Education and Engagement Administrator

Full-time opportunity at the University of Southern California
Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability
 

Position: Full-time, benefited Education and Engagement Administrator (Academic Program Administrator)

The Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability (WIES) at the University of Southern California (USC) seeks an experienced and organized individual to serve as Education and Engagement Administrator. This position is located on the USC University Park Campus (UPC) and reports to the Executive Director at WIES. The successful candidate will help advance the University and Institute’s mission of facilitating world-class student education, research, and skills training in environment and sustainability.

Job description: The Education and Engagement Administrator will provide oversight over experiential learning curricular and co-curricular programs within WIES, with significant focus on two elements: 1) advancing undergraduate program goals with the institute’s Environmental Studies Program (ENST) and at the Wrigley Marine Science Center (WMSC), and 2) connecting USC students to impactful co-curricular educational experiences including internships, professional development programs, and other projects.

With direction from WIES leadership, the Education and Engagement Administrator will advance, coordinate logistics for, and participate in the execution of appropriate experiential learning activities related to environment and sustainability. The successful candidate will contribute to both for-credit USC courses and co-curricular and extra-curricular enrichment (i.e., WIES Catalina Residential College program, spring break programs, internships and summer awards, student community events, etc.). The Education and Engagement Administrator is expected to interface closely with WIES leadership, staff, and ENST faculty to interpret learning outcomes for relevant undergraduate groups and contribute to related activities; duties may also include related student advising, program coordination and evaluation, strategic planning, fundraising, and marketing.

While the individual will be based at the UPC campus, the Education and Engagement Administrator is expected to foster close relations with WIES staff at the WMSC campus on Catalina Island, and to develop a strong working knowledge about the institute’s dual-campus opportunities. Experiential learning programs may take place on USC’s UPC campus, the WMSC campus, and/or at various local, domestic or international field locations.

Major Responsibilities:

The Education and Engagement Administrator is responsible for the development, coordination, and execution of student-facing experiential learning programs with WIES and ENST.

• Enhances curricular goals in campus and off-campus courses via program support and coordination

• Strategizes course enhancements and co-curricular designs that help faculty advance student learning outcomes.

• Develops and leads WIES and ENST community cohort-building activities.

• Manages the day-to-day administration of relevant programs and activities (e.g. scheduling, meetings, internal communications, logistics, evaluation, stewardship).

• Develops and administers program operating and administrative policies and procedures. Addresses program-related questions and resolves problems.

• Builds relationships with cross-campus and off-campus partners toward development of tangible student opportunities. Represents the institute and its programs to relevant stakeholders.

• Develops and manages program budgets and recommends or makes budgetary and resource allocations. Uses formal processes and tools to manage budgets, risk and program changes. Provides financial status reports as requested.

• Develops strategies to promote programs and ensure sustainability and growth through marketing and/or recruitment. Drafts and/or generates communication items and coordinates the production and dissemination of documents (presentations, course handouts, grant proposals, etc.), in collaboration with Wrigley Communications team.

• Supervises student interns or staff as appropriate

• Supports additional WIES and ENST student programs as appropriate.

The Education and Engagement Administrator is expected to provide a user experience of outstanding quality that includes a friendly, service-oriented approach; the ability to work in a team setting with students, staff, visitors and administrators; a work ethic that fosters timely responses to inquiries; and effective and innovative problem-solving skills.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum Education: Bachelor’s degree, or combined experience/education as substitute

• Minimum Experience and Field of Expertise: 3 years of experience in environmental studies or sustainability, undergraduate education or informal education.

• Ability to work within a team atmosphere and building and maintain positive relationships with stakeholders

• Outstanding interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills

• Demonstrated organizational, customer service, leadership skills

• Proven program management and problem-solving skills, able to handle multiple timelines, changing priorities, and fluctuating workloads

• Ability to work with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community including faculty, students, and staff

Preferred Qualifications:

• Preferred Education: Master’s Degree in environmental studies, sustainability or related field; plus 3-5 years experience working in higher education

• Other Preferred Skills: Budget management, experiential learning, program conceptualization and design, networking, experience managing individuals or small teams, student mentoring, experience with field or travel-based programs

Schedule:

Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm. Some weekend and after-hours work required. This position is not eligible for overtime.

Location:

Los Angeles, USC University Park Campus (flexibility to work 1-2 days remotely)

Salary Range

The annual salary hiring range for this position is $88,000-$92,000 depending on experience; generous benefits package, including health insurance, a retirement account, life insurance, tuition benefits, and a wide range of discounts. The university invests hundreds of millions of dollars every year to provide these benefits, and they represent an important and substantial part of your overall compensation package. For more details on USC Benefits and Perks, visit: employees.usc.edu/benefits-perks.

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 alignment, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

About the Wrigley Institute

The mission of the USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability is to inspire global environmental solutions through frontier research and education. Located in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California, one of the nation’s premier research universities, we also have a satellite campus on California’s beautiful Santa Catalina Island. Through education, research, and engagement, we train the next generation of environmental leaders, develop original solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental problems, and encourage nonpartisan action for sustainability and environmental justice.

WIES is part of USC’s oldest and largest school, the Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and a key player in the university’s high-profile sustainability initiatives. We are home to:

• Dornsife’s Environmental Studies academic program, which grants both undergraduate and graduate degrees;

• The Wrigley Marine Science Center, our Catalina Island research base;

• The USC Hyperbaric Chamber, which serves the Southern California dive community;

• USC Sea Grant, which conducts research and outreach on the urban ocean;

• Research launchpads on Earth & Environmental Systems, Applied Environmental Solutions, and Social Transformation; and

• Signature public events that bring together business leaders, policy makers, activists, and scholars for conversations of consequence on the environment and sustainability

A job with the Wrigley Institute is an opportunity to help solve one of the most important challenges of our era.  Join us to help create a more sustainable future!

Position is eligible for USC benefits and is open until filled.

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 [email protected]. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

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