Director of Career Development, Private Practice and Rural

Title: Director of Career Development, Private Practice and Rural

Position Number: 998958

Unit/Department: Law

FTE: 100%

Salary: Commensurate with experience and qualifications of the selected candidate

Department Summary:

Drake Law School’s Career Development Office is committed to providing first-rate, proactive assistance to all students and alumni throughout school and beyond. Providing support for both the traditional and alternative legal employment markets-whether local or national-the Career Development Office (CDO) offers individual attention and direction while empowering students and alumni to have control over their job search and professional development.

CDO services include:
* Individual counseling and career planning
* Resources on resumes and cover letters, interviewing strategies, conducting a job search, introduction to law firm life, and more
* On-campus interviews
* Mock interview program
* Formal and informal mentor programs
* Structured networking events
* Expansive alumni network
* Job database with hundreds of job postings
* Many live and online education programs, focused on careers and professional development

Learn more about the office at: https://www.drake.edu/law/careers/ .

Job Summary:

The Director supports law students and alumni throughout the job search process to include, skill acquisition, experiential opportunities, search strategies, and facilitating employer engagement. Support may include one-on-one counseling, small group workshops, and large group presentations.

The Director will focus on helping those students interested in private practice and smaller communities. Advise students on career paths in private practices (small to large firms) and rural legal practices. Connect with firms, rural attorneys, bar associations, and community leaders to identify employment needs and connect students with these needs. Oversee the campus recruitment program with the assistance of the program manager. Coordinate rural access student stipends.

The Director will have the proven ability to lead large-scale events, manage multiple responsibilities and engage with a variety of internal and external stakeholders including students, alumni, staff, faculty, and employers. The Director will be a team-player with the demonstrated ability to assist with the development, creation, and execution of intentional, high impact career experiences within the Law School.

The Director reports to the Assistant Dean of Career Development and may supervise student and/or administrative staff.

Minimum Qualifications:
* J.D. or a master’s degree in a relevant field
* Broad understanding of career counseling techniques with specific knowledge of market trends and job search strategies
* Superior organizational, communication, and relationship management skills
* Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills
* Demonstrable understanding of and proficiency with current career center technology, assessment, and related software

Preferred Qualifications:
* Active law license with experience in private practice
* Knowledge of job search, career/employment services, recruiting, and interviewing principles and practices
* Comfortable balancing multiple large-scale events and projects
* Strong judgment, decision-making capabilities, and problem-solving skills
* Creative and innovative mindset for pursuing an effective strategy to serve an ever-evolving student and employer population
* Excellent oral and written presentation skills and ability to take on teaching professional development courses as determined necessary
* Experience with Symplicity or similar CSM programs
* Candidate should be able to work independently with technology and be proficient in the use of Microsoft Office programs including Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint as well as Zoom and other communication tools

Job Duties:

• 50% – Meets with students and alumni on an individual basis to provide career counseling, planning, and job search assistance, including help in making informed self-assessments, drafting resumes and cover letters, developing and perfecting job-seeking strategies, and practicing and honing interviewing skills and techniques as well as job negotiation skills; communicate with students regularly in regard to their plans, the status of their job searches, and opportunities, conferences, or events of interest to them. May include individual counseling, group activities, or providing information via email or other electronic means.
• 20% – Assists the CDO staff in developing and actively promoting a series of career development seminars, events, and programs to help students and alumni in understanding, preparing for, and effectively pursuing career options within the private practice and rural areas. Acts as primary liaison between the CDO and law student organizations related to private practice, developing partnerships for the delivery of career-related programming.
• 10% – Cultivates relationships with private practice employers, coordinates a law firm career fair and summer stipends.
• 5% – Attends alumni and other law school functions to represent the law school and help form and sustain relationships with present and future alumni; attends professional meetings and functions to develop and maintain relationships with employers, alumni, and potential program and panel participants within private practice.
• 5% – Creates, develops, maintains, and updates substantive career development materials for use by students in learning about and effectively pursuing the variety of career options available; suggests and develops content and design for career web page and social media focused on private and rural practice.
• 5% – Assists with the gathering of student information for reports submitted to the American Bar Association, National Association of Law Placement, U. S. News & World Report and other surveys in which the Law School participates.
• 5% – Serves as liaison to university and law school committees as appointed/requested, and to faculty and administration. Performs other duties, as assigned.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

For consideration, you must apply online. Please include a resume and cover letter. If you have any questions about this job positing or the application process, please email laurie.dufoe@drake.edu .
If applying to both Director CDO positions, please indicate in your cover letter if you have a preference of one area over the other.

Review of Applications Begins:

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until positions are filled.

For faculty positions, selection will depend on the receipt of recommendation confirming the candidate’s scholarly achievements and teaching abilities and/or on the candidate’s satisfactory passing of a teaching demonstration if selected for an on-campus interview. For staff positions, selection will depend upon careful review of each applicant’s references, education, and, if applicable, experience.

ABOUT DRAKE
Drake University is recognized as a top private university in the Midwest. Drake is a midsize university in Des Moines, Iowa, with an increasingly diverse student body. We are deeply committed to equity and inclusion and creating a sense of belonging for all members of the campus community-faculty, staff, and students alike. More than 900 faculty and staff are part of the Bulldog pack, a close-knit group of colleagues enthusiastic about preparing students to be global citizens and leaders, challenging assumptions. Drake University is not only an outstanding institution of higher learning, it is also a wonderful place to work. We are enthusiastically committed to welcoming new ideas and people into the fold, and to retaining and rewarding stellar employees.

All positions at Drake provide opportunities to contribute to Drake University’s core mission of creating an exceptional learning environment that prepares students of all backgrounds for meaningful lives and professional accomplishments.

STRONG COMMITMENT TO A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY
At Drake University, we don’t just accept differences-we celebrate them, we support them, and we thrive on them for the benefit of our students, our employees, and our community. As reflected in our Core Values, we embrace a diverse and inclusive community.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
Drake University is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law. Drake University is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations in its services, programs, activities, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities. If you would benefit from an accommodation at any point in the recruitment process (including using our online application process), please contact Drake Human Resources (p: 515.271.3133; e: jobs@drake.edu) and let us know how we can assist you.