Associate Director for Clinical Services

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America's leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Be You.

At Duke University, we believe well-being is foundational to student success-and that the people who support students thrive best when they are empowered to bring their full selves to their work.

As the Associate Director for Clinical Services, Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) , you will serve as a key leader within the Division of Student Affairs and an essential member of the CAPS Leadership Team. In this role, you will guide a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, advance inclusive and equity-centered clinical practices, and help shape a high-performing counseling center that supports students from diverse backgrounds during some of their most critical moments.

You will bring your clinical expertise, leadership experience, and commitment to student mental health into a collaborative environment where your voice, perspective, and professional judgment truly matter.

T o download the complete job description, please click on the following link.

Be Bold.

This is a senior clinical leadership role with both strategic and hands-on impact. Reporting to the Director of CAPS, you will serve as the primary lead for clinical services , ensuring excellence in care delivery, crisis response, and systems of support across the counseling center.

What You'll Do

Lead Clinical Operations & Strategy

• Provide day-to-day leadership and administrative oversight of CAPS clinical services, including individual and group therapy, triage, urgent care, crisis intervention, consultation, and care coordination.
• Design, implement, and continuously evaluate clinical workflows, protocols, and service-delivery models to ensure timely access, cultural responsiveness, effectiveness, and alignment with industry best practices.
• Lead clinical meetings, multidisciplinary case consultations, and data-informed quality improvement initiatives.
• Develop and maintain CAPS-wide clinical policies and procedures in collaboration with the Director, ensuring legal, ethical, and accreditation compliance.
• Oversee clinical documentation standards, chart reviews, and quality-assurance processes.
• Participate in long-range planning, clinical program design, and organizational development initiatives.
• Represent CAPS on division- and university-wide committees focused on student mental health, crisis response, behavioral intervention, public health, and well-being.
• Provide leadership coverage and manage CAPS operations in the Director's absence.

Supervise, Mentor & Develop Staff

• Supervise licensed clinicians and provide performance evaluations, feedback, coaching, and professional development support.
• Offer advanced consultation on complex clinical cases and high-risk student concerns to staff, trainees, and multidisciplinary campus partners.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, mentoring, productivity expectations, and retention of clinical staff.
• Partner with the Training Director to ensure effective integration of trainees while meeting accreditation and training requirements.
• Collaborate with the Assistant Director of Outreach to connect preventative, campus-facing programming with clinical pathways.
• Provide guidance and operational support to coordinators in their liaison roles with campus and community stakeholders.
• Champion equity-centered practice and foster an inclusive, culturally informed clinical environment.

Provide Direct Clinical Care

• Deliver direct clinical services, including routine, urgent, and crisis assessments; brief individual therapy; group therapy; and referrals.
• Conduct initial consultations, diagnostic impressions, risk assessments, treatment planning, and appropriate referrals.
• Respond to student crises through same-day evaluations, safety planning, and coordination with campus, medical, and community partners.
• Participate in hospitalization processes, including pre-hospitalization assessments, coordination with emergency services, and post-hospitalization reintegration and safety planning.
• Maintain timely, accurate clinical documentation in compliance with CAPS policies, HIPAA, FERPA, and ethical standards.
• Develop individualized treatment plans using empirically supported interventions.

Contribute to Continuous Improvement

• Participate actively in staff meetings, leadership meetings, and accreditation-related activities.
• Support assessment, research, data reporting, and evaluation initiatives to inform service improvements.
• Engage in ongoing professional development and maintain required licensure.
• Support the professional growth of CAPS staff through training, mentoring, and consultation.

Required Qualifications

Education

• • Doctoral degree in Psychology from an accredited institution OR a master's degree in Social Work, Counseling, or a closely related field from an accredited program (doctoral degree preferred).

Licensure

• • Must hold full, unrestricted licensure and supervision credentials in the current state of residence in one of the following disciplines:
    • Psychology
    • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
    • Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC)
    • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
  • Candidates must apply for North Carolina licensure within 30 days of hire and obtain unrestricted NC licensure within six months of employment.
  • Candidates who already hold unrestricted North Carolina licensure are strongly preferred .

Experience

• • 5+ years of progressive clinical leadership experience, including supervision of licensed clinicians/professional staff. A doctoral degree can be substituted for two years of the required experience.

Strongly Preferred Education and Experience

Education & Credentials

• • Ph.D. or Psy.D. in Clinical or Counseling Psychology from an APA-accredited (or equivalent) program and internship.
  • Full psychologist licensure with eligibility for North Carolina licensure within six months of employment.

Experience

• • 7+ years of progressively responsible leadership and supervisory experience.
  • 4-7 years of direct clinical experience supporting young adults, with substantial experience in a university counseling center or comparable higher education mental health setting.
  • Demonstrated clinical experience in the provision of crisis assessment and intervention, short-term therapy models, and evidence-based practices.
  • Experience supervising master's-level, doctoral, and postdoctoral trainees within a training or accreditation framework.
  • Proven ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary environments and to collaborate with diverse campus and community stakeholders.

Preferred Skills and Competencies

• Strong leadership, communication, interpersonal, and management skills, with the ability to navigate complex clinical and organizational environments.
• Clinical expertise in concerns commonly presented in university counseling centers, including experience providing telehealth services.
• Proficiency with electronic health record systems and clinical documentation standards.
• Deep commitment to multicultural competence, inclusive clinical practice, and serving diverse student populations.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across departments and functional areas to advance student mental health and well-being.
• Ongoing commitment to self-reflection, professional growth, and awareness of intersectionality and the impacts of marginalization, discrimination, and oppression.
• Knowledge of program evaluation, quality improvement initiatives, and data-informed clinical systems.
• Interest in or experience with preventative mental health education, outreach programming, and campus-wide well-being initiatives.

Choose Duke.

At Duke, you'll join a nationally recognized institution committed to student well-being, innovation, and inclusive excellence. You'll collaborate with dedicated colleagues across Student Affairs, academic units, and healthcare partners, all while enjoying the professional growth opportunities and quality of life that come with working at one of the world's leading universities.

Duke offers:

• A mission-driven environment focused on student success and mental health
• Opportunities to influence campus-wide mental health strategy
• Competitive benefits and professional development support
• A collaborative culture that values leadership, compassion, and integrity

Ready to Make a Difference?

Apply now and help lead a counseling center that supports students with care, courage, and clinical excellence-while shaping the future of student mental health at Duke University.

Anticipated Pay Range: Duke University provides an annual base salary range for this position as USD $94,156.00 to USD $150,733.00. Duke University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position; candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills; internal peer equity; as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Your total compensation goesbeyond the dollars on your paycheck. Duke provides comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family-friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members. Learn more at:

Equal Opportunity Employer: Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender,gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it isessential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and reasonable accommodation(s) can be requested with Duke Access and Accommodations Services (email: View email address on click.appcast.io; phone: View phone number on click.appcast.io).

Required

Preferred

Job Industries

• Other