Director, Career Services

While this position welcomes applications from the public, please note that preference will be given to current employees at the University of Alberta. Please indicate your internal status using the "Advertisement" drop down menu when applying.

This position is a part of the Association of the Academic Staff of the University of Alberta (AASUA).

In accordance with the Administrative and Professional Officer Agreement , this full-time continuing position offers a comprehensive benefits package found on our Benefits Overview page and annual salary range of $63,257-$105,433.

Location

Work primarily takes place at North Campus Edmonto. This role is in-person.

Working for the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all First Peoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

The University of Alberta is teeming with change makers, community builders, and world

shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to more than 40,000 students in 200+ undergraduate and 500+ graduate programs, over 13,000 faculty and staff, 260,000 alumni worldwide and have been recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for over a decade.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross section of people—from our students and stakeholders, to our renowned researchers and innovators who are quite literally curing diseases, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger, and more just.

Working for the Department/Faculty

Founded in 1912, the Faculty of Law is the oldest law school in Western Canada. Members of the University of Alberta, Faculty of Law are recognized nationally and internationally as leading scholars and teachers, and lead by example in their service to the university, legal and civic communities. The Faculty enrolls approximately 525 Juris Doctor students and operates a robust graduate program. The Faculty of Law is also home to four research groups that contribute research, ideas, innovation and policy expertise to important areas of public concern: the Wahkohtowin Law Governance Lodge, Health Law Institute, Centre for Constitutional Studies, and Alberta Law Reform Institute.

Position

Reporting to the Dean of Law, this position serves the following:

• Public service and public interest organizations across Canada and internationally and the administration of the Canadian Legal Career Development Network (CLCDN) and the National Association of Law Placement (NALP)
• University of Alberta Law Alumni
• Approximately 525 active students in the Faculty of Law
• Canadian and international Law firms
• University of Alberta law student clubs and groups
• 30 full-time faculty
• Prospective University of Alberta Law students
• 65 sessional instructors

The incumbent represents the Faculty of Law with local, national and international employers, alumni and the community at large. The incumbent is responsible for supervising Career Service Officers and Law students who work for Career Services.

Duties

Career Development Programs and Services

• Provides strategic leadership with the goal of enhancing the quality of opportunities and career resources available to students.
• Assists students with resumes and cover letters suitable for a legal position and strategies for marketing themselves through networking and during interviews, conducts mock interviews and provides feedback.
• Counsels students regarding market trends and hiring practices in Alberta and other national and international markets for mainstream and non-traditional career options, as well as leadership opportunities and clerkships with all levels of courts.
• Develops and implements programs to provide significant student interaction with members of the legal profession through an annual job shadowing program, opportunities to visit with firms and meet with representatives (‘firm hops’) in centres across Canada, career fairs, seminars and receptions.
• Researches career services activities at other law schools and develops strategies as appropriate for their adoption to fit the culture of University of Alberta Faculty of Law and law students.
• Counsels Juris Doctor (JD) students on all aspects of career planning, including academic advising, application preparation, interview skill training, career transitions, and compliance with the rules of the Law Societies across Canada.
• Designs and executes multiple workshop presentations, develops and implements annual career fairs, and organizes panel discussions for students with members of the profession, training sessions and mock interviews for students.
• Discusses individual career plans and job search strategies, including full-time and summer employment opportunities and alternatives with students

Communication and Liaison

• Markets and promotes University of Alberta Law to employers and potential employers in the legal and business communities as well as in the public sector on a local, national and international level.
• Develops and maintains relationships with external entities (law firms, government, non-government agencies etc.) and alumni to raise the visibility of University of Alberta Law students and to enhance local, national and international opportunities for students.
• Develops relationships with potential employers by firm visits, assessing their needs, assisting them with developing their recruitment strategy in alignment with the University of Alberta Faculty of Law program and events, linking recruiters with the Faculty and students, and providing targeted recruitment planning and acting as a recruitment resource.
• Maintains close relationships with professional associations including National Association of Law Placement, Canadian Legal Career Development Network, Canadian Bar Association, and the Law Society of Alberta.
• Builds close working relationships with specific student organizations of the Faculty of Law, and supervises the activities and projects of the Student Articling Committee.
• Provides faculty members and students the opportunity to liaise and build relationships through receptions, career fair, seminars and events.

Administration

• Drafts year-end reports to provide information regarding job search activities of all law students and priorities for meeting student needs.
• Develops surveys to collect student information to ensure program development and service provision accurately address students’ needs, implements surveys to track and evaluate employment results, and analyzes data to identify trends and career patterns and make recommendations to address emerging priorities.
• Manages Career Services Office budget.
• On an annual basis, updates Career Services strategic planning for the next academic year.

Minimum Qualifications

• Strong organizational, analytical, prioritization, supervisory and team building skills (works as part of a team with a variety of parties, from senior administrative staff, students, alumni, and faculty members to recruiters and law firm hiring partners)
• Law degree or Canadian equivalency.
• Computer literacy, including familiarity with MicroSoft Office, databases, and internet applications.
• A minimum of five years of relevant experience and an in-depth knowledge of the legal community and labour market.
• Works under pressure and with many interruptions (balances multiple projects, deadlines and clients).
• Supervisory/managerial experience
• Excellent interpersonal and counseling/coaching skills with emphasis on initiating and maintaining client relationship and communicating professionally and effectively with all clients.
• Membership in the Law Society of Alberta preferred.
• Excellent editorial and proofreading skills.
• Understands and appreciates student and alumni career concerns and issues as well as alumni relations matters.
• Marketing, public relations, networking and relationship-building experience.
• Possesses ability to build and maintain rapport with a variety of students, alumni and employers.
• Ability to work a flexible work schedule that can include travels nationally and possibly internationally to meet with employers, attends meetings, conferences, workshops, networking events and other employment-related events throughout the year.
• Demonstrates maturity, initiative, tact, creativity, flexibility and motivation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Career or academic counseling experience in a client-oriented environment preferred.