Juris Doctor Academic Skills Coach

Compensation Range:

Hourly: $22.20 - $28.86

Position Summary

The JD Academic Skills Coach is responsible for providing virtual academic assistance to  Juris Doctor students in a variety of forms, including synchronous and asynchronous coaching sessions, tutorials, and workshops. This person will assist students, particularily  first year students and those experiencing acadmic persistence or performance challenges,  in developing a strong foundation in legal writing and analysis. This JD Academic Skills Coach will identify the student’s unique learning strengths and challenges, collaboratively develop plans for individual academic support, and participate in student success initiatives articulated by the school to advance student success and persistence in the JD Program. With the guidance of the Manager of Student and Bar Success, the JD Academic Skills Coach will implement student support strategies, contribute to bar and academic success initiatives, and align coaching services with JFK School of Law student success goals.

Essential Functions:

• Assist students in understanding the foundations of legal writing (legal analysis memos, memorandum of points and authorities, opinion letters, demand letters, mediation statements, trial briefs).
• Assist students in understanding the differences between objective and persuasive writing and tone and how to determine which tone is appropriate for specific circumstances.
• Assist students in understanding BlueBook citation guidelines related specifically to legal communication.
• Assist students in being able to locate and critically analyze legal research.
• Assist students in understanding the components of a statute.
• Assist students in understanding how to brief a court opinion to use in an analytical memoranda.
• Assist students in learning how to structure a legal argument using the IRAC style of writing.
• Implement best practices in working with adult, and online students at the doctoral level.
• Provide synchronous one-to-one and group academic coaching.
• Provide oral or written coaching feedback.
• Assist students in becoming autonomous, self-directed learners.
• Maintain records of student contact.
• Review student practice essays and provide detailed feedback.
• Help students identify their learning strengths and weaknesses and connect them with the necessary resources to aid in success.
• Evaluate student learning styles, skills, deficiencies, and goals; identify appropriate learning resources for them to use; and facilitate their use of those resources.
• Collaborate with and work under the guidance of the Manager of Student and Bar Success to develop and implement academic success, persistence, retention, and bar preparation initiatives and resources that support JD student achievement.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest bar exam developments and effective study strategies.
• Support the mission of COLPS and National University.
• Participate in required training, coaching, and other activities that promote high-quality coaching.
• Attend School of Law and College of Law and Public Service meetings as requested.
• Other job-related duties as assigned.    

Supervisory Responsibilities:  N/A

Requirements:

Education & Experience:

• Juris Doctorate degree in a relevant field from a regionally accredited institution.
• Successfully passed a State Bar Exam.
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant coaching or tutoring experience within a higher education environment required.
• Demonstrated success working with non-traditional (adult) students required in tutoring, academic coaching, or teaching legal forms of writing.
• Ability to provide personalized instruction in non-technical language based on students’ unique strengths and growth areas with little to no preparation required.
• Experience in an online learning environment is required.
• Proficiency in using technology in the delivery of education required.
• Experience in higher education preferred.
• All skills, abilities, and education will be considered for minimum qualifications.

Competencies/Technical/Functional Skills:

• Knowledge of adult learning theories and cognitive load theories.
• Graduate-level written communication skills.
• Developmental editing skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge of BlueBook citation guidelines.
• Demonstrated knowledge of proper paraphrasing.
• Excellent analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to participate as an active team member of the team and organization and work toward a common goal. Contributes fully to the team effort and plays an integral part in the smooth running of teams without necessarily taking the lead.
• Accepts personal accountability, proactively seeks resolution for personal limitations head-on; and supports honesty and respect towards others, the company and oneself.
• Actively seeks to influence, build effective relationships and gain alignment with peers, functional partners and/or external partners to accomplish business objectives. 
• Develops new insights into situations; questions conventional approaches; encourages new ideas and innovations; designs and implements new or cutting-edge programs/processes.  Ability to generate and/or recognize imaginative or creative solutions that generate successful outcomes.
• Working knowledge, principles and practices of office management/systems within a higher education environment, preferred. Demonstrates an understanding of underlying organizational issues.
• Ability to drive towards achieving measurable and challenging goals to support organizational success. Demonstrates the ability to focus on achieving results consistent with the organization’s objectives. As a leader, develops goals based on the organization’s vision, mission, strategic goals and objectives.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individual of constituencies in a diverse community.
• Work independently and foster a cooperative spirit within a large and/or small team of diverse cultures, while working in a fast-paced environment with multiple deadlines and frequently changing priorities.
• Intermediate use of computers and Microsoft Office Suite Applications such as Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook.  Experience using Student Information System (SIS) such as SOAR/Peoplesoft systems.

Location: Remote, USA

Travel: Limited travel once per year for School summit, if required.

#LI-REMOTE

Candidate receiving offers will be offered a salary/pay rate commensurate with experience that vary based on a candidate’s qualifications, skills, and competencies.  Absent exceptional circumstances, candidates will be offered a salary within this range for this position. The minimum salary will be offered based on the minimum exemption threshold based on state of residency. Base pay is one component of National University’s total rewards package, as we are dedicated to supporting the needs of the “whole you” with our holistic approach to employee benefits by offering comprehensive well-being benefits for you and your family.  For full details about our benefit plan offerings, please visit benefits.nu.edu. For Part-time benefits, please click here.

National University is committed to maintaining a high-quality workforce representative of the populations we serve. National University employs more than 4,500 faculty and staff and serves over 45,000 students. We are united in our mission to meet the global education demands of the 21st Century and are dedicated to creating a supportive academic and work environment that allows students, faculty and staff to develop their interests and talents while experiencing a sense of community. With programs available both online and at our many campus locations, National University is a leader in creating innovative solutions to education and meeting the needs of our student population, including adult learners and working professionals.

National University (NU) is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant per applicable federal, state and local laws. At NU, a mix of highly talented, innovative and creative people come together to make the impact of a lifetime for each of our student learners. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment, education, and admission at National University.