Director of Employer Relations and Career Development

Attention Current Lewis & Clark College Employees:  In order to apply for posted positions, please apply internally in Workday in the Jobs Hub.

The campus is located on 137 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds in Portland’s southwest hills. Our strong commitment to sustainability is reinforced through recycling programs, energy conservation, alternative transportation options, and farm to fork initiatives. For benefit-eligible positions, we offer a competitive benefits package that includes options for health, dental, vision, tuition, life insurance, retirement and more.

Lewis & Clark College is committed to achieving a diverse workforce. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to status as a protected veteran or a qualified individual with a disability, or other protected status, such as race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or age.

The Director of Employer Relations and Career Development works within the Law School Career Services office and reports to the Assistant Dean of Career Services. The role leads the school’s employer engagement and recruitment efforts, advises students and alumni on career strategy, and builds durable relationships with legal employers, bar associations, and professional organizations. Alongside that work, the Director designs and runs recruitment programs and career events and contributes to the day-to-day operations and broader strategy of the office.

A strong candidate brings a J.D., a working knowledge of the legal employment market, persuasive relationship-building instincts, and fluency with legal recruiting and career programming. Success in the role depends on strategic outreach, sound advising, thoughtful program design, active community engagement, careful data tracking and reporting, and the organizational range to keep several initiatives moving at once.

• Counsel J.D., LL.M., and M.S.L. students and alumni on career strategy across private practice, public service, judicial clerkships, and law-adjacent fields.
• Help advisees identify and pursue internships, fellowships, and post-graduate employment opportunities.
• Lead career-focused sessions within the Foundations of Legal Practice course.
• Connect students with specialty bars and professional associations, and encourage student leadership that widens their professional networks.

• Build and carry out employer outreach plans that open new hiring and networking channels for students and alumni.
• Develop and sustain working relationships with attorneys, legal employers, bar associations, and professional organizations.
• Represent the law school at conferences, community events, and professional gatherings to raise its visibility.
• Coordinate partnerships with organizations such as the Oregon Minority Lawyers Association, the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, and the New Lawyers Division.

• Plan and run recruitment efforts, including career fairs and on-campus interview programs.
• Manage the school’s participation in programs such as the Presidential Management Fellows Program, the Loyola Patent Interview Program, and Oregon State Bar diversity employment and scholarship initiatives.
• Create and deliver workshops, panels, and career-exploration programming that introduce students to attorneys and prospective employers.
• Oversee publicity, outreach, and registration for career-related events and initiatives.

• Run the operational side of the Career Services office, including administration of the Career Connect database and student communications.
• Use platforms such as 12Twenty, Zoom, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Office to support advising, programming, and data work.
• Gather and analyze student and graduate employment data for reporting and assessment.
• Serve as a liaison to law school committees and professional associations, and join advisory boards when invited.

• Deep familiarity with legal career pathways, including private practice, public service, judicial clerkships, and law-adjacent roles.
• Solid command of the Portland and regional legal employment market, including bar associations and specialty practice groups.
• Strong grasp of recruitment strategy, employer engagement, and career programming in a higher education or legal setting.
• Comfort with career-management platforms such as 12Twenty and with data systems used for employment reporting.
• Fluency with Zoom, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Office for communication, event coordination, and data management.
• Interpersonal skill that earns the trust of students, alumni, employers, and community partners.
• Clear, professional writing and speaking, including the ability to make complex information accessible.
• Strong organization and attention to detail across competing priorities.
• Analytical ability to read employment data and turn it into strategy.
• Sound, independent judgment that advances institutional goals while supporting student and alumni success.
• Initiative and follow-through that keep employer and community relationships strong over time.
• Collaborative instincts that strengthen ties across departments, professional associations, and student organizations.
• Discretion and professionalism in sensitive or confidential matters.
• Adaptability as employment trends and institutional priorities shift.
• A genuine commitment to an inclusive workplace where people of all identities and backgrounds feel respected, supported, and valued.

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
• At least one year of legal experience—including a judicial clerkship or comparable legal practice—that informs career advising and an understanding of legal employment pathways.
• Professional experience engaging legal employers, attorneys, or professional associations that reflects knowledge of legal hiring practices and career progression.

• Two years of experience practicing law or serving as a judicial law clerk.
• Background in legal recruiting, attorney hiring, or professional recruitment environments.
• Experience working in higher education settings.
• Familiarity with regional and national legal employment markets across private practice, public service, and judicial clerkship pathways.
• Lewis & Clark Law School alumni.
• Familiarity with enterprise student and career systems such as Colleague, Slate, Taskstream, and similar higher education platforms.

• Full time, benefit eligible.
• 37.5 hours per week, generally Monday through Friday during traditional business hours, with regular evening and occasional weekend hours to support events, programming, and employer engagement.
• Occasional local, regional, and national travel for conferences, professional meetings, recruitment events, and employer outreach.
• Primarily in person and based on campus, with limited hybrid flexibility available in alignment with departmental needs and institutional policy.

• FLSA Status: Exempt.
• Starting at $70,000 per year, with consideration for experience.

• General professional office environment within a law school setting.
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Frequent use of a computer, keyboard, and standard office equipment.
• Movement around campus buildings and event spaces to attend meetings, programs, and employer events.
• Effective communication in person, by phone, and through virtual platforms.
• Occasional transport of materials such as event supplies, printed materials, or equipment weighing up to fifteen pounds.

Please include a cover letter describing your interest in joining Lewis & Clark and the ways you can contribute to a culture of inclusion on our campus.

Lewis & Clark College adheres to a nondiscriminatory policy with respect to educational programs, activities, employment, and admission.  We do not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, sex, religion, age, marital status, national origin, the presence of any physical or sensory disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other basis prohibited by applicable federal, state, and local laws.  The Associate Vice President of Human Resources has been designated to handle inquiries regarding employment- and disability-related non-discrimination policies.  Title IX inquiries may be directed to the Title IX coordinator or deputy Title IX coordinators

(https://www.lclark.edu/about/title_ix_compliance). 

Reasonable Accommodation

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment. 

Background Check

Lewis & Clark College will conduct a background check on the finalist, which will include a criminal record check. If a conviction is discovered, a determination will be made whether the conviction is related to the position for which the individual is applying or would present safety or security risks before an employment decision is made. A criminal conviction does not necessarily automatically bar an applicant from employment.

Eligibility to Work

In order to comply with US Homeland Security Department regulations, all employees must complete an I-9 form in Workday prior to or no later than the first day of work and bring originals (no photocopies) of their supporting documentation to Human Resources no later than the 3rd business day of employment. Failure to have a completed I-9 form on file with the College will result in immediate termination of employment.