Director of Counseling

University of Minnesota; Duluth (MN); On-site; USD 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The Counseling Director at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) Counseling Services provides strategic leadership, clinical supervision, and administrative oversight for a six-member clinical team and support staff. The role balances governance with direct student care, including crisis management and cross-campus consultation.

The position is in Duluth, MN, in-person with a typical 40-hour work week and responsibilities across administration, clinical services, and campus collaboration to

Qualifications

• BA/BS plus eight years of experience, or an advanced degree plus five years of experience, or a terminal degree plus at least two years of experience.
• Must have Minnesota licensure (LICSW, LP, LMFT, LPCC) within six months of start date and maintain licensure throughout duration of employment.
• Expert knowledge of the mental health needs and concerns of young adults.
• Demonstrated ability working with a range of culturally and ethnically diverse populations, and evidence of commitment to fostering equity, inclusion, and a collaborative multicultural environment; and
• Excellent written, oral, and digital communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Staff supervision and development: recruit, orient, supervise, and evaluate staff; conduct annual performance reviews.
• Operational and financial governance: manage departmental budgets, allocate resources, and oversee daily operations.
• Accreditation and compliance: maintain accreditation standards and ensure ethical guidelines are followed.
• Quality assurance: establish clinical protocols, intake procedures, and documentation standards.
• Data and trend analysis: monitor service utilization and outcomes to optimize resources.
• Lead strategic vision and program development across the department.

Skills

Young adult mental health

Diversity & inclusion

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree + 8+ yrs

Advanced degree +5+ yrs

Terminal degree +2+ yrs

Job description

About the Job

The Counseling Director provides strategic leadership,administrative oversight, and clinical supervision for theUniversity of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) counseling department, leadinga team of six counselors and dedicated support staff. Serving as aprimary liaison between campus stakeholders and community mentalhealth networks, this role balances departmental governance withdirect student care—including clinical assessment, diagnosis,treatment, crisis management, and cross-campus consultation.

Location and Work environment:

This is an in-person rolelocated in Duluth, MN.

Work Schedule:

Typical work weeks are 40 hours and willfollow the standard University working hours.

Primary Responsibilities:

Administration and Operations (30%)

• Staff Supervision & Development: Recruit, orient,supervise, and evaluate clinical and administrative staff; conductannual performance reviews and oversee professionaldevelopment.
• Operational & Financial Governance: Manage departmentalbudgets, allocate resources, and oversee daily office operationsand database systems.
• Accreditation & Compliance: Maintain accreditationstandards (e.g., IACS, AAAHC) and ensure institutional compliancewith professional ethical guidelines (APA, NASW).
• Quality Assurance & Standards: Establish clinicalprotocols, intake procedures, documentation standards, and clinicalcompetency assessments to ensure quality care.
• Data & Trend Analysis: Monitor service utilizationpatterns, emerging student mental health trends, and clinicaloutcomes to optimize resource allocation.
• Other duties as assigned

Leadership, Strategic Vision, and Program Development (25%)

• Strategic Alignment: Define departmental vision and alignclinical services, policy, and scope with university-wide strategicgoals and health frameworks (e.g., Okanagan Charter).
• Inclusive Care Initiatives: Design and adapt service deliverymodels to actively reduce barriers to care for marginalized andunderrepresented student populations.
• Assessment & Evaluation: Lead departmental assessment andevaluation, analyze departmental data, create departmental reportsand utilize outcomes to drive continuous improvement.
• Departmental Representation: Serve as the chief spokespersonfor student mental health initiatives across campus.

Direct Client Care and Clinical Services (25%)

• Clinical Practice: Provide direct individual, group, andrelationship psychotherapy to UMD students using evidence-basedmodalities.
• Crisis Response: Lead clinical crisis interventions andemergency risk assessments for individual student emergencies andcampus-wide critical incidents.
• Clinical Supervision: Provide direct and/or indirect clinicalsupervision and training for staff and graduate trainees (e.g., MSWpracticum students) as capacity allows.

Consultation, Partnerships, and Outreach (20%)

• Campus & Community Consultation: Serve as the primarymental health consultant to university administration, faculty,staff, parents, and campus health services.
• Interdepartmental Collaboration: Represent the counselingcenter on critical campus bodies (e.g., Student Care Team, SexualMisconduct Prevention Committee, Systemwide Mental HealthNetworks).
• External Partnerships: Establish and sustain referral networksand collaborative relationships with community mental healthagencies and local practitioners.
• Outreach & Prevention: Oversee and deliver mental healtheducation, workshops, and prevention programming for students,student leaders (e.g., RAs, orientation leaders), andfaculty.

Priority consideration will be given to applications received byOctober 21st.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• BA/BS degree plus at least eight years of experience, or anadvanced degree plus at least five years of experience, or aterminal degree plus at least two years of experience;
• Must have or obtain Minnesota licensure (LICS W, LP, LMFT,LPCC) within six months of start date and maintain licensethroughout duration of employment;
• Expert knowledge of the mental health needs and concerns ofyoung adults;
• Demonstrated ability working with a range of culturally andethnically diverse populations, and evidence of commitment tofostering equity, inclusion, and a collaborative multiculturalenvironment; and
• Excellent written, oral, and digital communicationskills;

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD or PsyD in social work, counseling, psychology or relatedfield;
• Experience administering mental health services includingcrisis intervention and emergency management in a universitysetting;
• Two years of e xperience with supe rvising professional staffin a clinical setting ;
• Board certification to provide licensure supervision;
• Demonstrated experience in developing and implementingstrategic plans;
• Experience with promoting holistic wellbeing within a broadorganizational structure

About the Department

UMD Counseling Services supports student retention, personaldevelopment, and overall well-being through the provision of mentalhealth services. Licensed therapists within the department helpstudents navigate life transitions and mental health challenges, toreach their academic and personal goals. Operating on astrength-based, brief psychotherapy model, the department deliversfree, confidential care including clinical assessments, individualtherapy and support/psychoeducational groups, drop-in consultations(Let's Talk), crisis response and clinical case management. Thedepartment also serves the greater campus by providing consultationand mental health training as appropriate. Departmental practicesare guided by core values of compassion, professional integrity,relationship-building, and a commitment to maintaining a safe,inclusive environment for students of all intersectingidentities.

Pay and Benefits

Pay Range:

$85,000.00-$95,000.00 annually; depending oneducation/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment:

100% Appointment

Position Type:

Faculty and P&A Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for moreinformation regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package thatincludes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional trainingand degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition BenefitProgram
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counselingat no cost

While our salary ranges provide a framework, it is important tonote that most of the time, the initial pay may not reach the maximum of the range. Thisapproach ensures that compensation reflects the value and unique contributions ofeach candidate while maintaining equity within our organization. As part of ourcommitment to fair and equitable compensation, please be aware that the salary offered toincoming candidates will be based on their individual credentials and experience.

Diversity

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversityand inclusion in enriching the employment experience of itsemployees and in supporting the academic mission. The University iscommitted to attracting and retaining employees with varyingidentities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to andopportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment withoutregard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender,age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteranstatus, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Employment Requirements

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successfulcompletion of a background check. Our presumption is thatprospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminalconvictions do not automatically disqualify finalists fromemployment.

About University of Minnesota

University of Minnesota, Duluth (UMD)

The University of Minnesota, Duluth (UMD) consistently ranks amongthe top Midwestern, regional universities in U.S. News and WorldReport's "America's Best Colleges" issue.

Overlooking Lake Superior, UMD provides an alternative to bothlarge research and small liberal arts environments and attractsstudents looking for a personalized learning experience on amedium-sized campus of a major university. A firm liberal artsfoundation anchors a variety of traditional degree programs, aswell as professional and graduate students that draw on UMD's manyresearch institutes and labs.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized byForbes as a Best Employer for Company Culture (2026), Best Employerfor Women (2023, 2025, 2026), and Best Employer by State(2022-2026). In 2026, we also received Culture Excellence &Industry Awards recognition for employee appreciation and work-lifeflexibility.