Associate Director, Center for Professional Development - Private Practice
About The Position
Seattle University is seeking an Associate Director for its Center for Professional Development (CPD) to support students and alumni in their career endeavors, with a specific focus on private practice. This role involves counseling students on career options, application materials, job search skills, and networking. The Associate Director will also be responsible for developing substantive programming, collaborating with external organizations, and assisting with data management and graduate employment statistics. The position requires a commitment to supporting students in establishing careers in private practice, including large corporate law firms and in-house counsel roles, as well as those interested in intellectual property law through the TILE Institute. The role also involves creating content for communications, managing interview programs, organizing networking events, and representing CPD at community events. A significant portion of the role involves data management and graduate employment statistics collection for reporting purposes.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree.
- Exceptional written and oral interpersonal communication skills.
- Effective in one-on-one counseling situations.
- Comfortable in larger groups as a leader in making public presentations.
- Program management experience.
- Self-motivation and individual initiative to manage duties/projects.
- Ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
- Ability to participate and attend local and regional events, including some evening and weekend commitments.
- Ability to remain knowledgeable of available job opportunities and hiring practices within private law firms and businesses.
- Ability to effectively communicate job market knowledge to students and alumni.
- Experience with Microsoft Office products and Sharepoint.
- Commitment to professional development and growth.
Nice To Haves
- Juris Doctor degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school.
- 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.
- 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.
Responsibilities
- Supporting students and alumni in their professional development endeavors, focusing on private practice, JD Advantage roles, Big Law, in-house counsel, and intellectual property careers.
- Counseling law students and alumni on career options, preparation of application materials, job search skills, and professional development/networking opportunities.
- Reviewing, editing, and improving job application materials, including resumes, cover letters, and personal statements.
- Meeting one-on-one with students to develop personalized career support strategies and documenting these meetings in Symplicity.
- Assisting with the development of electronic communications, including content for a bi-weekly newsletter, targeted emails, and website updates.
- Serving as CPD’s primary point of contact for private law firms and collaborating with internal/external organizations and programs.
- Managing and overseeing CPD’s interview programs for recent graduates.
- Organizing and overseeing CPD’s annual Summer Associate networking event.
- Collaborating with colleagues, student organizations, departments, alumni, and community lawyers to develop and promote workshops and presentations.
- Engaging in public speaking on a routine basis.
- Analyzing and developing student resources, including surveys, reports, and databases, and authoring job search materials.
- Staying up-to-date on developments and trends in the legal profession and professional development.
- Representing CPD at community events with law firms, corporations, organizations, and regional bar associations.
- Working closely with the Assistant Dean and CPD team to collect, analyze, and submit employment statistics for students and graduates.
- Tracking and supporting a specific number of recent graduates annually.
- Assisting with collecting and managing student data in Symplicity.
Benefits
- Three different medical plans
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Life insurance
- Short-term disability coverage
- Long-term disability coverage
- Up to a 10% employer contribution for retirement benefits (5% nonelective employer contribution and dollar-for-dollar match up to 5% of voluntary contributions)
- 100% paid tuition benefits for the employee and dependents
- Subsidized transportation benefit
- Wellness program with free access to an onsite fitness facility
- Wide variety of campus events
- Generous holiday schedule, including a paid Holiday break closure in December
- Vacation leave
- Paid sick leave
- Paid community service leave
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
