Assistant Dean, Law School Career Services

USD Law is committed to ensuring students are supported as they secure post-graduation employment. The Assistant Dean, Law School Career Services & Professional Development, will provide leadership, strategic direction and identify/facilitate innovative strategies as they work closely with students and employers to develop productive relationships that lead to compelling career opportunities that meet the individual needs and interests of the law school student population.

As a member of the dean’s management team, the Assistant Dean will contribute to the school’s overall strategic planning process, participate in problem-solving and decision-making, and provide input on student recruiting, effective use of law school resources and marketing.   As a senior advisor and thought partner to the Dean, this position will have ultimate responsibility for all employment-related areas for our students and recent graduates. A key focus will be expanding and diversifying our portfolio of hiring relationships within the legal community, as well as corporate, public sector and NGO organizations.

This position is an opportunity to design and implement new and creative advising strategies and dynamic programs for students, alumni, faculty, employers and the legal community. The Assistant Dean will manage a wide range of recruiting programs and employer outreach events on and off campus. This will include oversight of the department’s data collection, statistical analysis and reporting for internal and external audiences, in support of USD Law’s ranking and student recruiting efforts.

The Assistant Dean is a high-profile position, representing USD Law for important external constituencies including local, regional and national legal communities, prospective students, potential employers, alumni and the public. This will include developing and implementing targeted outreach and engagement strategies to facilitate quality employment opportunities for graduates of USD Law.

Strategic priorities for this position include:

• Ensure the Career Services team is fully staffed and supported by a positive culture that is highly inclusive, creative and high performing.
• Conduct an in-depth assessment of current strategies, processes and procedures; present the Dean with findings and recommendations.
• Formulate and execute innovative strategies for supporting the unique career planning needs of each USD Law student.
• Leverage current relationships, and build new ones, with hiring managers at major businesses, law firms and NGOs across Southern California and specifically in San Diego.

Duties and Responsibilities:

External Relationship Development and Stewardship:

• Develop and steward relationships with hiring managers at large and boutique law firms, corporations, government agencies, and other potential employers to cultivate expanded legal employment opportunities.
• Attend relevant community events, on a local, regional and national basis.
• Respond to employer hiring enquiries, connecting them with qualified USD Law students, recent graduates and alumni; assist our candidates to prepare for the application and interview process.
• Serve as liaison to various groups including (NALP) National Association for Law Placement, the (ABA) American Bar Association, (AALS) Association of American Law Schools, employers, recruiters, bar associations, and national law placement consortia; serve on career-related committees.
• Work with all accredited Southern California law career services offices to develop cooperative programs, job fairs, and conferences.
• Attend regional and national conferences, programs, and panels to keep current on issues related to legal employment; develop presentations and moderate panels.
• Obtain, evaluate, and synthesize information about legal employers and employment opportunities nationwide.

Career and Professional Development Program development/facilitation:

• In consultation with the Dean, refresh and rethink career services policies and procedures.
• Design and implement innovative and effective career advising and programming to law students and graduate law students, as well as alumni of the school.
• Collaborate with various law school constituencies, including students and student leaders, deans, External Relations, JD Student Affairs, Office of Graduate and International Programs and faculty.
• Oversee all aspects of fall, spring and offsite recruiting programs including coordination of interviews and resume collections. Recruit and retain employers for these events.
• Meet with students and alumni, extensively review and revise application materials and conduct mock interviews with students in anticipation of interviews.
• Launch an extensive series of workshops, conferences, programs, and panels to assist students and alumni with career planning and job development skills.
• Develop and maintain an online Career & Professional Development resource library for students with comprehensive information around employment and areas of practice.

Data Reporting and Statistical Analytics:

• Oversee employment data tracking, collection, reporting and, where relevant, publication, under complex and multiple reporting regimes (ABA, NALP, US News).
• Collect and track self-reported data from graduates.
• Review requirements of each reporting regime annually to ensure compliance with updated standards.

Administration, Management and Supervision:

• Lead daily operations for the Career & Professional Development Office, serving a student body of approximately 735+ law students and graduate law students and an alumni base of approximately 14,000.
• Coach, manage and support Career Center staff; structure roles and responsibilities in response to market needs.
• Manage office budget and monitor all expenditures.

Special Conditions of Employment:

Effective June 1, 2023, based on CDC guidance, the University strongly encourages all campus members to stay up to date with Influenza and COVID-19 vaccination recommendations.  For more regarding information USD's COVID-19 protocols, please visit sandiego.edu/onward.

Background check:  Successful completion of a pre-employment background check.

Degree Verification Requirement: Persons offered employment in this position will be required to provide official education transcripts for degree verification purposes.