Administrative Budget Assistant

USC's KSOM Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine is seeking a full-time Administrative Budget Assistant to join its administration team. The Administrative Budget Assistant will provide administrative and financial support for departmental operations, with primary responsibility for purchasing, service contracts, reimbursements, and related business transactions. A key focus of the position will be strengthening administrative operations by organizing processes, streamlining workflows, improving transaction tracking, and identifying practical opportunities to increase efficiency and consistency. The position will work closely with faculty, staff, vendors, and university offices to ensure departmental processes and transactions are completed accurately, timely, and in accordance with university policies and procedures. This is a hybrid position with flexibility to work 2-3 remotely with the remaining days on site.

Other job responsibilities may include:

Purchasing and Vendor Support

• Prepares and processes purchase requisitions, department orders, check requests, and other purchasing and business forms for supplies, equipment, and services.
• Coordinates purchases with faculty and staff, obtains required documentation and approvals, and follows transactions through completion.
• Interfaces with Purchasing, Accounts Payable, external vendors, and internal departments to verify pricing, resolve discrepancies, address invoice issues, and support timely payment.
• Monitors vendor transactions and departmental expenditures, reconciles vendor statements and internal records, and researches and resolves discrepancies.
• Tracks equipment and other departmental purchases and maintains organized purchasing records and supporting documentation.

Service Contracts

• Coordinates the administrative processing of service, maintenance, and vendor contracts, including gathering required information, quotes, scopes of work, and supporting documentation.
• Works with vendors and appropriate university offices to initiate, renew, and track service and maintenance agreements and ensure required approvals are obtained.
• Maintains contract records and monitors renewal and expiration dates to support continuity of departmental services.

Reimbursements and Financial Transactions

• Prepares and processes reimbursements for faculty, staff, students, and approved departmental business expenses in accordance with university policies and procedures.
• Reviews reimbursement documentation for completeness and accuracy, follows up on missing information, and tracks submissions through payment.
• Assists with travel-related transactions, including travel reimbursements and other approved travel expenses, as needed.
• Reconciles internal records to university financial systems, researches transaction issues, and assists with correcting errors or discrepancies.
• Administrative Operations and Event Support
• Helps standardize routine administrative processes and communicates clear procedures and requirements to departmental faculty and staff.
• Provides support for departmental meetings, seminars, and events, including coordinating vendors and services, arranging catering or supplies, preparing materials, and assisting with event logistics.
• Assists with scheduling and coordinating meetings and maintains organized records and documentation related to departmental business activities.

The base hourly range for this position is $24.31 - $30.92. 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.