Program Manager, Academic Talent - IS Admin

The Program Manager of Emerging Talent is responsible for the end-to-end management of the Information Services' emerging talent programs. Responsibilities of this role include strategic oversight, team leadership, and program innovation to ensure the program aligns with the organization's goals while fostering talent development. The Program Manager plays a critical role in recruitment, mentorship, performance evaluation, and the integration of new processes that support both academic and professional growth.

Essential Duties:

• Program Leadership & Oversight: Lead the development, execution, and scaling of the internship, residency, and future academic programs, aligning initiatives with department and organizational objectives. Ensure that program structure supports growth, quality improvement, and long-term sustainability.
• Team Leadership: Manage program staff and the supervision of student mentors. Provide direction, oversight, and performance evaluations to ensure that student and departmental objectives are met for the program.
• Recruitment & Onboarding: Oversee the recruitment process in collaboration with internal sourcing teams, HR and university partners. Ensuring onboarding processes are streamlined and provide students with the tools, resources, and guidance needed for success.
• Mentorship & Development: Design and implement mentorship structures that support the development of students, ensuring opportunities for growth, certification, and skill-building in relevant IT domains.
• Performance Evaluation & Reporting: Implement a robust evaluation system, assessing intern performance and program outcomes quarterly. Report metrics and program success to senior leadership, providing actionable insights for continuous improvement.
• Program Innovation: Identify and implement innovative solutions to enhance program efficiency, leveraging data-driven strategies to optimize intern placement, training, and project involvement. Support strategic initiatives to further the development of students and implement structured processes that provide students pathways for career development and opportunities.
• Stakeholder Management: Serve as the primary liaison to the CIO & Director of Operations, program sponsors, and university partners. Ensure clear communication and alignment of goals across stakeholders.
• Compliance & Best Practices: Ensure that the program complies with university policies and aligns with industry best practices, promoting diversity, inclusivity, and professional academic learning environment.
• Other responsibilities: • Supports planning, management, and implementation of departmental priorities. • Provides operational support and guidance to participants in the program, matches the student skills/interests with the most appropriate team within IT, coordinates duties assigned by the teams, and routinely follows up with students to make sure they receive the support they require. • Attends promptly to the administrative details of the position including preparation of reports, completion of performance appraisals, Kronos administration, Workday, and other employee-related actions. • Enhances the internship program including recruitment events, intern exit survey, monthly reporting to IT leadership, and making recommendations for enhancements as needed. • Adheres to USC and Keck defined processes and procedures • Proactively identifying areas for improvement in the program’s development and staffing goals
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Req Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Information Technology, or Human Resources
• Req 5 years Experience in IS Healthcare setting: coaching, mentoring, and providing day to day direction and support to employees required

• Req Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with a proven track record of managing and scaling talent development programs using project management methodologies.
• Req Expertise in designing and implementing recruitment strategies and career development programs tailored to IT and healthcare environments, driving both engagement and organizational growth.
• Req Experience in program/project management, recruitment, and mentorship in an academic or IT setting.
• Req Strong analytical skills, leveraging data and reporting systems to optimize program operations, assess performance, and inform strategic decision-making.
• Req Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Pref Master’s degree in Communications, Information Technology, or Human Resources
• Pref Familiarity with Kronos, Workday/Handshake (ATS), HealthStream.
• Pref Proficient with Microsoft Office 365, Sharepoint, PowerBI, and ServiceNow, to integrating these tools into the program’s workflow to improve program efficiency and project outcomes.
• Pref Project Management Professional (PMP)

Required Licenses/Certifications:

• Req Fire Life Safety Training (LA City) If no card upon hire, one must be obtained within 30 days of hire and maintained by renewal before expiration date. (Required within LA City only)

The annual base salary range for this position is $95,680.00 - $158,230.00. 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.