Student Basic Needs Coordinator

Los Angeles, CAFull-time$66k–$74.6kPosted Jul 23, 2026

Student Basic Needs Coordinator

Position Summary
The Coordinator, Student Basic Needs (SBN) is a full-time professional staff member within Student Culture & Community (SCC) and reports to the Director, SCC Trojan Success Initiatives. The Coordinator provides operational, programmatic, supervisory, and administrative leadership for Student Basic Needs and is responsible for supporting a comprehensive portfolio of services that address food, housing, and economic insecurity among USC students. The position oversees daily operations, resource navigation systems, food security initiatives, emergency support programs, student staffing, volunteer engagement, campus and community partnerships, assessment, and reporting efforts. As a member of the SCC team, the Coordinator collaborates with other units to holistically support student well-being, belonging, persistence, and academic success.

About Student Basic Needs
Student Basic Needs (SBN) fosters a culture of holistic well-being by helping eliminate barriers that may interfere with students’ academic success, personal well-being, and overall student experience. Through direct support services, resource navigation, campus and community partnerships, educational initiatives, and strategic interventions, SBN connects students with resources related to food security, housing security, financial security, and other essential needs that support student success and persistence.

Please visit SBN’s website, https://studentbasicneeds.usc.edu/, for a more detailed overview of the department.

Application Procedure: Please include a cover letter with your CV/resume. It can be added to the application at the same time/place you add your CV/resume.

About Student Culture & Community

Student Culture & Community (SCC), within USC Student Life, fosters a culture of belonging, connection, and holistic well-being by creating opportunities for students to engage with their communities, access supportive resources, develop leadership skills, and thrive throughout their USC experience. Through student-centered programs, services, educational initiatives, and community-building opportunities, SCC helps students build meaningful connections and strengthen their sense of belonging within the Trojan community.

Please visit SCC’s website, https://youbelong.usc.edu/, for a more detailed overview of the department.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Support daily operations of the Trojan Food Pantry and related food security initiatives, including food procurement, inventory, storage, stocking, distribution, utilization tracking, and supply ordering.
Recruit, hire, train, supervise, schedule, develop, and evaluate student staff and volunteers.
Assist with emergency support programs, meal assistance, supplemental funding processes, and student-facing resource materials.
Support intake, consultation, referral, follow-up, and documentation processes.
Lead programmatic initiatives, including pop-up pantries, Tommy’s Closet, and SCC collaborations for high-correlation student populations like students with dependents, veterans, and first-generation students.
Coordinate outreach activities including orientations, involvement fairs, resource fairs, presentations, workshops, and special events.
Represent Student Basic Needs and/or Student Culture and Community on committees, workgroups, presentations, and collaborative initiatives as appropriate.
Collect, analyze, and interpret department-level data and assessment to inform service improvements, resource allocation recommendations, annual reports, and strategic planning.
Develop onboarding materials, training resources, operational guides, and staff development tools.
Support budget planning, purchasing, procurement, contracts, inventory expenditures, and operational resource management.
Support strategic planning, policy development, standard operating procedures, and long-term infrastructure planning.
Build and maintain relationships with campus departments, community organizations, vendors, donors, and external partners.
Support donor engagement, gift-funded initiatives, food donation partnerships, and community stewardship efforts.
Maintain Food Protection Manager certification and support compliance with food safety and university requirements.
In addition, the successful candidate must demonstrate, through ideas, words and actions, a strong commitment to USC’s Unifying Values.

Additional Responsibilities

Participate in Student Culture & Community, Student Life, and university-wide initiatives.
Support outreach, education, and communication efforts that increase awareness of SBN services.
Assist with departmental planning, reporting, assessment, and special projects.
Assist with marketing and increasing the social media presence of the department.
Serve as a resource for and collaborator with student government, student organizations, and campus programming entities.
Strengthen campus and community resource networks that support students’ basic needs.
Stay informed of emerging trends, research, legislation, public benefits, and best practices related to student basic needs in higher education.
Support efforts to expand SBN services across USC campuses and student populations, as appropriate.
Perform other duties as assigned in support of Student Basic Needs, Student Culture & Community, and Student Life priorities.

This position will include periodic extended work hours and weekend assignments.

The position may occasionally require lifting, carrying, moving, and organizing donated goods, pantry inventory, supplies, and event materials.

Preferred Qualifications

Master's degree in Social Work, Higher Education, Student Affairs, Counseling, Public Administration, Nonprofit Management, or a related field.
Experience supporting college students experiencing food, housing, or financial challenges.
Experience with assessment, reporting, and data-informed decision making.
Experience managing food assistance programs, volunteer programs, or resource navigation initiatives.
Knowledge of higher education student support services and student success practices.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree required.
2-4 years of progressively responsible professional experience in higher education, nonprofit organizations, community services, student support services, or a related field.
Experience coordinating programs, services, or operations.
Experience supervising, mentoring, or leading staff, students, volunteers, or interns.
Strong organizational, communication, and project management skills.

The annual base salary range for this position is $66,041.23 - $74,601.63. 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.

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Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree, Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education
Minimum Experience: 2 years
Minimum Field of Expertise: Student personnel administration

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.

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