Co-Director, Academic Success and Bar Preparation at Howard University

Job description

The Talent Acquisition department hires qualified candidates to fill positions which contribute to the overall strategic success of Howard University. Hiring staff “for fit” makes significant contributions to Howard University’s overall mission. At Howard University, we prioritize well-being and professional growth. Here is what we offer: Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus mental health support Work-Life Balance: PTO, paid holidays, flexible work arrangements Financial Wellness: Competitive salary, 403(b) with company match Professional Development: Ongoing training, tuition reimbursement, and career advancement paths Additional Perks: Wellness programs, commuter benefits, and a vibrant company culture Join Howard University and thrive with us! https://hr.howard.edu/benefits-wellness JOB PURPOSE: The Co-Director of Academic Success and Bar Preparation works in partnership with the other Co-Director to lead, design, and continuously improve the School of Law’s academic support and bar preparation programs. This position plays a critical role in advancing the School’s mission by helping students build the doctrinal knowledge, analytical skills, and exam-taking strategies necessary to succeed in law school, pass the bar examination on their first attempt, and enter the legal profession as practice-ready attorneys. This role carries particular significance as the profession transitions from the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) to the NextGen Bar Exam, which launched in July 2026 and places greater emphasis on integrated legal skills, client-centered lawyering tasks, and the practical application of foundational legal concepts. The Co-Director is responsible for ensuring that the School’s academic support and bar preparation programming, and where appropriate the broader curriculum, evolve to reflect the content, format, and skills tested on the NextGen Bar Exam. SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY: Supervises and directs the work of academic success staff, teaching assistants, peer tutors, and bar preparation instructors or contractors assigned to the Academic Success and Bar Preparation Program. NATURE AND SCOPE: Internal contacts include the Dean and Associate Deans, faculty, the Registrar, Admissions, Student Affairs, and academic support staff. External contacts include commercial bar preparation providers, state bar examiners and boards of law examiners, the American Bar Association, and peer institutions’ academic success professionals. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES: Co-lead, with the other Co-Director, the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of a comprehensive academic success and bar preparation program serving students from matriculation through bar admission. Develop and teach courses, workshops, and seminars covering the content and skills tested on the NextGen Bar Exam, including the Foundational Concepts and Principles (FC&P), Foundational Skills (FS), and integrated question sets and performance tasks that combine doctrine with practical lawyering tasks such as legal research, negotiation, and client counseling. Monitor guidance from the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) and the relevant licensing jurisdiction(s) on the rollout of the NextGen Bar Exam, and translate that guidance into updated academic support and bar preparation programming throughout the multi-year transition period. Identify at-risk students using academic performance data, practice exam results, and other early-warning indicators, and design individualized intervention and coaching plans. Provide one-on-one and small-group academic coaching, exam-skills instruction, and bar-readiness counseling to students throughout law school and during bar study. Collaborate with doctrinal faculty to align academic support programming and, where appropriate, course curricula with the skills and content specifications of the NextGen Bar Exam, and to strengthen students' foundational legal analysis, writing, and lawyering skills.