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Department: Law Student Services
Salary/Grade: EXS/12

Target hiring range for this position will be between $110,260 to $143,670 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Job Summary:

Responsible for providing tier-one support for all issues coming into the Student Services office, including meeting with students about issues including leaves of absence, in-classroom challenges, academic concerns, class absences, assignment extensions and student crises. Serves as a key leader on the Student Services team and supports Dean of Students in various strategic and operational tasks. This includes planning, coordination, project management, internal and external networking, conflict management, and teamwork within Student Services as outlined in the duties described below.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Serve as critical leader on Student Services team and provide tier-one support for all student issues including leaves of absence, in-classroom challenges, academic concerns, class absences, assignment extensions and student crises. Escalate issues to Dean of Students as necessary and appropriate.
• Oversee student absences, leaves, and behavioral issues; liaise with Registrar as necessary regarding students initiating and concluding leaves; work with Dean of Students to address students in crisis, including threat assessments and participating in disciplinary processes. Join meetings with the Northwestern Behavioral Consultation Team (BCT) to provide context and ensure issues are addressed effectively and within University policy and practice. 
• Advise and counsel individual students on academic issues, personal issues, educational decisions, academic progress and performance, and objectives. Provide exam review to underperforming students with faculty input and support.
• Provide strategic leadership over Student Organization professionalism and leadership trainings, oversee and streamline student group organization calendar, event publicity, and collaboration with other units as necessary, refine and update Student Handbook.
• Oversee various operational aspects of the Student Services team including Orientation planning, leadership and professional development programming, staff meeting agendas, and other operational duties as assigned by the Dean of Students.
• Supervise Asst. Director of Student Services. Provide guidance, engage with the Asst. Director on strategy and programming initiatives, support professional development, and help with integration of strategic programming intiatives for Student Group Organizations.
• Support Dean of Students in conducting disciplinary investigations under the Northwestern Law Honor Code and Northwestern University Student Code of Conduct.
• Collaborate with Dean of Students on strategic initiatives designed to support the changing needs of Northwestern Law students and inculcate critical skillsets around dialoguing across difference, distress tolerance, professionalism, maturity, sound judgment, and resilience.
• Support the Student Services mission and take on other assignments as delegated by the Associate Dean of Student Services

Miscellaneous 

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor degree from an ABA accredited law school, with evidence of academic success in the law school setting.
• Minimum 5-7 years of legal or comparable experience.
• Demonstrated understanding of the idiosyncrasies of law school learning and knowledge of the subject matter of the first year required courses.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain strong interpersonal relationship with students, staff, legal professionals, and the general public.
• Proven ability to exercise initiative and judgment in coordinating and executing various programs to serve the best interest of all parties involved.
• Must be self-directed and willing to identify and assume new responsibilities as the needs of the Law School change and grow.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity within the legal profession and knowledge of current diversity trends.
• Must be willing to travel and, when necessary, work a flexible schedule (evening and weekend events are sometimes necessary).
• Strong computer skills, including word processing and spreadsheet applications.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Prior experience teaching or providing academic support in an academic setting.
• Prior experience counseling in a law school or comparable setting strongly preferred.
• Prior experience in both advocacy and conflict management/resolution settings.
• Prior experience that encompasses broad range of client interactions, including, at least, racial, ethnic, religious, geographic, sexual identity, and socio-economic status diversity. 

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Highly organized
• Ability to prioritize, manage, and complete complex tasks
• Strong communicator
• Experienced advocate
• Proven conflict management/resolution ability
• Efficient time management
• High degree of comfort working with a wide variety of competing constituencies
• Experience working with social media

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life’s challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you’re interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for people who can obtain them as a critical tool for minimizing severe illness. More information can be found on the COVID-19 and Campus Updates webpage.

The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Click for information on EEO is the Law.