Public Interest Alumni Specialist

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 20
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building:
• Salary Range: $60.00 - $60.00

Position Summary

The Office of Public Interest/Public Service Law and Careers (PI/PS) at Columbia Law School provides career services, programming, and specialized opportunities to students and graduates interested in exploring public interest, government, and human rights experiences or careers. PI/PS is one of the largest and most specialized public interest advising centers at any U.S. law school and leads conversations on campus about cutting-edge racial and social justice issues and other intersections of law and justice. PI/PS also oversees the Law School’s pro bono program, Human Rights Internship Program, the Max Berger ‘71 Public Interest/Public Service Fellows
Program and other signature programs. Please visit https://www.law.columbia.edu/about/departments/PIPS and https://www.law.columbia.edu/careers/public-interest to learn more.

Reporting to the Dean of the Office of Public Interest/Public Service Law and Careers (PI/PS Dean) and Director of Max Berger ‘71 Public Interest/Public Service Fellows Program, the Public Interest Alumni Specialist will be responsible for developing, managing, and
strengthening the Max Berger ‘71 Public Interest/Public Service Fellows Program (Berger Fellows) alumni community. The Berger Fellows Program, which was launched in 2019, provides specialized resources and opportunities to Columbia Law students who are committed to working in the public interest, human rights, and government sectors immediately upon graduation. This position will foster meaningful engagement among program alumni, current law student fellows, and other key stakeholders by creating new communication channels, organizing networking and professional development opportunities, facilitating mentorship and career connections, and supporting strategic alumni initiatives. The specialist will serve as the primary point of contact for Berger Fellows Program alumni engagement efforts and will work closely with the Berger Fellows Program Coordinator.

The position is a part-time (20 hours/week) permanent officer role that requires one day onsite each week.  Additionally, the incumbent will be eligible for all benefits associated with part-time officers of administration.

Responsibilities

Alumni Network Management 

• Establish and support a Berger Fellows Program Alumni Advisory Committee, which provides strategic guidance, alumni feedback, and updates on trends within the public interest and public service sectors.
• Coordinate and oversee meetings with the Berger Alumni Advisory Committee, including developing agendas, communications, and follow-up activities.
• Develop and maintain an active alumni engagement strategy that strengthens connections amongst all program alumni, which may include an alumni newsletter, job board and other vehicles for engagement. Ensure that the engagement strategy also fosters
  connections between alumni and current Berger Fellows.
• Solicit input on a regular basis from program alumni via surveys, meetings and other tools.
• Perform outreach as needed, to public interest/public service employers or other stakeholders.

Event Planning and Professional Development 

• Plan and execute alumni events, coordinating event logistics, communications, invitations, registration, and post-event follow-up activities with the support of the Berger Fellows Program Coordinator.
• Develop strategies to increase alumni participation and strengthen long-term engagement.
• Plan and execute professional growth initiatives for program alumni, including coordinating speaking engagements and substantive lecture opportunities at the law school. 

Data Management and Reporting

• Maintain alumni records and engagement metrics, and ensure appropriate privacy and data-sharing practices.
• Track participation in alumni programs, events, and communications.
• Provide periodic reports and recommendations to the PI/PS Dean regarding alumni engagement, program growth, and emerging opportunities.

Additional responsibilities as assigned and requested 

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and J.D. required.
• Must have a minimum of 3-5 years of related experience
• Experience in public interest/public service legal advocacy required. 
• Experience as a counselor for, or manager of, a law-related public interest hiring program, fellowship program, internship program, law school advising program or pro bono program highly preferred. 
• Demonstrated experience working successfully with students and/or diverse constituents required.
• Familiarity with alumni databases, CRM systems, and digital communication platforms preferred.
• Superior research, oral and written communication skills (including public speaking), outstanding interpersonal and organizational skills, and computer literacy required. 
• Ability to design and manage projects with minimal supervision, to be organized and a self-starter, be part of a diverse and collegial team, to work under pressure, and to balance competing responsibilities. 
• Availability for occasional evening and weekend work is required.
• Must be able to work with diverse constituencies and support an inclusive work environment.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.