Senior HR Partner - University Relations

Position Overview

USC Human Resources, Ethics, and Compliance (HREC) is seeking an experienced Senior HR Partner to serve as a trusted strategic advisor to USC University Relations leaders.

USC University Relations advances the university’s role as an anchor institution by supporting the university’s leadership, faculty, staff, and students in building and strengthening community partnerships and civic leadership. With more than 200 professionals, University Relations partners with community stakeholders and leaders at the local, state, and federal levels of government. The department’s scope includes government relations, civic and community partnerships, pre-K-16 education access programs, and Classical California – the nation’s most listened to musical public radio station. The Senior HR Partner will support its diverse portfolio and advise leaders on strategic people and organizational needs.

This position is a part of University Human Resources’ Client Services, reporting to a Director, and is assigned to USC University Relations as their respective client providing dedicated HR partnership while collaborating with USC's HR Centers of Expertise.

Learn more about USC University Relations: https://communities.usc.edu/

The Opportunity

USC's Senior HR Partners are expected to learn their client's business, build trusted relationships, and provide thoughtful HR guidance that balances immediate needs with longer-term organizational priorities.

The role requires someone who can confidently coach and consult with leaders and drive people strategies that build a culture aligned with organizational goals and priorities. The role requires the ability to navigate difficult conversations, manage employee relations matters and workplace investigations. Working with University Relations leadership, this role will prioritize workforce planning and strategy, organizational effectiveness and team culture, change management and performance management strategies and programs. Senior HR Partners also provide guidance to HR Partners and Associate HR Partners.

This opportunity is well suited for an HR professional who uses sound judgment, is comfortable navigating complexity and ambiguity, and enjoys being close to the business while solving complex people challenges.

Key Accountabilities

• Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to the assigned client organization, developing a strong understanding of its business, people, culture, priorities, and long-term goals.
• Build relationships with employees and leaders at all levels, providing proactive HR consultation, coaching, and guidance.
• Participate in strategic planning and advise leaders on workforce planning, change management, succession planning, performance management, talent development, and organizational effectiveness strategies.
• Manage and resolve employee and labor relations matters, including workplace investigations, performance concerns, disciplinary actions, and other sensitive employee matters.
• Coach leaders through complex people decisions and provide thoughtful HR guidance, including appropriately challenging assumptions when needed.
• Partner with USC HR Centers of Expertise to deliver solutions across Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, HR systems and analytics, learning and organizational development, and other HR functions.
• Leverage workforce data, employee feedback, and organizational insights to support hiring, promotion, compensation, professional development, succession planning, and other talent decisions.
• Communicate complex HR policies, practices, and employment requirements in ways that enable leaders and employees to understand and act.
• Manage competing priorities and changing business needs with sound judgment, discretion, responsiveness, and follow-through.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and guidance to HR Partners and Associate HR Partners and contribute to a collaborative HR environment.
• Maintain current knowledge of HR leading practices and applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.

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

Work Schedule & Work Arrangement

The regular work schedule for these positions is Monday through Friday. These positions follow a hybrid-fixed work arrangement with an expectation of working onsite at least three days per week and remotely two days per week. Additional onsite days will be required during onboarding and to meet client needs.

Onsite days will be spent within the assigned client organization at various locations. Travel between USC locations is required based on client and business needs.

The university reserves the right to modify work schedules and arrangements based on business needs.

Minimum Requirements

The candidate for the position of Senior HR Partner must meet the following qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business, psychology, human resources, industrial relations or related field.
• Seven or more years of experience in human resources or human capital management.
• In-depth understanding of and experience working in a broad spectrum of HR domains including total rewards (including compensation), employee and labor relations, talent management (including performance management, learning and development), continuous process improvement, change management, training, community and inclusion, workforce planning, and organizational development and design.
• Demonstrated success in consulting with business unit leaders about talent management strategies including workforce planning, talent assessments, employee and labor relations and performance management.
• Ability to work with multiple leaders and manage competing priorities.
• Experience with presenting complex and sensitive information articulately through presentations or reports to executive leadership.
• Excellent mentoring and coaching skills to enhance client management and leadership abilities and relationships among teams.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills including conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects with diverse teams.
• Ability to learn quickly and flexibly adapt HR expertise to different business units.
• Ability to develop positive working relationships and a rapport with team members.
• Ability to manage one or more direct reports.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.

Preferred Requirements

The ideal candidate for the position of Senior HR Partner has the following qualifications:

• Advanced degree in business, psychology, human resources, industrial relations or related field.
• Ten or more years of experience in human resources or human capital management.
• Experience in higher education and/or consulting.
• Knowledge of Workday Human Capital Management applications and analytics.
• Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP), Organization Development Certified Professional Program (ODCP), Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional/Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP), Professional in Human Resources/Senior Professional in Human Resources (PHR/SPHR) or other similar certifications.

In addition, the successful candidate must also demonstrate, through ideas, words, and actions, a strong commitment to USC's Unifying Values of integrity, excellence, community, well-being, open communication, and accountability.

Employee Benefits

USC offers a wide variety of benefits and programs that support our staff and their families. This support advocates work-life balance and employee well-being. USC employees are connected by the traditions and history that make us proud to be Trojans and the work culture thrives on mutual respect, trust, and synergy amongst all its members. Join us!

The anticipated annual base salary range for this position is $120,000 - $130,000. 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.

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

Additional Experience Requirements Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum work experience


Preferred Certifications: SHRM (Human Resource Certification) Professional in Human Resources - PHR Senior Professional in Human Resources - SPHR Or ability to obtain one certification within one year of hire.

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 theBackground Screening Policy Appendix Dfor 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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