Associate Director, Center for Professional Development - Private Practice

Months Per Year:
12

Work Model:
Hybrid Work Eligible

Position Description:

Supporting students and alumni in their professional development endeavors (60%)

• The Associate Director will focus on supporting students and alumni interested in establishing a career in private practice with law firms of all sizes. The Associate Director may also assist in supporting students and alumni pursuing positions in JD Advantage roles.
• The Associate Director will serve as the Department's main contact for students interested in pursuing opportunities at large corporate law firms (Big Law). The Associate Director will also serve as the main contact for students interested in learning more about in-house counsel career paths.
• The Associate Director will serves the Department's main contact for the law school's TILE (Technology, Innovation Law, and Ethics) Institute. The Associate Director will work with students interested in and qualified to pursue intellectual property career paths.
• The Associate Director counsels law students and alumni on career options, preparation of application materials, job search skills, and professional development/networking opportunities.
• As a CPD team member, the Associate Director will utilize their writing skills to review, edit, and identify areas of improvement on job application materials, including resumes, cover letters, and personal statements. Document review in CPD requires the ability to manage a high volume of professional correspondence and edit hundreds of resumes, cover letters, personal statements, and other materials.
• The Associate Director will meet one-on-one with students to develop personalized career support strategies. During busy times of the academic year, each CPD team member may meet with up to 6 to 8 students/graduates per day. The Associate Director will document their student/alumni meetings with substantive counseling notes in Symplicity, CPD's Career Management System.
• The Associate Director assists with the development of CPD's electronic communications with students and graduates; in particular, the Associate Director will create content for a bi-weekly CPD newsletter for a specific class level, targeted emails, and content updates for the CPD website.
• Other duties as requested.

Creating substantive programming and collaborating with external organizations (25%)

• The Associate Director will serve as CPD's primary point of contact for private law firms in the city, region, state, and across the country. The Associate Director will also serve as a CPD point of contact for a number internal/external organizations and collaborative programs. These organizations and programs include, but are not limited to:
• Seattle Area Legal Recruiting Administrators (SALRA)
• The National Association for Law Placement (NALP)
• The Legal Mentor Network
• The Joint Minority Mentorship Program (JMMP)
• The Associate Director will be responsible, with the support of CPD's Program Coordinator, for managing and overseeing all of CPD's interview programs that are held throughout the calendar year (summer/fall/spring) and created for our recent graduate population.
• The Associate Director will organize and oversee CPD's annual Summer Associate networking event held every fall with local/regional law firms.
• The Associate Director will collaborate with CPD colleagues, SBA student organizations, School of Law departments, alumni, and community lawyers to develop and promote relevant and engaging workshops and presentations for the law students and the law school community (virtual & in person). The Associate Director will engage in public speaking on a routine basis.
• The Associate Director will analyze and develop student resources, including surveys, reports, and databases; the Associate Director will author and co-author a broad range of job search materials, including resources for resumes, cover letters, interviewing, and networking.
• The Associate Director will stay up-to-date and apprised of developments and trends in the legal profession and in the professional development world, particularly in the areas of application materials, interviewing, market trends, private practice hiring, and the specific substantive practice areas they advise on.
• The Associate Director will regularly represent CPD at community events with law firms, corporations, organizations, and regional bar associations. This may require attendance at evening events and other programs that fall outside of traditional business hours. Developing effective working relationships with these groups is crucial to the operations of CPD.
• Other duties as requested.

Assisting with data management and graduate data collection (15%)

• The Associate Director will work closely with the Assistant Dean and CPD team to collect, analyze, and submit employment statistics for students and graduates for institutional, accreditation, and annual reporting requirements. The Associate Director will be assigned a specific number of recent graduates to track and support every year.
• The Associate Director will assist with collecting and managing student data contained in Symplicity, CPD's Career Management System.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree.
• Exceptional written and oral interpersonal communication skills. Applicants must be effective in one-on-one counseling situations and comfortable in larger groups as a leader in making public presentations.
• Program management experience. Self-motivation and individual initiative to manage duties/projects, as well as the desire and ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
• Ability to participate and attend local and regional events. Such events will include some evening and weekend commitments.
• The ability to remain knowledgeable of available job opportunities and hiring practices within private law firms and businesses. Applicants must be able to effectively communicate this knowledge to students and alumni as they apply for these highly competitive positions.
• Experience with Microsoft Office products and Sharepoint.
• Commitment to professional development and growth.

Preferred Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school, plus two years of work experience practicing law in a private firm setting, including participation in the hiring of attorneys and/or law clerks - or an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the Associate Director position.
• Experience with local, regional, and national hiring practices amongst private law firms and corporations.
• Career coaching and mentorship experience.
• Familiarity with ABA and NALP guidelines.
• Experience working with Symplicity or other similar Career Management System.

Application Instructions

Please attach a cover letter with your resume when applying. Job postings are open until filled, unless otherwise specified.

Compensation at a Glance

$78,000 - $85,000

Seattle University has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, and not based on a candidate's gender or any other protected status.

Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. Seattle University provides generous leave, health plans, and retirement contributions that add to your total compensation package.

Benefits at a Glance

Consistent with its fundamental Jesuit values, Seattle University offers a wide range of benefits designed to care for the whole person. Choose from three different medical plans, a dental, and vision insurance programs. Protect your income with life, short & long-term disability coverage. Plan for your future with up to a 10% employer contribution for retirement benefits, comprised of a 5% nonelective employer contribution and an additional dollar-for-dollar match of your voluntary contributions up to a maximum of 5%. You may also take advantage of 100% paid tuition benefits for the employee and dependents, a subsidized transportation benefit, a wellness program with free access to an onsite fitness facility, and a wide variety of campus events. Enjoy a generous holiday schedule, including a paid Holiday break closure in December, vacation and paid sick leave, and paid community service leave. For more information explore the Benefits website at: https://www.seattleu.edu/hr/benefits/

Positions designated as hybrid eligible may offer the opportunity for a hybrid work schedule after successful completion of an introductory period of 3-6 months. In these cases, the role typically begins fully on campus to support onboarding and training, with the potential to transition to a hybrid arrangement thereafter.

Positions designated as on-site are not eligible for hybrid work and are expected to remain fully on campus.

All flexible work arrangements are subject to periodic review and may be modified or discontinued at any time at the university's discretion.