Brand Intelligence Specialist

The Brand Intelligence Specialist plays a key role in monitoring, gathering and analyzing information that affects the university’s brand, reputation and performance. The Specialist designs, executes, and delivers timely social media listening and performance reporting for University Communications.

Working under the Social Media Manager, the Specialist leads efforts to analyze social media conversations about higher education and USC at large, helping surface meaningful trends and potential risks. This role supports proactive and real-time monitoring for emerging crises and reputational threats, escalating findings to senior leadership, as well as crisis and security teams. The Specialist also provides data-driven reports around sensitive issues to inform institutional responses.

The Specialist forecasts trends relevant to the university, identifies new opportunities for engagement, and tracks targeted KPIs using a variety of analytics and listening tools. This role also contributes to strategic planning across communications teams. They will lead the setup, delivery, and continuous improvement of weekly, monthly, and ad hoc reporting distributed to university stakeholders, offering clear insights and actionable recommendations.

Accountabilities:

• Work collaboratively across multiple groups in University Communications to track media topics and online conversations relevant to USC, forecasting trending topics, and inform the university’s marketing, editorial and media relations groups.

• Maintain a recurring schedule of listening and trendspotting.

• Monitor and generate reporting, analyzing online conversations and sentiment around the university during a crisis, as well as on an ongoing basis. This position will play an important role managing the brand reputation of the university.

• Work with the social media manager to collaborate with a varied set of subject matter experts and stakeholders to effectively address crises as they arise, as well as define a proactive issues management approach.

• Assist in improving and enhancing current social listening practices that help assess brand reputation, with a working knowledge of managing today’s leading social media and analytics platforms.

• Work with large datasets to conduct web, email, search, and social media analysis using tools such as Microsoft Excel, Google Analytics, and third-party platforms. Translate performance trends into actionable insights that inform strategic decisions across University Communications.

• Conduct peer institution analysis to monitor consumer response to industry issues. Gather insights based on data by analyzing key audiences, university peers, and the higher education marketplace, consolidating information into actionable items.

• Use leading analytics and social media listening tools, such as Qualtrics, Google Trends, Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Sprinklr, Social Studio, MuckRack, Sprout Social, Brandwatch, etc.

• Perform other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time. Strong organizational and planning skills are vital for this position. This role may require availability outside of regular business hours from time to time, including evenings and weekends, to support crisis monitoring and response.

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree

Minimum Experience:

2-3 years

Minimum Field of Expertise:

• Experience in communications, market research, trend forecasting, and digital performance reporting.

• Proven ability to synthesize large data sets from web, email, search and social platforms into clear, actionable insights for strategic decision-making.

• Proficiency with leading analytics, monitoring, and listening tools such as Google Analytics and Looker Studio, Google Search Console, Qualtrics, Sprinklr, Social Studio, MuckRack, Sprout Social, Brandwatch and Excel.

• Strong analytical, written, and verbal communication skills, with a knack for translating complex data into compelling reports and visualizations.

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and projects under tight deadlines with a high level of organization, initiative, and creative problem-solving.

• Comfortable working independently and collaboratively across teams, with sound judgment in high-pressure or crisis situations.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in communications, market research, public relations or other relevant fields.

Preferred Experience:

5 years

Preferred Field of Expertise:

• Five years’ experience in communications, market research, and trend forecasting and reporting.

• Expertise in Microsoft Excel and other data visualization tools

• Experience in higher education.

Salary and Benefits

The hourly range for this position is $. - $.. 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 the well-being of our faculty and staff, USC provides benefits-eligible employees with a broad range of 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. You can learn more about USC’s comprehensive benefits .

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree Minimum Experience: 2-3 years Minimum Field of Expertise: Experience in communications, market research and trend forecasting and reporting Excellent analytical mind with written and oral communication skills with the ability to convert complex data and findings into understandable data visualizations and reports. Experience with online listening and research tools such as Qualtrics, Google Trends, Google Analytics, Sprinklr, NetBase, Social Studio, MuckRack, Sprout Social, etc. Demonstrated project management, problem-solving and organizational skills, able to effectively manage numerous priorities, deadlines and necessary resources simultaneously and in a timely manner. Ability to proactively, independently, strategically and creatively make decisions. Preferred Education: Bachelor’s degree in communications, market research, statistics or other relevant fields. Preferred Experience: 5 years Preferred Field of Expertise: Five years’ experience in communications, market research and trend forecasting and reporting. Expertise in Microsoft Excel and other data visualization tools Experience in higher education.