Assistant Dean of Career and Professional Development

Mitchell Hamline School of Law is seeking to hire a full-time Assistant Dean of Career and Professional Development. The Assistant Dean plays a critical leadership role in guiding law students and alumni through their career journeys. This position is responsible for providing strategic direction, counseling, and resources for students and graduates as they pursue careers in a variety of legal fields. The Assistant Dean will work closely with students, faculty, and alumni, creating and providing programming, resources, and strategies for individual career development and networking, building strong relationships that foster career growth, professional development, and job placement success.

In addition to overseeing the day-to-day office activities, the Assistant Dean is also responsible for Career and Professional Development team management and team professional development, leading staff in designing and executing career and professional development programs, building and maintaining relationships with employers, alumni, and external constituents, developing and expanding alumni and employer outreach programs. The Assistant Dean will collaborate with internal constituents and will be responsible for the annual graduate employment reporting to the ABA and other external reporting. This role requires someone with extensive experience in career services, legal practice and JD Advantage careers, and a deep understanding of the evolving job market for law graduates locally, regionally, and nationally.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Leadership and Team Management

• Lead and supervise the Career and Professional Development team, providing guidance, mentorship, and support for staff members.
• Direct the work and provide feedback on programs and projects.
• Address students and employer concerns that come into the office.
• Assist in the creation and management of the annual department budget.

Program Development and Delivery

• Oversee implementation of workshops, panels, and webinars on a variety of professional development topics (e.g., drafting application documents, interview skills, networking, professionalism).
• Oversee implementation of effective career and professional development related programs, tools, and written materials.
• Assess programs and identify opportunities for enhancement, including new technologies.
• Develop department goals and outcomes with measurable deliverables (both qualitative and quantitative).
• Build dashboards to reflect department data and analysis.
• Research trends in the legal market include career options for JDs and JD advantaged jobs.
• Collaborate with internal constituents to strengthen Career Development programs and presence in the law school.

Employer Relations and Job Development

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with law firms, corporate legal departments, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and other potential employers of law graduates locally, regionally, and nationally.
• Coordinate with the experiential faculty and staff to expand and maintain the pool of employer partners for internships, clerkships, and post-graduation employment.
• Manage staff to develop on-campus recruiting programs and job fairs and facilitate job postings through 12twenty.
• Create or identify opportunities for students to gain legal work experience during law school or after.

Alumni Relations

• Develop and expand a strong alumni network for career mentoring, recruiting, and job placement opportunities.
• Create opportunities for alumni to engage with students through mentorship programs, informational interviews, panel discussions, and networking events.
• Actively participates in professional legal associates & activities and alumni & employer networking functions.

Data and Reporting

• Track and report on key career services metrics, including student placement rates, employment trends, and alumni engagement.
• Regularly assess and report on the effectiveness of career development initiatives, making data-driven recommendations for improvement.
• Develop and implement the departmental work plan and strategic initiatives.
• Manage, track, maintain, and analyze programs and other data from students, employers, and alumni in 12twenty; identify and coordinate how to effectively use that data to enhance student, alumni, and employer outreach and relationships, and improve office processes and procedures.
• Manage and execute the annual collection of graduate employment data for the ABA and NALP working in cooperation with institutional research.

Secondary job activities:

• Representation in off-campus groups that support legal career opportunities, (e.g., Minnesota Legal Career Professionals).
• Participation in campus-wide and community events to support students and alumni.

An individual in this position must be able to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities listed above. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent communication, interpersonal and networking skills.
• Strong organizational and leadership abilities, with a proven ability to manage a team and complex projects.
• Strong program development, management, and implementation skills.
• Knowledge of key areas of career exploration, career development strategies, professional development practices, and networking strategies.
• Significant familiarity, experience, professional connections, and understanding of traditional and alternative occupations for legal professionals.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships both internally and externally.
• Ability to successfully lead and facilitate small and large group presentations and discussions.
• Strong connections with practicing attorneys, judges, and the legal community.
• High level of energy and creativity.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion in all interactions.
• Knowledge of, and experience with, website management and database programs (e.g., 12twenty).
• Ability to work occasional evening and weekend hours as needed to meet student and alumni needs.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school, an active license is not required, however, if the candidate has a law license or has previously been licensed the candidate must be (or must have been when licensed) in good standing with the applicable licensing authority.
• 5 years of experience in career services, legal practice, or a related field.
• 2 years of experience managing project teams or direct reports.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience in law firm, law firm recruiting, legal placement legal or JD Advantage practice.
• Student advising experience in higher education.
• Professional career counseling and/or placement experience with legal professionals.

Salary Range: The anticipated salary range for this position is $83,000 - $125,000 annually.

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Life/AD&D insurance (MHSL pays for)
• Optional Life Insurance
• Disability Benefits (MHSL pays for)
• Paid time off (PTO)
• 403(b) Retirement plan (Generous MHSL match)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Competitive compensation package
• A respectful workplace

To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled or otherwise closed at the School's discretion.

Mitchell Hamline School of Law does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.

Notice of Nondiscrimination re: Title IX Sex Discrimination

Mitchell Hamline School of Law prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions about sex discrimination or harassment to the Title IX Coordinator. The notice of nondiscrimination and information about reporting concerns is located on our website (https://mitchellhamline.edu/students/title-ix/).