Reservations Specialist (Project Specialist-Administrative)

University of Southern California

1d • $30 - $34 • Onsite

About The Position

The USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability (WIES) seeks a detail-oriented Reservations Specialist (Project Specialist) with strong customer service skills to lead and manage all reservation planning and resource coordination for our Wrigley Marine Science Center (WMSC) on Catalina Island. This position is located at the WMSC and reports to the Associate Director for Business Strategy and Finance at WIES. About the Wrigley Marine Science Center The WMSC is a USC campus and field station advancing the understanding of the environment and sustainability. Located in a pristine environment on Santa Catalina Island, just 22 miles from Los Angeles, WMSC provides unparalleled access to both unspoiled natural systems and areas heavily affected by human activity. WMSC is equipped to support undergraduate and graduate courses, individual academic researchers, conferences, retreats, and approximately 2,500 visitors annually (15,000 visitor days). WMSC offers wet and dry labs, sized for individual researchers or groups; a lecture hall and classrooms with A/V setup; a greenhouse and blue house; dive facilities; education support; and room and board. Getting to the island is convenient aboard the USC vessel, Miss Christi, which provides transportation to and from WMSC, plus a full-service waterfront to support research and educational activities like kayaking, snorkeling, etc. We offer full support for research diving, including access to boating and the USC Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. Our dining hall serves three meals each day. Housing options include dorm-style rooms with shared bathrooms; one-bedroom apartments with full kitchens and living/dining spaces; and 2- and 3-bedroom cottages with full kitchens, living rooms, and dining rooms. The George and MaryLou Boone Center for Environmental Research is our premium housing option which offers a retreat facility for public- and private-sector leaders looking to develop solutions to environmental and sustainability problems. It consists of six semi-detached homes situated around a central courtyard with a view of Big Fisherman’s Cove. Job Details This full-time role acts as the key liaison between the WMSC and its visitors and is responsible for reserving, assigning, and prioritizing WMSC resources in support of WIES’ mission to secure a more sustainable and equitable tomorrow. The day-to-day responsibilities will involve detailed coordination with clients to identify their desired research, conference, or education outcomes, and reserve the appropriate resources at WMSC accordingly. Reservation resources at WMSC include a variety of housing options, dining plans, educational activities, laboratories, classrooms, scientific diving, vehicle and vessel use, and more. This position will work closely with key personnel to plan day trip, overnight, and semester-long visits for a variety of education and research groups throughout the year. In addition to managing reservations, this role helps provide on-site administrative coverage at WMSC, serving as a primary in-office point of contact for visiting students, faculty, researchers, and guests.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education
• 2 years of experience in event planning, program/project management, or hotel/travel reservations
• Demonstrated excellence in customer service, organizational planning, logistics coordination, problem solving, database management, process improvement, and written and verbal communication

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in a related field
• 3 years of experience in event planning, program/project management, or hotel/travel reservations
• Experience working in higher education, research institutions, field stations, hospitality operations, or remote environments
• Experience with MySQL, Postgres, and/or Microsoft Access databases
• Knowledge of the Southern California area, including Catalina Island
• Skills in analysis, program assessment/evaluation, conceptualization and user experience design, marketing, and public speaking/presentations

Responsibilities

• Act as primary contact for WMSC reservation requests and general space inquiries
• Present reservation inquiries weekly to a review committee to assess mission alignment, operational feasibility, and resource prioritization
• Coordinate with the administrative, hospitality, laboratory, waterfront, and education departments at WMSC to ensure a client’s expected resources are available and reserved during appropriate times
• Serve as the central communication hub between departments to ensure real-time updates on reservation changes and operational impacts
• Maintain detailed event files and provide accurate reporting of activities, meals, and accommodations, including purpose of visit and emergency contact information
• Assist groups with schedule planning to achieve their educational and research goals in the field and in the lab and act as a point of contact while they are on site
• Provide client relations support and collect feedback from visiting groups to continually improve program and facility operations for efficiency and user-friendly capability
• Administer liability waivers, housing agreements, contracts, and invoices for WMSC client visits and staff housing
• Regularly assess client communications to ensure information is accurate and accessible to visiting groups, taking feedback from individual departments to improve information flow
• Assist with housing assignments and roommate pairing as needed for semester-long courses
• Own and continuously improve the departmental reservations and billing database, including reporting, data integrity, and process enhancements
• Researches and identifies client or beneficiary needs and recommends program modifications or creation of new programs and services. Assists in the design and delivery of programs, services and special events. Provides historical data and projections for use in developing resource and annual reporting to inform pricing and marketing efforts
• Provide on-site administrative coverage in the WMSC office, respond to guest and visitor inquiries, and address real-time logistical or scheduling needs in coordination with campus departments
• Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

Benefits

• generous benefits package, including health insurance, a retirement account, life insurance, tuition benefits, and a wide range of discounts.
• USC Benefits and Perks
• broad range of perks to help protect their and their dependents’ health, wealth, and future

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees