Program Director - Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) / (On-Ground Modality)

Job Overview:

The CMHC Program Director (On-ground Modality) is to provide leadership in the MA in Counseling Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) On-ground modality, overseeing overall operations and CMHC On-ground curriculum delivery. This is a 12-month position with the requirement of regular on-campus presence. Responsibilities see below under the section, Essential Duties and Responsibilities.

The CMHC Program Director (On-ground Modality) provides thought-leadership to the university while leveraging industry knowledge and best practices to promote the mission and vision of the Department of Counseling and Integrated Programs and the institution. Supports culture development and management efforts.

Education/Experience:

• Doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision, preferably from a CACREP-accredited program is required.
• Licensure as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in Illinois is required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated experience in administrative (e.g., program or clinical coordination, gatekeeping) and faculty roles (e.g., teaching, advising, supervision) in a CACREP-accredited clinical mental health counseling program.
• Demonstrated experience and ability in the development of CACREP self-study and maintaining accreditation.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and an ability to collaborate effectively with students, faculty, and professional staff.
• Willingness to align with the Department and University’s mission and values of training socially responsible practitioners, engaging communities, and advancing social justice.
• Active engagement in professional service and/or scholarship in the field of counselor education.
• Engaged in best practices in teaching for a diverse student body.
• Implemented best practices for recruitment and retention of diverse and non-traditional students in higher and counselor education
• Experienced in program evaluation and use of data to drive program improvements
• Able to leverage influence to drive change and influence stakeholders in optimizing the student experience and implementing department and university initiatives
• Able to consistently identify opportunities for improvement and make recommendations based on observations
• Strong demonstration of alignment with Adler’s social justice mission and vision
• Strong critical thinking, problem-solving and visioning acumen
• Ability to proactively identify challenges and barriers to stated objective and employ assistance in addressing these
• Strong collaboration acumen and abilities
• Demonstration of Emotional Intelligence and professional maturity
• Proficient and functional knowledge of MS Office (Work, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook)
• Strong research acumen and abilities
• Strong communication acumen including written, oral, and listening

Supervision (if applicable): 

• Core and adjunct faculty assigned to teach in the CMHC On-ground modality
• CMHC On-ground Modality training director

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Curriculum Oversight and Quality Assurance 

• Develops the term schedule for CMHC On-ground classes.
• Maintains and updates MSCOs with the inputs of CMHC faculty, both On-ground and on-ground.
• Facilitates the program evaluation and student assessment process and develop required reports within the designated cycles to support program effectiveness and student success.
• Manages CMHC On-ground Modality to ensure quality and consistency with standards set by the accreditation bodies (i.e., HLC and CACREP) and effective record keeping and reporting.
• Coordinates in unison with the Director of Online Modality to ensure the program consistency and compliance to accreditation standards for the CMHC specialization.

Program, Personnel, and Budget Oversight

• Supervises both CMHC On-ground core and adjunct faculty and review their teaching evaluations at the end of each term.
• Participates actively in the selection, interviewing, evaluation, and development of CMHC On-ground core and adjunct faculty.
• Conducts annual performance reviews with CMHC On-ground core faculty according to the designated process and protocol.
• Supports adjunct faculty through effective orientation and onboarding.
• Oversees and approve CMHC On-ground core faculty teaching assignments, workload, and overage.
• Supports faculty for their professional interests and development in teaching, service, and scholarship.
• Develops and submit annual budget requests in consultation with CMHC On-ground Faculty for review by the Department Chair and/or Associate Chair
• Utilizes CMHC On-ground budget to ensure the most effective use of departmental and university resources.
• Manages teaching assignments of both core and non-core faculty and maintain CACREP required teaching ratio.

Student and Professional Gatekeeping

• Partners with Student Affairs to orient students to university and department policies and program requirements.
• Coordinates faculty sponsorship of student clubs and activities and encourage student involvement in professional development opportunities, including their participation in organizations at Adler and within the field (e.g., conferences)
• Oversees CMHC On-ground student advisement, mentoring, retention, and remediation efforts.
• Assigns faculty advisors and provide advisement to program students.
• Monitors student development and progress and support effective gatekeeping and remediation planning and follow-up in coordination with department and university leaders.
• Facilitates resolution of student issues and concerns in coordination with relevant faculty and internal partners.
• Connects alumni for program assessment purposes and support their licensure application process and continuous career development.

Programmatic, Departmental, and Institutional Leadership and Service

• Supports and commits to programmatic, departmental, and missions and related initiatives.
• Maintains timely communication, and collaborate and align with department leadership for programmatic, supervision, personnel, and student matters.
• Leads meetings relevant to the CMHC On-ground modality including but not limited to: On-ground faculty meetings, co-lead Advisory Board meetings, and program evaluation meetings.
• Collaborates with university administrative units for CMHC On-ground student recruitment and admissions efforts and student support and services to ensure effective operations and support increased enrolment.
• Active as part of the leadership for the department and assist in establishing and implementing the department and university general policies.
• Participates in program director and department meetings, retreats and other functions.
• Supports and participate in university functions and trainings.

Regular Faculty Responsibilities

• Teaches On-ground classes with synchronous sessions, practicum and internship seminars and classes with an in-person residency week. 
• Participates in university, department, and program

Other duties as assigned by the Department Chair.

Work Environment (Physical Demands):  The usual and customary methods of performing the jobs functions require the following physical demands: some lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling and significant fine finger dexterity. Generally, the job requires 80% sitting, 10% walking, and 10% standing. This job is performed in a generally clean and healthy environment.

Universal Core Behaviors:

Communication:

• Effectively expresses oneself in all oral and written communications.
• Exhibits good listening and comprehension skills.
• Keeps others informed, as well as responds, in a timely manner.
• Demonstrates match between words and actions.
• Responds with tact, diplomacy, respect and composure when dealing with others.
• Promotes the spirit and essence of the School’s Vision, Mission, Values and Key Strategies through both verbal and written communication.

Teamwork and Collaboration:

• Cooperates with others toward the achievement of common goals.
• Seeks consensus and win-win solutions to problems and conflicts.
• Contributes actively and participates fully in team initiatives.
• Puts success of the team above own interests.
• Builds and maintains constructive work relationships.

Responsive to Change:

• Supports changes in the work environment.
• Displays a proactive, problem-solving approach toward work.
• Committed to life-long learning by continuously increasing skills, knowledge and effectiveness.
• Actively seeks and initiates creative and innovative solutions.
• Exercises sound, accurate and informed independent judgment when needed.

Quality-Driven and Accountable:

• Results-oriented and committed to quality through continuous process improvement.
• Eliminates ineffective activities and closes performance gaps.
• Anticipates and responds to customer needs.
• Monitors own performance, accept responsibility for actions and actively seeks feedback.
• Meets deadlines and completes projects and activities in professional, timely manner.
• Seeks opportunities to increase productivity and/or reduce costs while maintaining highest quality standards (fiscally responsible).

Support of Vision, Mission, Values, Key Strategies:

• Supports and models the School’s Values of: social interest, compassion, justice, respect for the individual, honors diversity and difference, intellectual rigor, optimism and collaboration.
• Articulates the School’s Vision, Mission, and Key Strategies in a way to educate others.
• Demonstrates active commitment in advancing the School’s Vision, Mission and Key Strategies.
• Exhibits personal integrity, honesty, zeal and compassion.
• Aligns work processes to advance the School’s strategic plan and key strategies.

Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of Adler University that all persons are entitled to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) protection. The University does not discriminate against any individual for employment because of age, religion, race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status (including unfavorable discharge from the military), or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

As part of the Adler's equal employment opportunity policy, Adler will also take affirmative action to ensure that minority group individuals, females, disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, other protected veterans, Armed Forces service medal veterans, and qualified disabled persons are introduced into our workforce and considered for promotional opportunities.