Director of Student Wellness

Goodwill Industries of Central Texas; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 75,000 - 89,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Coverage

Paid Time Off

Parental Leave

Professional Development

Wellness Programs

Employee Recognition

Job summary

The Director of Student Wellness at the Excel Center High School in Austin will provide district-level leadership for student mental health and wellness, behavioral intervention, restorative practices, and crisis response across multiple community sites. The role emphasizes trauma-informed, equitable, and student-centered practices with hands-on coaching and cross-site collaboration.

Applicants should hold a Master’s degree in a relevant field and have five+ years of experience in student

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, Educational Leadership, Education, Human Services, Behavioral Sciences or a closely related field.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and supervision to Mental Health and Wellness Team.
• Lead trauma-informed, evidence-based services to students.
• Ensure consistent mental health and wellness support across campuses.
• Lead crisis response planning for student mental health concerns.
• Develop and maintain behavioral intervention and restorative practices systems.
• Oversee documentation and referral workflows for student wellness.

Skills

Leadership

Mental health leadership

Trauma-informed care

Restorative practices

Crisis response

Staff supervision

Team collaboration

Data-informed decisions

Education

Master’s degree in Social Work or related field

Tools

MS Office / Google Workspace

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Director of Student Wellness

Full Time Management Excel Norwood Campus, Austin, TX, US

Salary Range: $74,508.00 To $88,908.00 Annually

Company:

For more than six decades, Goodwill Central Texas has been relentlessly focused on empowering thousands of people to work. We transform revenue from over 37 retail locations into a combination of education, career training, job placement, career coaching and support, and more. Every time you shop or support Goodwill, you are helping fund our greater mission to serve our community. Goodwill’s vision extends far beyond our retail stores and your generous donations: We envision a Central Texas where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

The Goodwill Excel Center for Adults opened in 2014 as an open-enrollment public charter high school for adults ages 18 to 50. The Excel Center Adult High School transforms lives in a supportive and holistic learning environment where all students are empowered to achieve.

At The Excel Center, we are building a high-performing organization focused on transforming lives through the power of education and work and becoming the model of excellence for adult education across Texas. Our team members contribute to a culture grounded in our values of caring, innovation, and accountability and focused on strong graduate outcomes.

All Excel team members:

• Deliver Excellence - Uphold high standards of professionalism, execution, and service to students
• Own the Outcome - Demonstrate accountability through ownership, reliability, follow-through, and continuous improvement.
• Work as One Team - Collaborate and contribute positively to a solutions-oriented culture
• Lead with Purpose - Align actions and decisions to the organization’s mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities
• Strengthen the System - Support systems, processes, and practices that strengthen organizational effectiveness and student impact

All team members demonstrate our standards through strong individual performance and a commitment to collective excellence.

The Goodwill Excel Center for Adults is a Texas public charter school district. Employees in TRS-eligible positions participate in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS).

Eligible employees are required to contribute a portion of their salary to TRS retirement and TRS-Care through automatic payroll deductions. TRS is a defined-benefit retirement system, and employees generally become vested after earning five years of TRS service credit.

Candidates should consider these required retirement contributions when evaluating compensation and long-term employment with the district. Additional information about TRS eligibility, contributions, vesting, and retirement benefits is available through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.

The Director of Student Wellness (DSW) at the Excel Center High School is a district level leader responsible for providing strategic leadership and oversight of student mental health and wellness supports, behavioral intervention, restorative practices, school-based wellness structures across community-based school sites. This role provides leadership, coordination, and support to the Mental Health and Wellness (MHW) team while promoting consistent, trauma-informed, equitable, and student-centered practices across schools.

The Director of Student Wellness leads the development, implementation, and refinement of systems related to behavioral support, restorative intervention, Behavioral Threat Assessment (BTA), crisis response, disciplinary and restorative processes, and student mental health services. While mental health services and behavioral/disciplinary interventions remain campus functions, this role ensures system-wide integration and alignment across related supports. The Director balances systems leadership with hands-on implementation support through staff coaching, case consultation, documentation support, process development and facilitation, and cross-functional collaboration.

This role works closely with district leadership, Campus Directors, Mental Health and Wellness (MHW) clinicians, and external partners to strengthen organizational capacity and ensure student wellness systems are consistent, compliant, and effective. The Director fosters environments that promote student persistence, safety, belonging, and success while remaining responsive to the unique needs of adult learners.

Role & Responsibilities

Mental Health and Wellness Leadership

• Provide direct leadership, supervision, coaching, support, evaluation, and performance management to the Mental Health and Wellness Team.
• Lead, coach, and support MHW staff in delivering trauma-informed, culturally responsive, clinically grounded, evidence-based, and strengths-based services to students.
• Ensure consistency and quality of mental health and wellness support across community school sites, including review and refinement of MHW programming.
• Facilitate team meetings, case consultations, reflective supervision structures, and professional development opportunities.
• Lead, coordinate, and support crisis response planning for student mental health concerns.
• Provide oversight and monitoring of referral processes, service delivery workflows, documentation practices, and follow-up systems related to student mental health and wellness.
• Collaborate with district and campus leadership to identify and address barriers impacting student well-being, engagement, and persistence.
• Manage relationships and coordination with external licensure supervisors for mental health staff to support ethical and professional practice.
• Build and maintain relationships with community mental health providers, crisis services, and external support agencies to strengthen referral networks.
• Develop, lead, and coordinate training for team members on mental health and risk-related topics including suicide prevention, abuse and trafficking reporting, trauma-informed practices, and threat assessment.

Behavioral Intervention and Restorative Practices Support

• Lead the development of a community school framework for behavioral intervention and restorative practices, as well as related systems and processes.
• Provide leadership and consultation to Campus Directors in implementing behavioral intervention systems aligned with restorative, trauma-informed, and relationship-centered practices.
• Develop and facilitate training and support for campus leadership in de-escalation, restorative conversations, mediation, re-engagement planning, and proactive behavioral supports.
• Provide consultation to campus leaders regarding behavioral strategies and complex student situations.
• Develop and maintain intervention protocols, documentation tools, communication workflows, and behavioral response procedures.
• Analyze behavioral trends and identify opportunities for prevention and system improvement.
• Build staff capacity related to restorative practices, trauma-informed response, and student behavior support.

Behavioral Threat Assessment (BTA) & Safety Coordination

• Lead and oversee the Behavioral Threat Assessment (BTA) process across community-based schools in alignment with Texas Education Agency guidelines and organizational procedures.
• Ensure consistent implementation of BTA protocols, documentation requirements, communication procedures, and follow-up actions.
• Facilitate and support multidisciplinary threat assessment meetings as needed.
• Maintain compliance with organizational and legal requirements related to student safety and risk assessment.
• Develop training materials and decision-making tools related to student safety and threat assessment for Campus Director use.

Discipline and Expulsion Processes

• Provide leadership and consultation to Campus Directors in implementing disciplinary and expulsion processes in alignment with TEA standards, organizational policy, student rights, and restorative practices.
• Ensure disciplinary procedures are implemented consistently, equitably, and with appropriate documentation and reporting.
• Provide consultation and facilitation support in complex disciplinary situations, including leading expulsion hearings when applicable.
• Oversee communication, documentation, and procedural follow-through related to suspension, expulsion, and re-entry processes.

Systems Development

• Provide strategic leadership for ongoing evaluation, refinement, and scalability of districtwide student wellness systems to ensure consistency, effectiveness, and alignment with organizational priorities.
• Lead the development, documentation, and implementation of scalable systems, tools, workflows, templates, and protocols related to student mental health, behavioral intervention, restorative practices, BTA, and discipline.
• Ensure systems are clearly documented, organized, and consistently implemented across campuses.
• Analyze stakeholder feedback and program data to support continuous improvement of systems and practices.
• Partner with Senior Director of Student Supports to identify implementation gaps, priorities, and operational needs as well as scalability factors for future expansion.
• Develop written guidance, training materials, process maps, and implementation tools to support consistency across campuses.
• Lead onboarding and training for new staff related to student wellness and behavioral systems.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to ensure system-wide integration of student support systems (e.g. MTSS, Special Programs, Coaching referral systems, etc.)
• Monitor and evaluate program effectiveness and compliance and complete reports as indicated.

Other Duties & Responsibilities

• Attend team and professional meetings as required.
• Support organizational initiatives related to student well-being, safety, retention, and school culture.
• Maintain consistent onsite presence aligned with assigned district schedule and campus operational needs.
• May oversee District Homeless Liaison.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position provides administrative supervision, coordination, and operational oversight to Mental Health and Wellness Licensed Clinicians. Clinicians who are not fully licensed receive additional supervision from a board-approved external licensed supervisor.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, Educational Leadership, Education, Human Services, Behavioral Sciences or a closely related field.
• Independent clinical licensure (LCSW, LPC, or LMFT) is strongly preferred. Candidates with significant leadership experience in student wellness, behavioral health, and supervision of multidisciplinary teams may also be considered.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in student supports, behavioral intervention, mental health, restorative practices, school leadership, or a related field.
• Experience supervising multidisciplinary mental health, student support, behavioral, or related professional staff.
• Experience managing complex student situations involving behavior, crisis response, mental health concerns, and student support planning.
• Experience working in an academic setting.
• Strong knowledge of trauma-informed practices, restorative approaches, de-escalation strategies, socio-emotional development, and adult learner support systems.
• Strong organizational, strategic planning, systems-development, implementation, documentation, and data-informed decision-making skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, collaboration, relationship-building, and community partnership skills, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse populations.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze situations, exercise sound judgment, and maintain confidentiality.
• Demonstrated ability to lead change, build organizational systems, and implement initiatives across multiple stakeholders.
• Proficiency with Student Information Systems, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace applications, and other web-based data management and communication platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively, manage competing priorities, adapt to change, and maintain a positive and solution-focused approach.
• Belief that all students can achieve at high levels.
• Commitment to equity and understanding of the impact of marginalization on the populations Goodwill serves.
• Valid Driver’s License, up-to-date auto insurance and good driving record.
• Must be able to understand work instructions in English.
• Must be able to successfully pass a background check and complete fingerprinting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing and implementing organizational systems and cross-functional initiatives.
• Experience in community-based, alternative, charter, adult education, or non-traditional school settings.
• Experience with Behavioral Threat Assessment processes.
• Knowledge of community resources, behavioral health systems, and referral networks.
• Bilingual in Spanish or Arabic and English.

The Director of Student Wellness is part of the District Office Team and expected to work onsite Monday through Friday in accordance with assigned operating hours. Occasional evening hours may be required based on campus, student, or staff needs.

Compensation is based on experience and qualifications

What We Offer

Comprehensive Health Coverage: We provide top-tier medical, dental, and vision insurance to ensure you and your family stay healthy and happy.

Generous Paid Time Off: Recharge with our generous PTO policy, which includes vacation days, personal days, and company-wide holidays.

Teacher Retirement System & 403b Participation

Paid Parental Leave:We understand the importance of family. We offer a generous parental leave policy to support you during this significant life event.

Professional Development Opportunities: We believe in continuous growth! Take advantage of our access to workshops and online courses & tuition/certification support.

Wellness Programs: Prioritize your well-being with our wellness initiatives, including gym memberships and free mental health support.

Employee Recognition Programs:We celebrate our team members’ achievements with recognition awards.

Diverse and Inclusive Culture:Join a workplace that values diversity and inclusion, with regular team-building activities and events that foster a sense of belonging.

Goodwill Central Texas is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to a workplace where everyone feels included. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic.

Goodwill Excel Center is a public school and pre-employment background check and fingerprinting is required to ensure the applicant meets all eligibility requirements for the position. Additionally, positions that will be entering a campus located within a correctional facility are required to submit to pre-employment drug testing and receive a negative result as a condition of employment.