Climate & Sustainability Project Manager

USC Dornsife Public Exchange

USC Dornsife Public Exchange is reimagining how research serves the public. Founded in 2020 at USC, Public Exchange fast-tracks collaborations between academic researchers and partners across the public and private sectors to define, analyze and solve complex problems together. In 2025, Public Exchange became a national network with its second location at Washington University in St. Louis—working collaboratively to accelerate the use of evidence in decision-making across the country.

In 2023, USC Dornsife Public Exchange established a Climate and Sustainability Practice that drives flagship, high-impact initiatives such as ShadeLA and the California Solar Canal Initiative. Other projects have addressed electrified mobility, water conservation, and climate communications, in partnership with the City and County of Los Angeles, the United Nations Foundation, the Sustainable Entertainment Alliance, and leading non-profits.

Public Exchange is looking for a Project Manager (PM) to support the growing Climate & Sustainability Practice. PMs are essential to the PX model — helping to identify new partners, scope research questions, draft proposals, set-up and manage projects, and deliver rigorous, actionable, and high-impact findings. Ideal candidates will have a strong commitment to social impact, familiarity with climate & sustainability issues, a high degree of intellectual curiosity, and the flexibility and willingness to take on emerging challenges in new topic areas.

The PM will work closely with the Climate & Sustainability Practice Director and fellow team members, the Strategy & Operations Team, and university partners to deliver projects. The PM is responsible for the success of their projects, contributing to the full project lifecycle: identifying partner and funder opportunities, drafting proposals, managing day-to-day execution, developing stakeholder relationships, monitoring project-level budgets, addressing operational challenges, and ensuring maximal impact.

The ideal candidate is:

Committed to working on climate & sustainability issues

Candidates should have experience working on climate & sustainability issues (clean energy, transportation, adaptation, community resilience, environmental justice, or similar fields). A degree focused in public policy, planning, social science, environmental studies, or cognate fields is preferred.

Collaborative with an entrepreneurial spirit

PMs at PX have a bias for action — they are extremely organized, detail-oriented, strong communicators, diplomatic, and comfortable coordinating across large and diverse teams. PX is a fast-paced, growing organization. In many ways, we are still at an early stage of our growth. An entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to pitch in and work with a small, but mighty team to build from the ground up is essential.

Experienced in managing projects

Project management is the beating heart that drives PX, requiring careful organization, tracking, and delivery of tasks by deadlines. Candidates should excel in juggling multiple responsibilities, problem solving, and have experience managing grants or contracts. Project managers should understand the soft skills required to keep a team cohesive & aligned, and resolve conflicts when they arise.

Research-oriented

Candidates should understand the role and opportunity that data, research, and evaluation can play in tackling complex social issues, particularly in climate & sustainability.

Job Responsibilities

Project Development: Develop project strategies and scopes of work in consultation with faculty, research partners, partner organizations, and the PX strategy & operations team to execute projects for maximum social impact;
Project Management: Develop long- and short-term project plans, including timelines, milestones, and deliverables;
Daily Workflow: Manage day-to-day workflow of project portfolio and support research teams to execute against the project plans;
Project Delivery: Lead all project kick-off, routine partner and research team meetings, as well as final presentation meetings;
Relationship Management: Maintain strong relationships with all project partners, research team members, and key project stakeholders;
Coordination: Serve as the primary point of contact for project partners, ensuring they remain updated on project progress and that deliverables exceed expectations;
Risk Management: Operate with attention to risk management, information security, and contractual compliance;
Budget: Work with PX’s operations team to manage project finances, ensuring timely transfer of funds to research team members and payment of direct research expenses;
Communication: Lead project communications, coordinating with Public Exchange Communications Manager as well as university and partner communications teams, including developing presentation decks, messaging, press releases, web and social media content, videos, and other materials;
Project Strategy: Continually seek strategic opportunities to build on project work, deliver for partners, and increase project impact.

Preferred Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in public policy, planning, social science, environmental studies, or cognate field
At least 3-5 years experience leading multi-stakeholder social impact projects
Recent work experience within a company, non-profit, university, or government agency designing products, policies, or programs related to climate & sustainability
Creative problem-solving and solution-driven track record
Demonstrated capacity to understand and synthesize complex ideas and concepts
Strong analytical and communications skills
Aptitude for learning and using tools that keep our hybrid team working as one unit: Google Workspace, Asana, Slack, Canva, etc. required
Experience supporting primary research projects is a plus

Minimum Qualifications:

Minimum Experience: 3 years, combined education/experience acceptable as substitute for minimum experience

Hiring Range

The annual base salary range for this position is $83,000 - $87,000. 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.

This position is funded on gift accounts.

Location

Hybrid, L.A.-based; approximately 80% remote. Applicants outside of Los Angeles, but open to relocation within three months, encouraged to apply.

Required Documents and Additional Information:

Resume and cover letter required (may be uploaded as one file). Please do not submit your application without these documents.
Job openings are posted for a minimum of (5) five business days. This job may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended, so please apply on the same business day if interested.
USC has excellent benefits, including health benefits for staff and their family with access to the renowned university medical network; eligibility for retirement plans with employer contributions after six months of employment; tuition benefits for staff and their family; free Professional Development classes; central Los Angeles location with easy access to commuter trains, buses and free tram pick up services; discounts to sporting and other campus events.
Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

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.

University of Southern California

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