Vice President, Federal Relations

Position Summary

The Vice President, Federal Relations (VPFR) is USC’s senior federal strategist and principal representative in Washington, D.C., responsible for advancing the university’s academic, research, and institutional priorities with Congress, the White House, federal departments and agencies, and other national stakeholders.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President for University Relations, the VPFR helps shape USC’s federal strategy and is responsible for translating that strategy into coordinated advocacy, engagement, and action. The VPFR serves as a trusted adviser to university leadership regarding the federal political, legislative, regulatory, and funding environments. The VPFR builds cross-partisan relationships, connects USC’s research and expertise to federal opportunities, and helps position USC as a leading national voice on issues relevant to its mission. 

The VPFR leads USC’s three-person federal relations team, directly supervising two employees. The role works as a full partner across USC’s government relations and University Relations teams and maintains strong relationships with university leadership, deans, faculty, researchers, and academic and medical partners across USC. 

This is a full-time position based in Washington, D.C., at the USC Capital Campus. Travel to Los Angeles is required approximately four to six times per year.

Key Responsibilities will include the following:

• Work with the Senior Vice President, University Relations, and senior university leadership to develop and execute USC’s federal agenda, including legislative, policy, appropriations, funding, and regulatory priorities.
• Serve as a trusted adviser to senior leadership on federal political, legislative, regulatory, and funding environment, anticipating developments and assessing institutional risks, opportunities, and recommended actions.
• Represent USC and build sustained, cross-partisan relationships with members of Congress, congressional committees and staff, White House and Administration officials, federal agency leaders, and other key stakeholders.
• Advance USC priorities on higher education, scientific research, health, innovation and technology, appropriations, and other federal matters related to the university’s mission.
• Align federal advocacy with USC’s academic and research priorities in coordination with the Provost, Office of Research and Innovation, and other university partners.
• Build strong relationships with deans, faculty, researchers, and university leaders and coordinate federal strategy, priorities, and messaging across USC.
• Connect faculty, students, researchers, and senior leaders with policymakers through meetings, campus visits, briefings, testimony, and other engagements; prepare and staff the president, provost, Senior Vice President, deans, trustees, and other leaders for federal engagements, as needed.
• Provide timely, actionable federal intelligence to university leadership and other internal audiences through briefings, written updates, and issue-specific alerts.
• Represent USC on the Association of American Universities (AAU) Council on Federal Relations and with other relevant higher education and research associations. Maintain collaborative relationships with peer institutions in the AAU and Big Ten.
• Lead, develop, and retain a high-performing federal relations team and manage the federal relations budget, consultants, and vendors.
• Partner with the Executive Director of the USC Capital Campus to support shared opportunities for engagement and programming.
• Support the Trojan Congressional Caucus through strategic programming, member engagement, and relationship-building.
• Serve as a collaborative partner across USC’s government relations and University Relations teams, promoting coordinated advocacy, information sharing, and a high-performing team culture.
• Register as a federal lobbyist and ensure compliance with the Lobbying Disclosure Act and related university reporting requirements.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required. 
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in federal relations, government affairs, public policy, or a closely related field, including at least five years of leadership and management experience.
• Senior-level knowledge and experience with federal legislative, appropriations, regulatory, budget, and agency processes.
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain trusted, bipartisan relationships with elected officials, senior congressional staff, Administration officials, federal agency leaders, and other key Washington stakeholders.
• Strong leadership and project management skills, with demonstrated success leading high-performing teams and complex initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to build productive internal partnerships and influence across a complex organization, including with senior leaders, faculty, deans, researchers, and others who do not report to the position.
• Excellent judgment, political acumen, and discretion in complex, sensitive, and fast-moving situations, with the credibility and executive presence required to advise senior leadership and represent USC externally.
• An established network of relationships in Washington and demonstrated ability to convene policymakers, institutional leaders, and other stakeholders around shared priorities.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to distill complex policy and political matters for senior leaders and non-specialist audiences.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Master’s, law, or other professional degree.
• Previous experience working on Capitol Hill, in an Administration or federal agency, or in a comparable government affairs or public policy role.
• Experience representing a research university, academic medical center, health system, or other complex research-intensive organization.
• Experience leading or managing a Washington office or federal government affairs function, including budget, consultant, and vendor management.
• Experience with coalition leadership and national higher education, research, science, health, or other relevant policy associations.
• Confidence as a public speaker and experience representing an organization in public forums and with national media.
• Familiarity with California and the Los Angeles region, including relationships with or knowledge of the California congressional delegation.

Required Documents and Additional Information

Resume and cover letter required (may be submitted as one attachment).

The annual base salary range for this position is $300,000-$325,000 plus at-risk compensation to be determined based on annual FY performance objectives. 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 alignment, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

To support faculty and staff well-being, USC provides benefits-eligible employees with a broad range of benefits and perks to help protect their and their dependents’ health, wealth, and future. These benefits are available as part of the overall compensation and total rewards package.

The University of Southern California is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

#LI-Hybrid

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree

Minimum Experience: 10 years of experience in federal/governmental relations or related fields. 5 years of experience in management/supervisory roles.

Minimum Skills: Senior-level experience with federal legislative and agency processes. Ability to establish strong relationships with government officials and agencies. Ability to lead with influence, expertise, and advocacy with key internal/external stakeholders. Demonstrated interpersonal skills for collaborating across multiple departments, building consensus strategies and implementing plans. Exemplary oral and written communication skills, exercising diplomacy, tact, discretion and confidentiality while interacting with various communities and groups of colleagues. Ability to compile and summarize information in succinct, understandable reports and formats. Demonstrated project management, organizational and critical thinking skills, able to adjust to changing demands and pressing issues.

Preferred Education: Master's degree

Preferred Skills: Extensive leadership experience on Capitol Hill and/or in the executive branch. Demonstrated public speaking and/or media experience. Working knowledge of California and multi-state employment law. Knowledge and/or understanding of cultural issues (e.g., immigration, socioeconomic, LGBTQIA+).

                                                  

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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