Department College of Law
Responsibilities The Executive Director of the College of Law Election Law Center provides overall strategic, operational, and institutional leadership for the Center. The Executive Director is responsible for directing the Center's administrative operations, expanding public programming, leading legislative and state agency engagement, managing budget resources, supporting scholarly and policy research, and driving comprehensive student advising, mentorship, and career placement initiatives.
Institutional Leadership & Operational Management- Oversee day-to-day operations, strategic planning, budgeting, and personnel management for the Center, including recruitment and supervision of staff attorneys, research fellows, and student workers.
- Lead strategic outreach to local, state, and national stakeholders to establish the Center as a premier, non-partisan institutional authority on election administration and constitutional law.
- Maintain active collaborations with key policy entities, academic networks, and professional associations across the country.
Legislative Engagement & Policy Leadership- Drive legislative and governmental affairs efforts to secure recurring public funding and fulfill legislative mandates in election administration.
- Work closely with university administration, legislative leaders, committee staff, and state agency officials to position the Center as a credible resource for lawmakers and policymakers.
- Direct specialized policy research initiatives, including the development of model statutes, statutory analysis, and legislative background reviews.
Conferences, Teleforums & Public Programming- Concept, fundraise for, and execute high-profile national conferences, symposia, and academic panels convening prominent judges, senior litigators, public officials, legal scholars, and journalists.
- Organize timely virtual programming, teleforums, and post-oral argument briefings covering major U.S. Supreme Court and state court election law cases.
- Serve as an institutional liaison to media outlets and legal reporters, facilitating commentary and expert references on election law and governance topics.
Student Advising, Mentorship & Experiential Learning- Provide individualized career counseling and mentorship to law students pursuing careers in election law, state government, litigation, and public policy.
- Serve as faculty advisor to legal student organizations, providing guidance on speaker recruitment, event execution, and leadership development.
- Cultivate and expand competitive internship, fellowship, and externship placements with key executive branch agencies, state election commissions, and private practice firms.
- Facilitate experiential learning opportunities by coordinating student involvement in high-level appellate research, amicus brief preparation, and major academic events.
- Engage with prospective, accepted, and alumni communities through specialized events, receptions, and targeted outreach.
Qualifications - A J.D. from an accredited law school is required.
- Minimum of 5-7 years of professional experience in election law, public policy, state government affairs, higher education administration, or appellate legal practice.
- Demonstrated track record of successful strategic leadership, stakeholder engagement, legislative advocacy, and event management.
Preferred Qualifications Required Skills- Strong leadership, managerial, and organizational abilities to direct complex projects under firm deadlines.
- Proven capacity to cultivate strategic relationships with government officials, university leadership, legal scholars, and donors.
- Exceptional written and oral communication skills for diverse audiences (academic, legal, media, and public).
- Demonstrated commitment to non-partisan, objective, and rigorous academic research and public service.
- Experience in student mentorship, career counseling, or law school student organization advising
Contact Info Donna Chandler
FSU College of Law HR Representative
dchandler@law.fsu.edu
850-644-1063
Anticipated Salary Range Anticipated salary range: $140,000-$165,000, negotiable depending on experience. This is a soft-money funded position, with renewal based on available funds and the needs of the College of Law and the University.
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How To Apply If qualified and interested in a specific Faculty job opening as advertised, apply through the FSU Faculty Careers site (jobs.fsu.edu). If you are a current FSU employee, apply through myFSU Self Service.
Applicants are required to complete the online application with all applicable information. Applications must include education details even if attaching a Vita.
Considerations This is a Faculty position.
This position requires successful completion of a criminal history background check .
