Director of Public Service and Pro Bono Initiatives

Director of Public Service and Pro Bono Initiatives

New York Law School (NYLS), located in the heart of Tribeca, seeks a highly motivated Director of Public Service and Pro Bono Initiatives. The Director of Public Service and Pro Bono Initiatives will provide career counseling services, plan programming, and develop resources for NYLS students who are interested in public interest/government careers and internships. The Director will also manage public sector recruitment programs with support from the Office of Academic Planning and Career Development and cultivate and maintain relationships with public service employers and pro bono partners. The Director will report to the Associate Dean for Academic Planning and Career Development. As such, the Director is a member of a dynamic team working in a fast-paced, flexible office delivering advising services on a year-round basis in both one-on-one and group settings, including in remote formats. As a team member of the Office of Academic Planning and Career Development, the Director works to support the efforts of the Law School in meeting the needs of all students.

The Director must exhibit collegiality in a team environment and the ability to create and maintain an inclusive, accessible, and professional atmosphere in the Office. In addition, this person must understand the importance of cultural awareness and agility, and commit to collaborating effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Responsibilities:

Public Sector/Public Interest Counselling:

• Manage an assigned cohort of students, with a focus on 1Ls and 2Ls, who are interested in pursuing internship and post-graduate opportunities in public service.
• Alongside the administrative staff, create and manage student lists designed to keep students engaged with the Office and provide more streamlined and targeted counselling services.
• Counsel students and recent graduates with a focus in public sector/government employment opportunities by guiding job search strategies, editing résumés and application materials, connecting them to resources, conducting mock interviews, and advising on hiring and salary negotiations.
• Advise students on course selection, clinic applications, graduation requirements, and academic planning to develop a tailored curriculum for a career in public service.

Employer Relations and Recruitment:

• Maintain relationships with public interest/government employers through regular dialogue with existing contacts and attendance at industry and employer-sponsored events.
• Cultivate additional employer relationships and expand the number of public interest/government employment opportunities for our students and graduates.
• Manage the public sector recruitment programs by maintaining a database of public sector employer contacts, inviting employers to participate in recruitment programs, conducting outreach to students and reviewing applications, and working with the Executive Director of Employer Relations to run interviews.

Programming:

• Develop and implement career-related presentations, workshops, and programs.
• Develop and teach career-related programs, including creating instructional materials aligned with best practices for achieving learning outcomes.
• Work with student organizations and relevant Academic Centers to develop co-sponsored, career-related programming.
• Work with public interest/service alumni on networking programming to cultivate the NYLS public interest alumni network, maintain alumni engagement with students, and connect students with resources.
• Lead and participate in events and networking receptions with public sector agencies, public interest organizations, and other employers to introduce students to practitioners.
• Coordinate mock interview programs, internship and job fairs, and other career and public service programming throughout the year.

Pro Bono Scholars Program:

• Manage all aspects of the New York State Pro Bono Scholars Program at NYLS, including:

o Facilitating the Faculty Selection Committee;

o Working with selected students to find placements and engage additional employers to serve as placements for our Pro Bono Scholars;

o and manage the relationship with the NYS Courts that facilitate the program.

Pro Bono Initiative:

• Administer the NYLS Pro Bono Initiative, including advising students and recent graduates on completion of the NY 50-hour pro bono requirement.
• Cultivate and manage a broad array of pro bono opportunities for students, develop relationships with external pro bono providers, recruit students to volunteer, and provide additional support as needed, especially for pro bono opportunities sponsored by NYLS student organizations.
• Perform outreach to all students on pro bono opportunities.
• Serve as the point of contact on all internal and external NYLS pages regarding information on the pro bono requirement.

Public Interest Summer Funding Program:

• Manage the application process for funding by working with the Office of Financial Aid to edit and publish the application, review applications, ensure student eligibility, inform students of their acceptance into the program, and confirm their completion of necessary paperwork.
• Work with the Accounting Office to collect and approve student timesheets and ensure that students are paid in a timely manner.
• Work with the Assistant Dean to select candidates for donor funding fellowships, notify students of their selection, collect their thank you notes to donors, and notify the Office of Institutional Advancement of the selection.

Representation of OCP and Networking:

• Develop and maintain relationships with law faculty, administration, alumni, and career services and counselling professionals.
• Represent the Office at conferences, meetings, and events associated with the National Association for Law Placement (NALP), Equal Justice Works, the Metro-Area Public Interest Advisors, and other legal, educational, and career-related organisations.

Resource Development and Acquisition:

• Develop, edit, and update public interest/government career handouts, web content, surveys, and other resources.
• Research, evaluate, and recommend pertinent career-related resources for acquisition.
• Create tailored resources to share with students on the portal, NYLS website, and Symplicity.

Qualifications/Requirements

• J.D. with two (2) to four (4) years of experience in the practice of law is required, preferably in the public interest or government sector.
• Extensive knowledge of public interest and government career-related issues, particularly in the practice of law.
• Effective counselling skills. Preference given to those candidates with previous career counselling experience.
• Strong interpersonal skills in working with students, faculty, alumni, and professional colleagues with an emphasis on cultural competency and empathy.
• Awareness and sensitivity to the needs of diverse and multicultural constituencies, and interest and aptitude in working within a diverse community.
• Strong grammar, writing, and editing skills sufficient to proof application materials effectively and draft correspondence and resource materials.
• Ability to plan and organize events, workshops, and other projects.
• Ability and interest in networking actively with alumni and potential employers, including participating in some evening events, on behalf of the Law School and the student body.
• Organisational skills to manage multiple projects and the ability to juggle priorities in a fast-paced office.
• Extensive PC skills required, including experience with Microsoft Office Suite of programs, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Experience working with online databases. Preference for candidates with experience working with Symplicity or similar job and student information system databases.
• Establish contacts in the public sector and government preferred.
• This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position, ineligible for overtime compensation.

How to Apply:

Please send a resume and cover letter, including salary requirements, to Kitty Montanez, Associate Director of Human Resources at [email protected].