Career Advisor, Graduate Studies

Job Summary
The Career Advisor provides support and works collaboratively with the Director, Professional Programs; and other Graduate Program staff in providing a comprehensive Allard School of Law (“Allard Law”) Graduate Program (“GP”) experience with particular responsibility for Allard Law graduate student and recent alumni career counselling, especially the LLM Common Law and LLM in Taxation programs. Works in cooperation with Allard Law faculty, staff, and programs to support Allard Law’s objective to attract high calibre graduate law students by developing and providing outstanding career services and recruitment opportunities to Allard Law graduate law students and recent alumni, and through fostering stronger and broader relationships with Allard Law graduate alumni and the legal, business, and non-profit communities in general. Provides career advising to Allard Law graduate law students and recent alumni.

Organizational Status
Reports to the Director, Professional Programs. Works closely with the Director, Professional Programs; GP and Career Services Office (“CSO”) staff; Allard Law’s Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Professional Programs; other senior administrators as appropriate; the Allard Law graduate student government and other student clubs; and external contacts at the local, national, and international level. External contacts include hiring partners, executives, and senior staff responsible for recruitment at law firms, companies, government departments and agencies, professional associations, educational institutions, regulatory bodies, and individual alumni, especially those offering employment opportunities for Allard Law graduate law students and alumni.

Work Performed

Overall

• Assists the Director, Professional Programs, and the GP staff team, in providing direction to the GP in its goal of enhancing the quality of career services and recruiting resources available to Allard Law graduate law students and recent alumni and supporting the employment success rate of Allard Law graduates.

• Escalates issues to the Director, Professional Programs, and the GP staff team, about program and service development for Allard Law graduate law students and alumni.

• Assists the Director, Professional Programs, and the GP staff team in planning programming and resources for Allard Law graduate law students.

• Maintains and upgrades professional skills and practices through links with professional associations, Canadian and US schools, and attending workshops and conferences where appropriate.

• Ensures a collaborative working relationship with Allard Law’s graduate student government, student clubs, and student organizations.

• Works in cooperation with other Allard Law units to provide services for Allard Law’s graduate law students, alumni, supporters, and benefactors.

Career Services

• With direction from the Director, Professional Programs, and the GP staff team, executes strategies to ensure that career services and resources are marketed effectively to Allard Law graduate law students and recent alumni.

• Organizes law-related career development programming and recruitment initiatives for graduate students, in consultation with the CSO.

• Develops and updates electronic law-related career handouts.

• Counsels Allard Law graduate law students and recent alumni on aspects of legal career development, including: professionalism, legal job search, application preparation, interview preparation, academic advising related to career planning, jurisdictional licensing requirements, and career transitions.

• Manages student advising records to ensure accuracy

• Delivers guidance to Allard Law graduate students and recent alumni regarding hiring practices in British Columbia (Vancouver, Vancouver Island, and Interior BC) and other national and international markets for law-related career options, including summer positions, articling positions, internships, judicial clerkships, volunteer opportunities, associate and other lawyer positions, and non-legal positions for which a law degree is an advantage.

• Participates in the evaluation of GP career programs and services.

• Generates qualitative and quantitative data on and from students via surveys and individual outreach in order to monitor summer and articling employment, career and market trends, and the GP’s programs, resources, and services, to ensure the GP continues to address the needs of Allard Law graduate law students and recent alumni.

• Compiles information on career services activities at other law schools, and recommends strategies for their adoption and adaptation in the GP at Allard law, as appropriate.

Business Development and Employer Outreach

• Under the direction of the Director, Professional Programs, and the GP staff team, markets Allard Law graduate law students and alumni in the legal and business communities, public sector, and non-profit sector, both nationally and internationally.

• Researches a diverse range of local, national, and international employers that can provide quality work and volunteer experiences for Allard Law graduate law students and alumni, including small and large private practice law firms, government employers, public interest organizations, corporations, and non-legal employers.

• Upholds relationships with employer contacts by conducting personal meetings with employers, assessing employer hiring needs, identifying and suggesting marketing and profile-raising activities for the GP at Allard Law, and providing guidance for employers on student and alumni recruitment processes.

• Responds to student, alumni, faculty, staff, and employer leads and inquiries relating to recruitment and long-term relationship building.

• Maintains close relationships with professional associations for lawyers, law school career advisors, and legal employer recruitment professionals, including NALP, CLCDN, the Canadian Bar Association, and the Vancouver Bar Association, as appropriate, and leverages this network to facilitate the success of the GP to meet the needs of students, employers, and the law school.

• Performs other duties related to the qualifications and requirements of the job.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
This position represents the Allard Law in its dealings with students, faculty, staff, employers (locally, nationally, and internationally), alumni, and the community at large. Incorrect decisions/judgment can adversely affect the reputation of students, the GP, and Allard Law with external stakeholders and partners. Failure to respond to industry demands and employers' feedback affects the number and quality of work opportunities for Allard Law graduate students and alumni, and weakens relationships with employers. Industry and community interest in, and support of, Allard Law graduate students could be lost, and the GP’s and Allard Law’s reputation negatively affected.

Supervision Received

Reports to the Director, Professional Programs. Receives general direction and advice from the Director, Professional Programs, and the GP staff team. Works independently under general direction of the Director, Professional Programs.

Supervision Given
Working under the direction of the Director, Professional Programs, delegates and may support the work of the GP Work Learn Student, Administrative Assistant, or other students or support staff. Exercises judgment and tact in dealing with Allard Law staff, faculty members, members of the public, employers, students, and alumni.

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of one to two years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience

Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own. Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

-Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Law degree (LL.B./J.D.) preferred or degree in Career Counselling, Coaching or Human Resources required, or equivalency in University degree and experience.

-Knowledge of the NCA (National Committee on Accreditation) process for internationally trained law graduates is preferred.

-Knowledge of the taxation legal and accounting landscape in Canada is preferred.

-Minimum of one or two years of related experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

-Experience in an advisory level position within a professional university environment, including career services, student development, and alumni relations, preferred, or related experience in the legal profession.

-Experience with career or academic counselling, legal recruitment, adult learners, or Human Resources preferred.

-Understanding and appreciation of law student and alumni career concerns and issues as well as alumni relations matters. Excellent interpersonal and counselling/coaching skills with an emphasis on initiating and maintaining relationships with students, alumni, and clients.

-Excellent presentation and written communication skills.

-Strong organizational, analytical, multitasking, prioritization, and team building skills required.

-Strong ability to juggle multiple projects, deadlines and clients at once.

-Ability to work effectively under pressure and with many interruptions.

-Maturity, initiative, tact, creativity, flexibility, motivation and good judgment are necessary.

-Ability to build and maintain rapport, and assist successfully with a variety of stakeholders, including students, alumni, administrative staff, and employer representatives, including recruiters, law firm hiring partners, lawyers, and other hiring staff.

-Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

-Computer proficiency required (MS Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Internet, Zoom database and email). Web experience preferred.

-Valid BC Driver’s License and own transportation required.

-Ability to travel (national and international) to meet with employers, attend meetings and conferences, workshops, networking events and other employment related events throughout the year.

-Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends.

- Experience supervising Master’s level practicum students.

- Commitment to serving the needs of a broadly diverse student population;

- Demonstrated ability to provide services that are responsive and sensitive to the needs of specific student populations including aboriginal students, international students, graduate students, racialized students, students with disabilities and LGBTQ+ students.

- Demonstrated knowledge of student development theory and experience in program development, consultation and outreach.

- Strong interest in and commitment to effective problem solving and continuous improvement of programs and services.

- Possession of personal attributes that facilitate teamwork and the development of effective working relationships with a wide range of students, faculty, and staff.

- Appropriate course-work and training in mental health assessment, individual and group counselling; program evaluation, adolescent and adult development; learning theory; career development, cross-cultural counselling and diversity, personality theory and diagnosis and treatment of psychopathology.

- Knowledge of the unique issues facing university students and university life.

- Upholds thorough knowledge of industry best practices and evolving market shifts.

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