Job Details

Director Employer Development (HR Title: Legal Recruitment Director III)
Go to our website »

Position Number: 5968406
Location: Dallas, TX
Position Type: Career Counseling and Placement

Director Employer Development (HR Title: Legal Recruitment Director III)

Salary Range:

Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications

About SMU

SMU's more than 12,000 diverse, high-achieving students come from all 50 states and over 80 countries to take advantage of the University's small classes, meaningful research opportunities, leadership development, community service, international study and innovative programs.

SMU serves approximately 7,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students through eight degree-granting schools: Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, Cox School of Business, Lyle School of Engineering, Meadows School of the Arts, Simmons School of Education and Human Development, Dedman School of Law, Perkins School of Theology and Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies.

SMU is data driven, and its powerful supercomputing ecosystem - paired with entrepreneurial drive - creates an unrivaled environment for the University to deliver research excellence.

Now in its second century of achievement, SMU is recognized for the ways it supports students, faculty and alumni as they become ethical, enterprising leaders in their professions and communities. SMU's relationship with Dallas - the dynamic center of one of the nation's fastest-growing regions - offers unique learning, research, social and career opportunities that provide a launch pad for global impact.

SMU is nonsectarian in its teaching and committed to academic freedom and open inquiry.

About the Department:

The Office of Career Services (OCS) at SMU Dedman School of Law is dedicated to empowering students to achieve their career goals in the legal profession and beyond. The department provides comprehensive career planning resources, personalized counseling, and strategic programming to connect students with a wide array of opportunities, including private practice, corporate roles, public service, judicial clerkships, and alternative careers.

Our team fosters relationships with local, national, and international employers, leveraging our position in the dynamic Dallas legal market to facilitate meaningful connections. We emphasize professional development, offering workshops, networking events, and tailored support to help students navigate every stage of their career journey. At OCS, we are committed to the success of our diverse and talented student body, ensuring they are prepared to excel in a competitive and evolving legal landscape.

About the Position:

This role is an on-campus, in-person position.

The Director of Employer Development will be responsible for (1) actively engaging in outreach and networking to legal employers to strengthen existing relationships and create new ones to increase job opportunities with a specific focus on small & mid-size law firms, (2) coordinating, securing employers for, and teaching the Small & Mid-Size Firm Externship course, (3) marketing SMU Dedman School of Law students to legal employers, (4) providing extensive individual career advising to students and recent graduates and tracking employment status of those students, (5) educating students about the legal profession, career opportunities, and job search techniques through workshops, programs, and authoring job search resources with a focus on small & mid-size firms, (6) serving as the OCS Diversity and Student Organization Liaison, and (7) assisting with daily activities of the Office of Career Services as needed or directed.

Essential Functions:

Engages in outreach to legal employers with a focus on small & mid-size firms to generate job opportunities for law students and recent graduates and to secures employers for the small firm externship course; markets small firm recruiting programs to employers and students; markets SMU law students to employers in all sectors.
Provides individual one-on-one advising to JD students and recent graduates, reviewing resumes, cover letters, business correspondence and other application materials to ensure student materials best position them for success in all legal sectors. Preps students for interviews and teaches them job search techniques. Tracks job status of each class for reporting purposes.
Creates and implements innovative educational programming for law students to educate them on the legal profession, inform them of career opportunities, teach them job search techniques through workshops and programs and authoring job search resources with a focus on small and mid-size firms.
Coordinates and teaches Small & Mid-Size Firm Externship Program.
Serves as the OCS Diversity and Student Organization Liaison, helping student organizations plan Practice Spotlights and managing diversity-specific communications related to jobs and diversity organization career programming
Attends and supports relevant OCS and Law School programs and external community events and programs where networking can be accomplished.
Assists with other daily activities of the Office of Career Services as needed or directed.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

Juris Doctor is required.

A minimum of seven (7) years of experience is required. Candidate with prior work experience in the legal industry is required. Previous career counseling in higher education is desired.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Candidate must demonstrate the ability to work with advise law students to help them achieve their career goals. Must also demonstrate the ability to develop strong relationships and generate job opportunities. Strong presentation skills are required. Candidate with familiarity with the Texas legal market and extensive contacts within law firms is highly preferred. Candidate must possess strong presentation skills.

Candidate must demonstrate strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate broadly across the University and develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of constituencies. Must also demonstrate strong written communication skills. Candidate must possess strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify and analyze problems, as well as devise solutions. Must also have strong organizational, planning and time management skills.

Candidates must possess a working knowledge in Microsoft Office products (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Knowledge of social media is preferred. Prior experience with Symplicity or 12twenty is desired.

Physical and Environmental Demands:

Sit for long periods of time

Deadline to Apply:

Priority consideration may be given to those submissions received by February 13, 2025.

Deadline to apply: February 20, 2025

EEO Statement:

SMU will not discriminate in any program or activity on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression. The Executive Director for Access and Equity/Title IX Coordinator is designated to handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies and may be reached at the Perkins Administration Building, Room 204, 6425 Boaz Lane, Dallas, TX 75205, 214-768-3601, accessequity@smu.edu.

Benefits:

SMU offers staff a broad, competitive array of health and related benefits. In addition to traditional benefits such as health, dental, and vision plans, SMU offers a wide range of wellness programs to help attract, support, and retain our employees whose work continues to make SMU an outstanding education and research institution.

SMU is committed to providing an array of retirement programs that benefit and protect you and your family throughout your working years at SMU and, if you meet SMU's retirement eligibility criteria, during your retirement years after you leave SMU.

The value of learning at SMU isn't just about preparing our students for the future. Employees have access to a wide variety of professional and personal development opportunities, including tuition benefits.

Primary Location: USA-TX-Dallas

Job: Student Services

Organization: Dedman School of Law

Schedule: Regular

Shift: Staff

Employee Status: Individual Contributor

Job Type: Full-time

Job Level: Day Job

Travel: No

Job Posting: Jan 30, 2025, 2:55:05 PM

To apply, visit https://smu.taleo.net/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=DED00000413&tz=GMT%2B00%3A00&tzname=UTC