Senior Associate for the Office of Organizational Excellence

Posting Details

Posting Summary

Logo Posting Number STA00576PO26 Job Family Operational Analysis Job Function Project Management USC Market Title Technical Project Manager Link to USC Market Title https://uscjobs.sc.edu/titles/140495 Job Level P4 - Professional Business Title (Internal Title) Senior Associate for the Office of Organizational Excellence Campus Columbia Work County Richland College/Division Organizational Excellence and Effectiveness Department Organizational Excellence State Pay Range G13 USC Market Range MRM - $107,351 $136,872 $166,394 Anticipated Hiring Range $107,351 - $166,394 Location of Vacancy Part/Full Time Full Time Hours per Week 37.5 Work Schedule

• Normal work schedule is Monday through Friday from 8:30am - 5:00pm with one hour for lunch.
• Must be willing to work a flexible schedule as needed in support of office operation.

Basis 12 months Job Search Category Other Professional

About USC

About University of South Carolina

From the Upstate to the Lowcountry, the University of South Carolina system is transforming the lives of South Carolinians through the impact of our eight institutions and 20 locations throughout the state. More than 50,000 students are enrolled at one of eight institutions, including the research campus in Columbia and comprehensive four-year universities in Aiken, Upstate and Beaufort. In addition, our Palmetto College campuses in Salkehatchie, Union, Lancaster and Sumter enable students to earn associate or bachelor's degrees through a combination of in-person, online or blended learning. All of our system institutions place strong emphasis on service - helping to build healthier, more educated communities in South Carolina and beyond.

Veterans' Preference Statement

The University of South Carolina is committed to equal opportunity and proudly values the skills and experience military veterans bring to our workforce. Across South Carolina, we are making veterans a priority for employment and recognize their vital contributions to our state and our communities.

Benefits for FTE Positions

The University of South Carolina (USC), through the State of SC and Public Employee Benefit Authority (PEBA), offers employees a valuable benefits package, including health and life insurance, generous paid leave and retirement programs. To learn more about USC benefits, access the "Working at USC" section on the Applicant Portal at https://uscjobs.sc.edu. Research Grant or Time-limited positions may be eligible for all, some, or no benefits, based on the grant or project funding.

Position Description

Advertised Job Summary

The Senior Associate for the Office of Organizational Excellence (OE) actively contributes to planning, development, and administration of the OE initiative and serves as a proactive advocate for efficient processes, effective use of resources, and user-friendly services. A significant portion of the role involves facilitating a wide range of improvement projects, with the Senior Associate providing support, set-up guidance, facilitation of project sessions, and assistance with user feedback, measurement, tracking, and results reporting. This collaborative position works in partnership with units throughout the university to review issues, assess the potential for improvement, and determine optimal approaches in a consensus-based way. The Senior Associate gathers information for the OE Advisory Group, newsletter, and website. In addition, the Senior Associate regularly seeks improvement-related feedback, including using surveys and focus groups when appropriate to gain input and insights from key stakeholders. The Senior Associate also works to embed OE practices throughout the university by providing coaching, focused training, network building, and ongoing development and promotion of tools, tips, and templates for improvement.

Job Related Minimum Required Education and Experience

• Requires a bachelor's degree in a job related field and 4 or more years of job related experience, which may be substituted by an equivalent combination of job related certification, training, education, and/or experience.

Required Certification, Licensure/Other Credentials Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a relevant field.
• Certifications in project management, change management, innovation, Lean, or other aspects of improvement (e.g., design thinking, strategic planning, facilitation).
• 10 years experience with improvement projects (guiding, supporting, and facilitating), change management, process improvement, and strategic planning/alignment.
• Experience with institutional change in large, complex organizations.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Working knowledge of higher education organizational structures, functions, policies, and procedures, or experience in a comparable complex organization.
• Experience leading or supporting organizational improvement initiatives, including process improvement, resource optimization, organizational development, collaboration, and problem solving.
• Applied knowledge of basic quantitative and qualitative research methods and the ability to analyze data to support informed decision-making.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills with the ability to diagnose complex situations, identify appropriate methods and tools, and develop practical solutions.
• Demonstrated facilitation, collaboration, and consensus-building skills, with the ability to build and maintain productive relationships with diverse stakeholders across functions and organizational levels.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including active listening, editing, proofreading, and the ability to communicate complex concepts in clear, concise, plain language.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively in team environments, including in-person and virtual settings.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, including the ability to prioritize competing responsibilities, manage multiple concurrent projects, and consistently meet established timelines and deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to understand both broad organizational processes and detailed operational requirements to ensure accuracy and completeness.
• Demonstrated sound judgment, professionalism, discretion, diplomacy, emotional intelligence, and the ability to maintain confidentiality while exercising initiative and sensitivity in interactions with others.
• Ability to quickly learn new systems, processes, and technologies, adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment, and demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning and improvement.

Job Duties

Job Duty

Guides and facilitates a range of improvement projects - to include projects for process improvement, resource optimization, problem solving, etc. Guides the set-up of improvement projects, in close collaboration with projects sponsors and project leads- to include chartering, scoping, timelines, metrics, change management plans, etc. Facilitates select projects, working in close collaboration with the project leads. Provides proactive, neutral facilitation to keep groups on track and moving forward through the project phrases of 1) discovery, 2) possibilities, and 3) action planning. Sets up the handoff for implementation and tracking. In projects as needed, provides guidance and assistance on measurement (collection, analysis, and interpretation of data), gathering and acting on input from stakeholders, communication, change management (short term and long term), etc. Compiles project reports and other documents to assist project team with reporting out plans to stakeholders. Monitors status of major improvement projects, gathers key quantitative and qualitative results from completed projects, and maintains a user-friendly scorecard to communicate progress.

Essential Function Yes Percentage of Time 45 Job Duty

Coaches, advises, and provides focused practical training on improvement tools, practices, and methods - to build our internal capacity for improvement. Supports faculty and staff who are developing their improvement know-how and using it to effect positive change in their work areas. Contributes to a growing set of user-friendly tip sheets, templates, and tools that can be accessed online and used by work areas and teams for different aspects of improvement.

Essential Function Yes Percentage of Time 25 Job Duty

Works in partnership with academic and administrative units throughout the university, to review complex issues, assess the potential for improvement, determine optimal approaches, and build consensus on the way forward. Connects with key groups, and uses surveys and focus groups when appropriate, to gain input and insights into top issues and opportunities for improvement. Groups include students, faculty, staff, donors, and community members.

Essential Function Yes Percentage of Time 10 Job Duty

Assists with planning, development, and administration of the Organizational Excellence initiative. Serves as a proactive communicator and advocate for user-friendly services, efficient processes, and the effective use of resources. Gathers information for the OE Advisory Group, to support the review of potential projects, project selection, progress tracking, benchmarking, etc. Provides information for the OE newsletter, OE website, and other communications outlets.

Essential Function Yes Percentage of Time 15 Job Duty

Accepts and performs other duties as assigned.

Essential Function No Percentage of Time 5

Position Attributes

Employees in Safety-Sensitive or Security-Sensitive positions will be subject to pre-employment and post-employment drug testing in accordance with University policy HR 1.95 Drug and Alcohol Testing.

Safety Sensitive or Security Sensitive No Hazardous weather category Essential

Posting Detail Information

Number of Vacancies 1 Desired Start Date Job Open Date 07/30/2026 Job Close Date 08/19/2026 Open Until Filled No Special Instructions to Applicant

Positions are advertised for a minimum of five (5) business days on our job website. After five (5) business days, positions can be closed at the discretion of the department at any time. This employment site is updated on a regular basis. The length of the recruitment and screening process may vary from position to position, depending upon a variety of factors. Should review of your qualifications result in a decision to pursue your candidacy, you will be contacted by phone or email.

We are only accepting applications submitted by August 19, 2026.

The University of South Carolina offers a valuable benefits package including but not limited to:

• Health and Life Insurance
• Retirement Programs
• Paid Tuition
• Dependent Scholarships
• Annual Leave
• Sick Leave
• 13 Paid Holidays (including an extended December holiday)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Professional Development Opportunities

Click here to learn more about why you should work at USC.

Quicklink for Posting https://uscjobs.sc.edu/postings/210654 EEO Statement

The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities or decisions for qualified persons on the basis of age, ancestry, citizenship status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender (including transgender), gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDs status, military status, national origin, pregnancy (false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, childbirth, recovery therefrom or related medical conditions, breastfeeding), race, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other bases under federal, state, local law, or regulations.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• • Do you have at least a Bachelor's Degree in a job related field and 4 or more years of job related experience, which may be substituted by an equivalent combination of job related certification, training, education, and/or experience?

• Yes

• No

• • Briefly describe an improvement project or initiative you facilitated. Include your role, how the project was informed by data and/or stakeholder feedback, and the results of the project?

(Open Ended Question)

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• List of References and Contact Information

Optional Documents