Senior Director of Mental Health Services

Communities In Schools of Central Texas; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 72,000 - 88,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

4+ weeks holidays

6 weeks parental leave

100% employer-paid medical plan

403(b) retirement plan with employer/"

Job summary

Communities In Schools of Central Texas is seeking a Senior Director of Mental Health Services to lead campus-based mental health and wellness initiatives. The role focuses on strategic planning, project leadership, and building a culture of excellence to support student achievement and attendance.

The successful candidate will oversee clinical staff, manage grants and budgets, and coordinate with district partners to deliver trauma-informed care and SEM education across sites in Austin, Texas.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social work or related field and licensure in Texas.
• Minimum 5 years of clinical assessment, diagnosis and treatment for youth.
• Minimum 7 years program management experience.
• Minimum 5 years supervising staff and teams.
• Strong change management and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide direction to clinical staff on program deliverables and resources.
• Oversee caseload progress and staff performance toward goals.
• Develop and communicate agency goals and program information.
• Coach staff and manage performance; lead program strategy.
• Coordinate with departments to meet contractual and grant requirements.
• Lead crisis management and implement crisis protocols when needed.
• Supervise, mentor and train clinical and non-clinical staff.
• Monitor data collection and reporting for program evaluation.

Skills

Staff supervision

Crisis management

Data-informed decision-making

Executive collaboration

Education

Master’s degree in social work, counseling, psychology, or related field

Texas license: LCSW-S/LPC-S/LMFT-S/LMHC-S or licensed psychologist

5 years of practice with children/adolescents

7 years program management

5 years team management

Job description

Senior Director of Mental Health Services

Location: Austin, TX 78744

Job Code: 1227 -2026

# of openings: 1

Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Reports to: Chief Student Success Officer

Supervises: Licensed Mental Health Professionals, Mental Health Internship Specialist, AmeriCorps Director, and interns/volunteers as necessary.

Salary: $6,666.67 monthly ($80,000 yearly) (contingent on experience)

Position Summary

CIS of Central Texas is currently seeking a full-time Senior Director of Mental Health Services to be responsible for the implementation of campus-based support services related to mental health and wellness, social emotional education, and trauma informed care to positively impact student academic achievement, behavior, and attendance. The role oversees the growth and implementation of special initiatives and projects to improve overall student mental and emotional health, foster resiliency, and increase awareness and education on the mental and emotional support needs that are impacting the Central Texas community.

The Senior Director is responsible for two major bodies of work: (1) bringing strategic plan goals to operational reality through well-developed project management strategies, inclusive yet efficient data-informed decision-making, and the ability to inspire staff to adopt new strategies, and (2) creating a culture of excellence.

What You’ll Do

Primary Responsibilities & Essential Functions Management & Leadership

• Provide direction and oversight to clinical staff on resources and program/project deliverables.
• Monitor staff performance to include progress toward caseload goals and services to address school staff and/or student needs.
• Meet department caseload.
• Develop, implement, and effectively communicate agency and program goals/information and clinical and non clinical staff needs to strengthen program design and implementation.
• Provide continuous coaching, professional development, and performance management for clinical and non-clinical staff.
• Lead program strategy.
• Provide expertise on mental health.
• Crisis management.
• Lead crisis management protocol.
• Supports crisis protocol when crisis occurs on campus.
• Provide ongoing mental health support to all staff.

Program Operations & Grant Management

• Coordinate with departments and clinical and non clinical staff to assure adherence to all contractual and grant provisions and budgetary requirements.
• Work with departments and clinical and non clinical staff for clarity of processes, implementation and follow through of new initiatives (e.g., identifying timelines, action plans, and budgets).
• Oversee quality of programming through site visits, review of monthly reports, service delivery plan coaching and caseload reviews and file monitoring.
• Develop and implement effective caseload monitoring by reviewing local database reports, addressing red flags and monitoring findings, and/or creating a plan with all staff that includes action steps toward meeting goals.
• Step in during vacancies in departments.
• Keep abreast of program developments and changes and update all staff in a timely manner.
• Support program and clinical and non clinical staff needs by coordinating and distributing program ideas, resources and activities that support the CIS program mission and model.
• Establish and maintain line of communication with district liaisons and external partners to insure clear collaboration and integrated services.
• Work with all departments in the agency in an effective manner.
• Perform other duties as necessary to implement an effective program.
• Articulate programming information and goals in meetings and presentations to community partners.
• Provide oversight on the collection of the data elements to the CIS local database to meet the needs of the contractual requirements.
• Oversee special projects assigned, including development, implementation, monitoring, and reporting.
• Communicate updates, successes and any pertinent information to those involved with special projects.

Professional Development & Consultation

• Plan, design and lead professional development sessions for all CISCT staff as well as community members and other participants, in topics around awareness, treatment, interventions, prevention, parent interactions and self-care.
• Provide clinical guidance and consultation to assist with resolving agency ethical situations or other related matters.
• Provide case consultation with all CISCT staff, University Interns, and AmeriCorps Members.
• Provide clinical licensing supervision to all CISCT staff.

Training & Support

• Participate in the on-boarding process of new hires to support non clinicians and clinicians.
• Provide ongoing training in conjunction with Program Policies & Local Operating Procedures to support clinical and non clinical staff effectiveness of service delivery.
• Develop, implement and communicate clear action steps to assist staff in meeting agency goals.
• Assist in the development of employee effective practices and identifying professional development needs of clinical staff and monitor license maintenance.
• Develop and implement Local Operating Procedures (LOP) and training for clinical staff.
• Train school leaders in topics such as trauma informed practices, trust based relational interventions.

Administrative & Other Duties

• Attend meetings and professional development to enhance knowledge and skills.
• Ensure the completion of required programmatic reports.
• Plan and make appropriate expenditures and maintain budgets.
• Be able to provide continuing education.

Supervisory Responsibility

• Provides direction to assigned Clinical staff and guidance to non clinical staff during mental health related services.
• Provides continuous coaching, professional development, and performance management for staff.
• Plans, assigns and directs work output and task.
• Responds to and address staff suggestions, questions and/or concerns.
• Responsible for all department goals being met.
• Point of contact for all crisis management.

What You Bring

• Master’s degree in social work, counseling, psychology or related field.
• Current active, unrestricted LCSW‑Supervisor, LPC‑Supervisor, LMFT‑Supervisor, LMHC‑Supervisor, or clinical psychologist license in Texas.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience (not including post‑graduate internships) in the areas of assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental, emotional and behavioral disorders of children and adolescents.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of program management including the demonstrated ability to direct and support programs to accomplish organizational strategic initiatives.
• Minimum of five (5) years of team management including a strong background in staff supervision, including manager‑level staff, and team building.
• Demonstrated ability to introduce and lead change management initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive under pressure in complex and ambiguous situations.
• Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships and work effectively with individuals and families from wide range of background and life experiences.
• Demonstrated experience in executing projects effectively with little direction.
• Demonstrated experience in leading organizations or programs focused in youth development, mental health, data informed case management, and/or family and community engagement.
• Expertise in supervising other mental health professionals.
• Expertise in developing programs and policies for crisis intervention, stabilization, and assessment.
• Must possess an inquisitive and creative mind.
• Must be independent and self‑directed but able to work and lead a team.
• Must possess an understanding of a variety of business practices including employee engagement, team cohesiveness, meeting management, and alignment with core competencies.
• Must be able to collaborate with executives, operations teams, creative teams, and program development teams.
• Must have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to persuasively promote ideas.
• Must be willing to take calculated risks and manage expectations of both internal teams and potential and existing stakeholders.
• Expertise in using Microsoft suite, various dynamic technology and virtual communication apps including MS Teams and Zoom.
• Access to reliable transportation.

Why Join CIS?

• Mission‑driven work – Be part of a team that changes the trajectory of students’ lives.
• Professional growth – Ongoing training, supervision, and career pathways into director‑level roles.
• Community impact – Build partnerships that extend beyond the classroom.
• Generous paid time off: 4+ weeks of holidays, 2 weeks of vacation time, personal days and sick days, plus 6 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: 100% employer‑paid employee medical plan available, plus family subsidies, dental, vision, life, disability insurance, and 403(b) retirement plan with employer match.
• Community‑centered culture focused on impact, growth, and connection.

Communities In Schools of Central Texas is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.