Vice President, Mediation Practice Development

American Arbitration Association; New York (NY); On-site; USD 157,000 - 166,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

403(b) with employer contributions

Student loan assistance

Generous paid time off

Job summary

The American Arbitration Association seeks a dynamic Vice President, Mediation Practice Development to expand AAA-ICDR’s mediation presence and strengthen mediator practice development within the assigned region. The VP will work with panel mediators to enhance visibility, thought leadership, and business development opportunities to increase mediation utilization.

The role requires building relationships, coordinating with regional teams, and guiding market strategies to position AAA-ICDR as a

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, legal studies, or related field required; JD or other advanced degree strongly preferred.
• Seven years of progressivel responsible professional experience in alternative dispute resolution, legal services, mediation, or related field; experience developing relationships with senior attorneys, mediators, and other senior professionals.

Responsibilities

• Develops and executes practice development initiatives for the assigned region that strengthen mediation presence and mediator visibility.
• Builds relationships with AAA-ICDR panel mediators to identify opportunities to strengthen and expand their mediation practices.
• Coordinates with regional VP and Panel Resources & Development on prospective mediator candidates and panel needs.
• Represents AAA-ICDR at regional/national conferences and industry events to enhance mediator visibility and utilization.
• Monitors market trends and uses data to inform practice development decisions.

Skills

Mediation expertise

Relationship management

Executive presence

Public speaking

Market intelligence

CRM proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business or related field

Juris Doctor or advanced degree preferred

Tools

CRM systems

Data-analysis tools

Collaboration platforms

Job description

Pay Range

Miami, FL; Charlotte, NC; San Antonio, TX $125,000 - $133,000

Dallas, TX; Fresno, CA; Buffalo, NY; Atlanta, GA $133,000 - $140,000

Houston, TX; Johnston, RI; Minneapolis, MN $135,000 - $143,000

Philadelphia, PA; Voorhees, NJ; Chicago, IL $141,000 – $149,000

Boston, MA; Los Angeles, CA; Central, NJ $147, 000 – $155,000

New York, NY; San Francisco, CA $157,000 – $166,000

Summary

The American Arbitration Association is seeking a dynamic and experienced Vice President, Mediation Practice Development who will be responsible for expanding AAA-ICDR’s mediation presence and strengthening mediator practice development within the assigned region. The Vice President will work closely with AAA-ICDR panel mediators to enhance their market visibility, professional positioning, thought leadership, and business development opportunities, with the objective of increasing mediation utilization and strengthening the overall value of the mediator panel.

Essential Duties

• Develops and executes practice development initiatives for the assigned region that strengthen AAA-ICDR’s mediation presence, increase mediator visibility and utilization, and support broader organizational growth objectives.
• Builds strong relationships with AAA-ICDR panel mediators and works with them to identify opportunities to strengthen and expand their mediation practices.
• Proactively identifies and develops relationships with established mediators and mediation practices for affiliation with AAA-ICDR and coordinates closely with Panel Resources & Development on prospective additions to the Roster.
• Coordinates closely with Panel Resources & Development and appropriate regional Vice Presidents regarding prospective mediator candidates, panel needs, market priorities, and recruiting activity to ensure a coordinated approach and avoid duplicative outreach.
• Evaluates prospective mediators by gathering market intelligence and insight regarding professional reputation, practice strength, market presence, and potential fit with AAA-ICDR.
• Partners with regional business development teams to identify market opportunities, referral sources, client needs, and opportunities to increase the visibility and utilization of AAA-ICDR mediation services and panel mediators.
• Collaborates with Marketing to strengthen mediator positioning and visibility through profiles, biographies, digital content, video, thought leadership, speaking opportunities, professional publications, podcasts, industry events, and other appropriate channels.
• Identifies opportunities for panel mediators to participate in bar association programs, CLE programs, industry conferences, trade associations, client programs, and other forums that enhance their visibility and reinforce AAA-ICDR’s position in the mediation market.
• Supports mediator professional positioning, including appropriate opportunities involving industry directories, rankings, awards, professional organizations, digital presence, and other forms of market recognition.
• Monitors mediation market trends, competitive developments, emerging practice areas, client needs, and changes in the legal and dispute resolution marketplace and provides insights that inform practice development, business development, and panel strategy.
• Works with Marketing, Business Development, Panel Resources & Development, Operations, and other stakeholders to create practice-development initiatives and resources that enhance mediator marketability, visibility, and utilization.
• Uses data and market intelligence to evaluate practice development activity, mediator utilization, market opportunities, and program effectiveness, and recommends adjustments based on results.
• Maintains appropriate documentation of practice development activity, prospective mediator relationships, business development opportunities, and related activity in applicable CRM and other organizational systems.
• Maintains a strong working knowledge of AAA-ICDR mediation rules, qualification standards, services, panel resources, and practices in order to effectively represent AAA-ICDR to mediators, prospective panel members, attorneys, clients, and other stakeholders.
• Coordinates closely with the counterpart Vice President, Mediation Practice Development, to share market intelligence, align approaches, develop best practices, and support consistent national execution.
• Represents AAA-ICDR at regional and national conferences, industry forums, professional associations, speaking engagements, and other events involving mediation, ADR, legal services, and dispute resolution.
• Demonstrates regular, reliable, and predictable job attendance and attends required meetings and training sessions.

Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree in business, legal studies, or a related field required; JD or other advanced degree strongly preferred. Seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in alternative dispute resolution, legal services, professional services business development, mediation, or a related field, including demonstrated experience developing relationships with senior attorneys, mediators, members of the judiciary, corporate counsel, and other senior professionals; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience in professional services practice development, relationship management, or business development preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong understanding of mediation, arbitration, alternative dispute resolution, and the professional services environment in which mediators build and maintain their practices.
• Demonstrated ability to establish credibility and develop relationships with accomplished mediators, senior attorneys, retired judges, corporate counsel, and other senior professionals.
• Strong knowledge of professional services practice development and business development, including relationship cultivation, thought leadership, market positioning, referral development, and professional visibility.
• Established professional network within the assigned region’s legal, judicial, ADR, and business communities, or demonstrated ability to develop such a network rapidly.
• Exceptional relationship-building, interpersonal, communication, and influencing skills.
• Executive presence and the ability to represent AAA-ICDR credibly with senior-level external stakeholders.
• Excellent presentation and public-speaking skills.
• Ability to identify market opportunities, assess professional talent and practices, and exercise sound judgment regarding potential strategic relationships.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to use market intelligence, business data, and performance measures to inform decisions and priorities.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across organizational boundaries and coordinate activity among multiple internal stakeholders.
• Highly organized, self-directed, and capable of managing multiple markets, relationships, initiatives, and priorities simultaneously.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion.
• Proficiency with CRM systems, data-analysis tools, collaboration platforms, and other business technology.
• Ability to travel regionally and domestically, approximately 30%, to attend meetings, conferences, professional events, and other business activities.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The American Arbitration Association is an equal opportunity employer (EEO) and we value diversity in our workplace. We consider all employees and applicants for positions without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

About the Company

The American Arbitration Association (AAA) and its global division, the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), are global leaders in arbitration, mediation, and online dispute resolution. For over a century, we have helped resolve complex disputes with fairness, efficiency, and integrity — earning the trust of businesses, organizations, and individuals worldwide. Today, we are transforming how disputes are resolved. As a digital‑first, solutions‑driven organization, we are integrating advanced technology, data, and AI‑enabled tools to improve speed, accessibility, and the overall user experience. Our culture is grounded in purpose, innovation, and continuous improvement. We are proud to be recognized as a best‑in‑class employer, offering meaningful careers where employees can grow, collaborate, and make a measurable impact.

Benefits

• health coverage
• 403(b) with strong employer contributions
• student loan assistance
• generous paid time off — supporting both professional success and personal well-being.