Job Details

Position Title & Department:

Administrative Director, Consumer Protection Policy Center; School of Law

Posting #

5757

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, an engaged and 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:

Under the general direction of the Executive Director of the Centers for Public Interest Law (CPIL) and Consumer Protection Policy Center (CPPC), and reporting to the Children's Advocacy Institute's (CAI) Administrative Director, this position is responsible for administrative functions, academic-related functions, and policy-related functions of CPPC. This position coordinates with the directors of CPPC's two sister organizations at CPIL --- CAI and the Energy Policy Initiatives Center (EPIC); CPIL's Associate Director; and the CPIL/CPPC Executive Director, who oversees all academic instruction of law students enrolled in CPPC courses and clinics. This position also works closely with leadership and colleagues at the USD School of Law and interacts with various offices across the USD campus.

With regard to its administrative functions, this position supervises and provides administrative oversight of CPPC's master and project-specific budget preparation and administration, development and external fundraising (gifts, grants, contracts, etc.), personnel matters, publications and reports (both narrative and financial), and special projects/grants. This position supervises CPPC-specific contract-based consultants, CPPC staff (when applicable), and CPIL staff to the extent they are performing functions on behalf of CPPC. This position engages in frequent communication and collaboration with CPIL's Associate Director regarding CPPC's social media, blog posts, website content, and bi-annual publication of the California Regulator Law Reporter, among other things. This position is responsible for ensuring that the CPPC website and news feed are kept current with relevant CPPC news, features, policy projects, and student work. This position ensures full compliance with the Price Chair in Public Interest Law endowment agreement.

With regard to its academic-related functions, this position supports the CPPC academic program by, under the direction of the CPIL/CPPC Executive Director, assisting and supporting students enrolled in CPPC courses and clinics and third-year students engaged in individual advocacy or writing projects; engaging in recruitment and outreach to prospective CPPC and/or USD School of Law students; and overseeing students selected to participate in CPPC's Pre-Law Internship Program. This position assists the CPIL/CPPC Executive Director in reviewing and editing student writings prior to their publication in CPPC's blog and its journal, the California Regulatory Law Reporter (which includes updates on the activities of several California regulatory agencies), and meets with students to inform them about the agencies' activities and review their writing and understanding of the issues they are writing about. This position oversees the Julianne D. Fellmeth Public Interest Law Scholarship program and, under the direction of the CPIL/CPPC Executive Director, assists the annual recipient in the implementation of his/her project. This position also serves as advisor to the Public Interest Law Foundation (student organization) and oversees its activities (such as the annual pledge drive for the Law School's Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)); serves on the selection committee for LRAP recipients; and serves on selection committees for public interest law scholarships.

With regard to its policy-related functions, this position partners with the CPIL/CPPC Executive Director and CPPC staff/consultants in setting and updating CPPC's policy agenda and priorities, and in implementing the CPPC agenda and priorities through legislative lobbying and public education on public interest bills or issues, advocacy before agencies on rulemaking and other administrative actions, and test litigation on public interest issues. The person in this position will need to become registered as a California lobbyist and comply with all applicable registration and reporting requirements.

With regard to its policy-related functions, this position partners with the CPIL/CPPC Executive Director and CPPC staff/consultants in setting and updating CPPC's policy agenda and priorities, and in implementing the CPPC agenda and priorities through legislative lobbying and public education on public interest bills or issues, advocacy before agencies on rulemaking and other administrative actions, and test litigation on public interest issues. The person in this position will need to become registered as a California lobbyist and comply with all applicable registration and reporting requirements.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Administers and oversees CPPC and all of its projects, programs, publications, personnel, and consultants.
• Prepares and oversees CPPC's master and project-specific budgets and shared CPIL accounts.
• Engages in CPPC development and external fundraising activities (e.g., solicitation, acknowledgement, and processing of CPPC gifts, as well as preparing grant proposals for potential external funders, complying with all USD rules and procedures regarding the grant proposal approval process, and ensuring post-award compliance with all grant terms and conditions).
• Handles all CPPC personnel matters, including when applicable, supervising CPPC staff and consultants, as well as CPIL staff while engaged in work on behalf of CPPC; and preparing and/or updating job descriptions; recruiting, interviewing, and hiring new personnel; preparing personnel evaluations, etc.
• Prepares CPPC reports (both narrative and financial), brochures, and other publications.
• Engages in frequent communication and collaboration with CPIL's Associate Director regarding CPPC's social media and blog posts, and bi-annual publication of the California Regulator Law Reporter, and ensures that the CPPC website and news feed are kept current with relevant CPPC news, features, policy projects, and student work.
• Under direction of the CPIL/CPPC Executive Director, supports students enrolled in two CPPC clinics (the California Regulatory Law Clinic and the Public Interest Law Clinic) and third-year students engaged in individual advocacy or writing projects.
• Assists the CPIL/CPPC Executive Director in reviewing and editing student writings prior to their publication in CPPC's blog and its journal, the California Regulatory Law Reporter, and drafts blog entries and updates for the Reporter as needed.
• Under direction of the CPIL/CPPC Executive Director, meets with students to review their writing and understanding of the issues they are writing about.
• Engages in recruitment and outreach to prospective CPPC and/or USD School of Law students and oversees students participating in CPPC's Pre-Law Internship Program.
• Oversees the Julianne D. Fellmeth Public Interest Law Scholarship program and, under the direction of the CPIL/CPPC Executive Director, assists the annual recipient with the implementation of his/her project.
• Serves as advisor to the Public Interest Law Foundation (student organization) and oversees its activities (such as the annual pledge drive for the Law School's Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)); serves on the selection committee for LRAP recipients; and serves on selection committees for public interest law scholarships.
• Assists the CPIL/CPPC Executive Director in setting and updating CPPC's policy agenda and priorities.
• Implements the CPPC policy agenda and priorities through legislative lobbying and public education on public interest bills or issues, advocacy before agencies on rulemaking and other administrative actions, and test litigation on public interest issues.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

• J.D. and active membership in the California State Bar.

Special Conditions of Employment:

• Ability to travel as needed to on- and off-campus events required.
• Ability to be registered as a California lobbyist required.

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:

• J.D. and active membership in good standing in the California Bar required.
• Minimum of 3 years of law practice or relevant experience focusing on consumer protection / rights / advocacy and involving extensive legal writing and oral advocacy on consumer protection issues required, four or more years preferred.
• Supervisorial / management experience required.
• Experience in preparing and managing budgets required.
• Public speaking, training/teaching skills; interest in and ability to communicate with law students orally and in writing required.
• Demonstrated excellence in legal writing and editing, with in-depth knowledge of the legislative process and administrative law (including open meetings and public records statutes, quasi-legislative and quasi-adjudicative agency decision-making processes, constitutional and statutory restrictions on the authority of state administrative agencies, etc. required.
• Demonstrated commitment to and knowledge of public interest law and practice required.
• Knowledge of state and federal civil procedure required.
• Outstanding legal research capabilities, and proficiency with Lexis and/or Westlaw required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Litigation and legislative advocacy background and skills.
• Experience in drafting grant proposals and leading development and fundraising efforts.

Performance Expectations - Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to work independently, with a minimum of supervision and with limited support staff.
• Ability to strategically determine new projects, events, and initiatives that drive success; executing ideas from start to finish while directing staff.
• Ability to perform under tight deadlines and in a fast-paced environment; flexible, with an ability to deal with change and multiple assignments at once.
• Proficient in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe, and Google Suite products.
• Must be organized, detail oriented and able to multitask along with possessing outstanding written and oral communication skills (required).
• Understanding of cultural diversity issues.

Posting Salary:

$9,167-11,215 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:

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

Additional Details:

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Closing date: December 1, 2026

Note: External job postings will be up for at least three 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 a smoking and tobacco-free campus. For more information, visit www.sandiego.edu/smokefree.