University of Southern California logo

University of Southern California

Senior HR Partner, USC Athletics

🇺🇸 Hybrid - Los Angeles, California 🕑 Full-Time 💰 $120K - $130K 💻 Human Resources 🗓️ November 3rd, 2026

Edtech.com's Summary

USC Human Resources is hiring a Senior HR Partner for USC Athletics. This role involves acting as a strategic advisor to Athletics leadership, managing complex employee relations, and collaborating with various HR experts to support organizational goals and talent strategies.

Highlights
  • Serve as a strategic HR advisor and build trusted relationships with USC Athletics leaders.
  • Provide coaching and guidance on workforce planning, talent development, performance management, and change management.
  • Manage employee relations issues including workplace investigations and disciplinary actions.
  • Coach and mentor HR Partners and Associate HR Partners within the team.
  • Collaborate with HR Centers of Expertise on talent acquisition, total rewards, learning and development, and HR analytics.
  • Leverage workforce data and employee feedback to support HR decisions.
  • Required: Bachelor's degree, 7+ years in human resources, strong knowledge of HR domains including total rewards and labor relations.
  • Preferred: Advanced degree, 10+ years HR experience, experience in higher education or athletics, knowledge of Workday HCM, and HR certifications such as SHRM or PHR.
  • Required skills include Microsoft Office proficiency, analytical and conflict resolution capabilities, and ability to manage multiple priorities and direct reports.
  • Compensation range: $120,000 - $130,000 annually.

Senior HR Partner, USC Athletics Full Description

Senior HR Partner, USC Athletics

Los Angeles, CA
Job ID REQ20182365

Category Human Resources

Helpful Information for Applicants


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 Athletics.

USC Athletics is a dynamic and highly visible organization with a unique operating environment spanning coaches, contract and non-contract employees, and staff across its programs and operations. The Senior HR Partner will work closely with Athletics leaders to understand the organization, build trusted relationships, and provide strategic HR guidance across complex people and organizational needs.

This position is part of University Human Resources' Client Services, reports to a Director, and is assigned to USC Athletics to provide dedicated HR partnership while collaborating with USC's HR Centers of Expertise.

Learn more about USC Athletics: https://usctrojans.com/
(opens in new window)

The Opportunity

The Senior HR Partner will join a complex, hands-on client environment where responsiveness, sound judgment, and understanding how decisions impact the broader organization will be essential to success.

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. The Senior HR Partner also provides guidance to HR Partners and Associate HR Partners.

This opportunity is well suited for an experienced HR professional who is approachable, resourceful, and comfortable advising executive leaders. The successful candidate will be able to work with autonomy, know when to escalate or involve the appropriate HR subject matter experts, and balance responsive client service with thoughtful HR guidance.

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 this position is Monday through Friday. This position follows 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. 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.
  • Experience supporting collegiate athletics, professional sports, or a related sports organization.
  • 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.

Addtional Education Requirements Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education Addtional 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.

Job ID REQ20182365
Posted Date 11/03/2026