Job description
Position Type: Full Time
St. Thomas University – College of Law
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Assistant Dean for Career Development serves as the chief career development officer for the College of Law (COL) and provides strategic leadership for all career development, employer engagement, and graduate employment initiatives. The Assistant Dean develops and implements a comprehensive vision that advances student employment outcomes, strengthens relationships with employers, alumni, the judiciary, and the legal community, and aligns career development initiatives with the College’s strategic priorities and mission. The position provides executive leadership for the Office for Career Development and is responsible for assessment, planning, resource management, and continuous improvement of career services.
ABOUT ST. THOMAS UNIVERISTY COLLEGE OF LAW:
Founded in 1984, St. Thomas University College of Law is one of the most diverse access law schools in the United States. It is part of St. Thomas University, founded in 1961 as Biscayne College by the order of the Augustinian Friars. St. Thomas University is an urban, student-centered, Catholic university with rich cultural and international diversity, dedicated to developing leaders who contribute to the economic and cultural vitality of the regions they serve. To this end, the College of Law remains committed in teaching, scholarship, and service, to fostering a public order of human dignity, to training lawyers sensitive to the needs of the region’s underrepresented communities, and to expanding access to professional opportunities which includes active partnerships with business, government, and the South Florida Community.
Equal Opportunity: St. Thomas University provides equality of opportunity in education for all persons, including faculty and staff (with respect to recruitment, hiring, retention, promotion, tenure, compensation, terms and conditions of employment, termination, and the like) and students, including applicants for admission and enrolled students (with respect to admission, retention, and the like), except that the University (1) will maintain its Catholic values in the operation of the University, and (2) may exercise a preference for Catholic faculty in recruitment and hiring. (The general norm of the Apostolic Constitution on Catholic Universities states that “the number of non-Catholic teachers should not be allowed to constitute a majority within the institution.”) St. Thomas University also provides its students and graduates with equal opportunity to obtain employment,
including the requirement that every employer to whom it furnishes assistance and facilities for interviewing and other placement services must observe the principles of equal opportunity.
Nondiscrimination: Except for the maintenance of Catholic values in the operation of the University and a preference for Catholic faculty in recruitment and hiring, discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, or military status, marital or familial status, or any other category that is or becomes protected by law, is strictly prohibited. Accreditation: St. Thomas University College of Law is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). St. Thomas University is accredited
by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP:
- Provide executive leadership and overall direction for the Office for Career Development.
- Establish departmental priorities that advance the College’s mission, strategic plan, and graduate employment outcomes.
- Promote innovation, continuous improvement, and operational excellence within Career Development.
- Establish and oversee departmental budget development and ensure responsible stewardship of resources.
- Perform other duties as assigned by COL Leadership.
STRATEGIC PLANNING:
- Develop, implement, and assess a comprehensive strategic plan for career development and employer engagement.
- Develop initiatives that improve employment outcomes through data-informed decision making.
- Collaborate with the Dean, Faculty, Admissions, Academic Success Program, Advancement, Alumni Relations, and Student Affairs to support institutional priorities.
- Identify emerging trends in legal education, attorney recruiting, and the legal employment market to guide departmental strategy.
SUPERVISION:
- Supervise the Executive Director for Career Development & Employer Relations and the Associate Director for Career Development.
- Hire, mentor, support, develop, and evaluate Career Development staff.
- Establish departmental goals, performance expectations, and accountability measures.
- Structure departmental responsibilities to respond to evolving student and employer needs.
EMPLOYER RELATIONS & STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS:
- Develop and maintain executive-level relationships with law firms, corporations, government agencies, judges, alumni, bar associations, and community partners.
- Expand employer recruitment opportunities and strengthen strategic partnerships that increase employment opportunities for students and graduates.
- Lead fundraising, sponsorship, and partnership initiatives that enhance career development programming.
- Provide executive-level career advising to students pursuing highly competitive employment opportunities or requiring strategic intervention.
INSTITUTIONAL REPORTING & ASSESSMENT:
- Oversee employment outcomes assessment and institutional reporting.
- Ensure the accurate and timely completion of ABA, NALP, and other required employment reports.
- Review annual reporting requirements and implement processes that maintain compliance with evolving reporting standards.
- Utilize employment data and assessment metrics to evaluate program effectiveness and inform strategic planning.
- Oversee implementation of LRAP.
OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Provide executive oversight of departmental operations, technology platforms, and web-based career resources.
- Guide branding, communications, website content, newsletters, publications, and social media strategy for the Office for Career Development.
- Oversee Reciprocity requests.
- Promote student success stories and employer partnerships that strengthen the COL’s reputation.
- Ensure efficient administration of departmental resources, systems, and services.
- Attend and participate in local, national, or online trainings in reference to professional development.
EXTERNAL REPRESENTATION
- Serve as the COL’s principal representative for Career Development with employers, alumni, bar associations, professional organizations, and the legal community.
- Represent the COL at regional and national conferences, meetings, recruiting events, and professional programs.
- Serve as the COL’s liaison to organizations including NALP, the ABA, the AALS, legal employers, recruiters, bar associations, and national law placement consortia.
- Serve on professional committees, develop presentations, moderate panels, and maintain active engagement in organizations that advance the COL’s visibility and reputation.
Qualifications
POSITION QUALIFICATIONS/SPECIFICATIONS:
- J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school, preferred
- Active bar membership in good standing.
- Minimum (7) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in legal practice, legal recruiting, attorney professional development, law school administration, higher education, or a related field.
- Knowledge of legal recruiting and hiring practices.
- Demonstrated experience supervising professional staff and managing strategic initiatives.
- Strong communication, relationship-building, counseling, organizational, and presentation skills.
- Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends when necessary.
- Skill in event planning and promotion.
- Established relationships within the legal profession.
- Active involvement in NALP, AALS, or other professional organizations.
- Manual dexterity to efficiently operate a computer keyboard and other business machines.
- Ability to occasionally lift and carry moderately light materials weighing up to approximately 10-15 pounds.
- The position might require irregular work hours and transportation to meetings and events outside of STU Law campus.
- Ability to work evenings and weekends as necessary.
Important Note
This is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and/or skills required for this position. The University reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet organizational needs.
