pertinent policies, procedures, regulations, and requirements. Ability to build, develop, and manage positive working relationships and rapport with wide-ranging, high-performing teams. Proven ability to provide both detailed information as well as summaries to management-level individuals and groups, and experience presenting technical topics to non-technical audiences.

Preferred Education: Bachelor's degree In Communication Or Marketing Or in related field(s)

Preferred Skills: Experience working in higher education administration or governmental administration (e.g., federal, state or local legislative or executive administration).

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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