State Authorization & Licensure Coordinator

Southwestern Law School is seeking a highly motivated, detail-oriented, and proactive professional for the part-time role of State Authorization & Licensure Coordinator. This fully remote position supports the law school’s online education programs by ensuring compliance with all state authorization and professional licensure requirements. The Coordinator reports to the Assistant Dean for Online Education Administration and will play a key role in monitoring regulations and managing compliance processes for distance learning.

The initial focus will be managing state authorization and related compliance for Southwestern’s Online J.D. Program, one of the few ABA-accredited online J.D. programs of its kind. The Online J.D. is mainly asynchronous with both full-time and part-time options, designed to expand access to quality legal education beyond traditional borders. As the law school develops additional distance education offerings, the Coordinator’s scope will broaden to ensure regulatory compliance across all online programs (e.g., future graduate or certificate programs), which will include staying ahead of evolving state and federal regulations governing distance education (such as State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) and U.S. Department of Education requirements) and overseeing professional licensure disclosures for programs that lead to licensure.

This is a non-exempt, part-time and fully remote position. Southwestern provide the necessary computer equipment and technology access for the Coordinator. The role may require one or two visits to campus in Los Angeles each year for training or important meetings; the law school will fund this pre-approved travel.

Primary Responsibilities

• Regulatory Monitoring: Research and track state authorization requirements and relevant federal regulations for delivering online education. Monitor state-specific laws and rules governing distance learning and remain up-to-date on any proposed or enacted changes.
• Policy Interpretation & Guidance: Interpret regulatory developments and alert school leadership about changes with potential impact. Advise administrators on requirements and recommend responsive actions or policy adjustments to maintain compliance.
• State Authorizations & Filings: Prepare and submit applications, exemption requests, renewal filings, and required reports to state higher education agencies for authorization to operate distance education in various jurisdictions. Track all deadlines. Draft required institutional disclosures and notifications in alignment with regulatory guidelines.
• Cross-Department Coordination: Coordinate with academic and administrative units (e.g. Academic Affairs, Admissions, Registrar, General Counsel) to gather data and documentation needed for state applications, accreditation reports, and other compliance filings. Facilitate a coordinated approach to compliance across departments to support all online/distance learning initiatives.
• Documentation & Record-Keeping: Organize and maintain comprehensive records of state authorizations, correspondence with regulators, filing deadlines, and approvals. Create an archive of research on state requirements and a tracking system for renewals and reporting obligations to ensure nothing is missed.
• Licensure Tracking & Disclosures: Track professional licensure criteria in each state relevant to the law school’s programs (for example, bar admission eligibility rules affecting Online J.D. graduates). Assist in determining whether curricula meet educational requirements for licensure in various states and maintain publicly available disclosures for prospective and current students, as required by federal regulations and accreditation standards.
• International Online Education: Research international laws and regulations related to delivery of online legal education abroad. Prepare applications and related materials for countries in which the school seeks to offer online education. Track deadlines and maintain all records.
• Online Consortium Management: Help to manage Southwestern’s participation in a national consortium related to online education. 
• Continuous Improvement: Proactively identify areas to enhance compliance processes and efficiencies. Stay informed through professional networks (e.g., NC-SARA updates, State Authorization Network) and recommend best practices to keep Southwestern at the forefront of compliance in online education.
• Other Duties: Assist with other aspects of online education administration as requested; assist with other projects and tasks as assigned.

Qualifications and Skills

• Education: An associate's or bachelor’s degree is required. Advanced education is advantageous (e.g., completion of a paralegal studies program, a master’s degree in a relevant field, or some legal education).
• Experience: At least three years of relevant experience in regulatory compliance, higher education administration, or legal affairs. Experience in a law school or online education setting is a plus. Candidates with a combination of education and training may be considered in lieu of strict experience requirements (for example, significant progress in an ABA-approved J.D. program, roughly 30 credits, or completing a paralegal certificate program can substitute for some experience).
• Regulatory Knowledge: Familiarity with state and federal regulations governing distance learning. Knowledge of NC-SARA and state authorization processes is highly desired, including an understanding of state higher education agency requirements. Knowledge of professional licensure disclosure obligations and accreditation standards for online programs is beneficial.
• Research & Analysis Skills: Strong legal research, writing, and analytical abilities. Able to interpret complex regulatory language and analyze its impact on academic programs.
• Organizational Skills: Exceptionally organized and detail-oriented. Able to maintain meticulous records and manage multiple compliance deadlines across different jurisdictions. Effective at prioritizing tasks and projects in a dynamic environment.
• Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Able to draft clear summaries, reports, and guidance documents, and to communicate regulatory information clearly and professionally to diverse stakeholders.
•  Independence & Collaboration: Self-motivated with the ability to work independently in a remote setting, while also collaborating effectively as part of a cross-functional team. Proven ability to take initiative and follow through on assignments with minimal supervision.
•  Technical Proficiency: Proficient with standard office and collaboration tools, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), email, and video conferencing platforms (Teams, Zoom). Comfortable using legal research databases (Westlaw, LexisNexis) and able to learn new software or data systems as needed for reporting.
• Adaptability: Flexibility to work with colleagues across multiple time zones if needed, and availability to perform duties during Southwestern’s core business hours (Pacific Time). We prefer the hours be spread over at least four business days per week (e.g., Monday through Thursday), although they need not be consecutive.
• Professionalism: High degree of integrity and commitment to ethical compliance practices. Ability to understand and uphold all law school policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Preferred Knowledge: Knowledge of international data privacy or international education regulations is a plus (as online programs may occasionally involve out-of-country participants). Prior experience with higher education accreditation processes or consumer protection regulations (e.g., related to marketing, recruitment, or refunds for online programs) is also beneficial.

To Apply: Submit a cover letter detailing their relevant experience in compliance and online education (in comparison to the requirements of this position), a current résumé, and contact information for three professional references. The review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Please submit all application materials via email, with the subject line “Part-TimeState Authorization & Licensure Coordinator Position”, to jobs16@swlaw.edu.

 Salary: $33/HR to $38/HR, depending on experience.

 Additional Information

Applicants are encouraged to review Southwestern’s Viewbook and other brochures to learn more about the institution’s mission and programs.