Assistant Director, JD Admissions

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Apply now Posting #: 4914
Position Status: Full-time regular
Location: San Diego
Position Type: Administrator, School of Law

Position Title & Department:

Position Title & Department:

Posting #

4914

Department Description:

USD School of Law is one of the 84 law schools elected to the Order of the Coif, a national honor society for law school graduates. The law school's faculty is a strong group of outstanding scholars and teachers with national and international reputations and currently ranks in the top 20% (36th out of 204) among U.S. law schools in scholarly impact according to a 2018 study. The school is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Founded in 1954, the law school is part of the University of San Diego, a private, independent, Roman Catholic university chartered in 1949.

University Description:

The University of San Diego, a contemporary and engaged Contemporary Catholic institution, was founded by the Diocese of San Diego and the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1949. Governed by an independent board of trustees since 1972, USD remains committed to a liberal arts education grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition and the pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty. Inspired by this centuries old tradition of Catholic higher education, the University welcomes people of all faith traditions and any, or no, religious background. The future success of USD relies on the contributions of those who seek to foster the development of engaged global citizens and an earnest confrontation of humanity's urgent challenges .

Detailed Description:

The Assistant Director of Admissions position works as part of a 6-member team. The Assistant Director is responsible for managing and executing Juris Doctor (JD) student recruitment and pre-admission retention programs with the oversight of the Director, Law School (JD) Admissions & Diversity Initiatives. The Assistant Director coordinates ongoing enrollment advisement to prospective students and applicants at the law school. In addition, assists Director with enrollment advisement to admitted JD students from the application process through matriculation. The ability to provide timely and accurate communication to prospective students and admitted applicants is an essential component of this position. The Assistant Director works in a collaborative relationship with current law school students, faculty, administrative offices, alumni and university offices, and actively works towards enhancing the quality and diversity of each year's entering first year JD and JD transfer class. The Assistant Director participates in the admissions decision-making process and coordinates the planning of all admitted applicant events. Frequent attendance at on and off campus events during and outside normal business hours such as weekends and evenings is expected. Seasonal travel is required.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Provide guidance to prospective law students through individualized counseling, panel and group presentations:

• Serve as one of the primary contacts between the Office of Admissions and prospective JD students.
• Advise prospective students on the law school's admissions processes and general financial aid information.
• Coordinate prospective student contacts with current law students, alumni, faculty and other law school constituents as a secondary recruitment tool.
• Develop and maintain calendar schedule for campus tours and information sessions including the recruitment of current student tour guides.
• Manage records of prospective student visitors to campus using Unite enrollment system.
• Work with pre-law groups at colleges and universities throughout the region and nation to schedule group visits to USD's campus and/or USD law school presentations on their home campus.
• Provide training to current law students for law school touring and general enrollment advisement.

Participate in the review of law school applications:

• Evaluate law school application files and render admissions decisions.
• Review committee files, potential waitlist candidates, and presumptive deny decisions as assigned by the Director.
• In addition, make independent final decisions on presumptive deny decisions.
• Effectively manage the waitlist to ensure there is a pool of candidates available if needed. This includes the distribution of waitlist decisions, the reception of waitlist confirmation and taking appointments with waitlist candidates.
• Serves as the Law School Admissions and Financial Aid office's point person for Unite database training.
• Manage the Unite to Banner Interface including the processing of portal letters for newly admitted students.
• Oversees the full-time Admissions Coordinator and part-time seasonal JD application readers with the assignment of file distribution.
• Also, provides direction regarding the processing of decisions and scholarships, completing files, managing the account, Unite reports, the registering and organizing of recruitment events, Unite to Banner records transfer for matriculated students and the development of the FlexApp.

Manage the development and implementation of communication with prospective students as it relates to admissions requirements, curriculum offered and student experience:

• Manage and develop email and print pieces for prospective students including oversight of the Unite-Journeys email communication program.
• Work closely with the Office of Communications on the development of admissions, recruitment and publication pieces.
• Maintain and continually improve web pages and student portal dedicated to prospective and admitted applicants to ensure critical and up to date information is readily available, such as online signups for campus tours / information sessions and admitted applicant retention events such as spring Campus Visit Days.
• Manage, and monitor online communications with prospective law students via social networking sites as well as other new technologies.

Develop annual recruitment schedules and assist Director of Admissions & Diversity Initiatives with diversity recruiting initiatives and pipeline programming events:

• Assist the Director of Admissions & Diversity Initiatives with the development of a national fall recruitment schedule.
• Identify both national and USD specific feeder schools to visit for law school fairs, panel presentations and individual visits to increase the overall applicant pool.
• Identify schools and events that focus on minority recruitment opportunities to facilitate our diversity enrollment initiatives.
• Develop a West Coast, spring recruitment schedule that focuses on major feeder schools such as the University of California campuses and California State Universities.
• Manage the record keeping of the prospective student database and ensure post event communications are being distributed to prospects from these events.
• Under the supervision of the Director, develop trip specific budgets and monitor the overall recruitment budget.
• Serve as one of three administrators traveling and representing the law school at national recruitment events.
• Help organize pipeline programs in the greater San Diego County that provide knowledge and information to underrepresented minorities from the middle school level on up. This includes holding events on city school campuses and bringing groups of students to USD for seminars and information sessions and assist the Director with the law school's participation in LSAC's Discover Law campaign.

Organize Campus Visit Days, assist Director of Admissions with organizing admitted applicant lunches and off campus retention events:

• Manage the creation and implementation of admitted applicant retention events. Develop agenda and structure for spring Campus Visit Days. This includes recruiting the participation of faculty, current students, alumni and law school administration.
• Plan off campus admitted applicant events in major feeder cities such as Los Angeles, Orange County, Phoenix, SF Bay Area, etc.
• Assist Director to organize small-scale lunch events on campus during the week and on Saturdays for admitted applicants visiting campus.
• Perform administrative duties as necessary including overseeing office staff, responding promptly to emails and phone calls and attending meetings within the department, law school and university.
• Keep up to date on latest trends and practices within admissions and legal education.
• Perform other duties or tasks as assigned.

Special Conditions of Employment:

Effective June 1, 2023, based on CDC guidance, the University strongly encourages all campus members to stay up to date with Influenza and COVID-19 vaccination recommendations. For more regarding information USD's COVID-19 protocols, please visit

Background check: Successful completion of a pre-employment background check.

Degree Verification Requirement: Persons offered employment in this position will be required to provide official education transcripts for degree verification purposes.

Job Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor degree with 3-5 years of education admissions experience required; Graduate degree with 2-3 years of education admissions experience or higher education experience may be substituted.
• Demonstrated knowledge of admission procedures is required.
• Valid driver's license and the ability and desire to travel during peak recruitment periods is required.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize workload, take initiative in managing projects, develop and keep to timelines with minimal supervision required.
• Demonstrated knowledge of financial aid policies and procedures a plus.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail is critical.
• Ability to handle confidential information, exhibit good judgment, and exemplify appropriate customer service in working with students, faculty, and all levels of university staff and officials.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, including effective writing and public speaking. Strong problem-solving skills expected.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in an academic or professional setting.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience managing communications platforms and campaigns preferred.
• Experience working in a law school setting preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to develop recruiting plans, marketing materials and recruitment experience preferred.
• Intermediate to advanced computer skills, including word-processing, database maintenance, and subsequent data analysis. Minimum of intermediate experience with Word, Excel and MS Outlook required. Experience with web content development preferred.

$5,547 - $5,833 per month; Excellent Benefits

The University of San Diego offers a very competitive benefits package including; medical, dental, vision, a retirement contribution given to you by the University, and access to on-campus Fitness Centers. Please visit the benefits section of our website to view all of the perks and benefits that USD has to offer. USD: Human Resources: Benefits

The salary range provided in this posting reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this position. Actual compensation offered or earned is dependent on experience, education and other factors including departmental budget.

Special Application Instructions:

Resume and Cover Letter Required

Click the 'Apply Now' button to complete our online application. In addition, please upload a cover letterand resume to your application profile for the hiring managers' review. If you have any questions or difficulties please contact the Employment Services Team at

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Note: External job postings will be up for at least five days. After that time, applications will be reviewed by the hiring manager/committee throughout the posting period. A candidate may be selected at any time which could then close this posting on a date earlier than listed.

The University of San Diego is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion and is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the campus community.

The University of San Diego is a smoking and tobacco-free campus. For more information, visit

Advertised: May 09, 2024 Pacific Daylight Time
Applications close: Open until filled

Notice of Availability: In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (the Clery Act), the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available at . This report is published by October 1st of each year and includes current institutional policies and procedures concerning campus safety and security; fire safety and evacuation policies; sexual misconduct and relationship violence reporting and response stands and protocols; and crime and fire statistics for the three previous calendar years. To request a paper copy, please contact the Clery Act Compliance Manager via email at , by calling , or in-person in the Hughes Administration Center, room 150.