Director of Professional Development and Leadership
VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY
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Job summary
Villanova University seeks a Director of Professional Development and Leadership to design, teach, and enhance the Law School’s professional development curriculum and related programming. You will engage with students regularly, deliver workshops, and help shape a professional identity grounded in ethics and leadership.
The role collaborates with faculty and career services, supports diverse student groups, and fosters opportunities to connect values with legal practice amid a changing
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required with strong academic credentials.
- Substantial knowledge of professional development and/or legal practice.
- Leadership, counseling, mentoring, and inclusion experience.
Responsibilities
- Plan, implement, and facilitate the Professional Development curriculum and related programming, including leadership programming.
- Collaborate with faculty to infuse professional development concepts into the curriculum.
- Provide advising and programming on career development for diverse and underrepresented students.
- Represent the Law School to legal employers and stay current on employment trends.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Reporting to the Associate Dean for Professional Development and Leadership, the Director of Professional Development and Leadership plays a central role in preparing law students for successful, fulfilling careers. As a highly visible member of the Law School’s Professional Development team, this position combines classroom teaching and innovative program development to help students build the professional competencies and leadership skills essential to thrive in the legal profession.
Working collaboratively with the Associate Dean and Faculty Director, the Director designs, teaches, and continuously enhances the Law School’s comprehensive Professional Development curriculum and related programming. Through frequent and meaningful engagement with students, the Director delivers workshops, facilitates learning opportunities, and supports students in developing a strong professional identity grounded in the values, ethics, judgment, and responsibilities of the legal profession.
The Director plays a key role in fostering students’ professional identity formation, helping them connect their personal values and strengths with the competencies and expectations of the legal profession while preparing them to navigate an evolving legal landscape with confidence and integrity. This role offers the opportunity to make a lasting impact on students’ academic experience, professional identity formation, and long-term success as lawyers and leaders.
- Join a mission-driven organization. Since Villanova University’s founding in 1842, we have been inspired by the values of truth, unity, and love, and are a community dedicated to service to others.
- Villanova has been included among the nation’s best colleges and universities. VU’s inclusion again in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 “Best Colleges” rankings is another indication of the University’s continued prominence and forward momentum.
- Villanova’s most precious asset is our people. As an employee, you will receive a holistic benefits package, generous paid time off, a competitive retirement savings plan, flexible work options, wellness programs including gym membership, professional development, tuition assistance, and more.
Villanova is a Catholic university sponsored by the Augustinian Order. The University is an equal opportunity employer and seeks candidates who understand, respect and can contribute to the University’s mission and values.
- Plan, implement, and facilitate the Professional Development curriculum and related programming, including leadership programming, under the strategic guidance of the Associate Dean for Professional Development and Leadership and the Faculty Director. Collaborate with faculty to infuse professional development concepts into academic curriculum. Cultivate student leadership of and involvement in professional development programming. Coordinate with the Office of Career Strategy and Advancement, the Director of Experiential Learning, faculty advisors, alumni, and employers with respect to the Professional Development and leadership curriculum. Identify and implement additional opportunities to integrate professional development and leadership programming throughout the Law School experience. Review and evaluate student work.
- Prepare and enhance student tools for self‑assessment and professional development, including integration of assessment tools into the curriculum. Create and implement opportunities for customization and individualization within the Professional Development curriculum, including programming for students who are planning a career outside of the traditional practice of law.
- Provide advising and programming on professional development matters, which may include the following: counseling students on career and professional development concerns and planning, implementing, and facilitating programming and communication strategies for first generation, underrepresented, and diverse students.
- Assist in seeking ways to enhance professional development and employment outcomes for all students. Represent the Law School to the legal employment community and at related bar association events and other conferences. Keep current on lawyer education, professional development, and employment trends.
- Bachelor’s degree required.
- 5 years legal work experience or experience in attorney, professional, or student professional development required.
- Demonstrated leadership skills. Superior research, organization, written and oral communication skills (including public speaking). Counseling, listening, and empathy skills. Commitment to inclusion. Close attention to detail and procedures. Ability to work effectively with technology. Ability to work effectively with a variety of people and constituencies. Ability to prioritize, multi‑task, approach challenges with creativity, insight and resourcefulness. Able to work independently, demonstrate initiative, effectively balance multiple tasks simultaneously, and to be part of a diverse and collegial team. Willingness to occasionally travel.
- Substantial knowledge of, and experience with, professional development and/or legal practice. A vision for how the Law School can provide the highest quality professional development program for students and alumni. Counseling, mentoring, training, and multicultural competence. Networking and marketing skills.
- Essential office technology applications, including MS Word, calendar programs, e‑mail, voice mail, etc.
- JD preferred.
- Prior experience and/or training in legal education, counseling, mentoring and inclusion matters preferred.
- Experience with Excel or comparable databases as well as 12Twenty and SCT Banner software is desirable.
Moderate physical exertion required at times, including lifting, standing or sitting for extended periods, pushing / pulling, manual dexterity (for computers, etc.), travel and associated exertion.
Posting Date: 08/20/2026 Closing Date (11:59pm ET): Salary Posting Information: This position falls within salaried grade 16 and the range is $73,100-91,400. The final salary will be determined with consideration of several factors including the selected candidate’s qualifications, department budget availability, market data, and internal equity. Salary Grade: 16 Job Classification: exempt
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