Student Wellness Program Manager

Student Wellness Program Manager of Leadership and Substance Use

Lackawanna College is a private, accredited college serving the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Our main campus is located in downtown Scranton, and our footprint includes satellite centers in 10 locations around Pennsylvania!

Our mission is to provide a quality education to all persons who seek to improve their lives and better the communities in which they live. We provide our students with a direct path to a bachelor's degree, associate degree, or one of many different professional certifications. Additionally, our Continuing Education department helps put the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania back to work with modern career skills. Lackawanna is also one of the most cost-efficient regional higher education institutions.

The Student Wellness Program Manager of Leadership and Substance Use is a member of the Student Wellness Program. This person is the primary contact and subject matter expert for student challenges related to basic needs, substance use, and leadership. This position incorporates Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs to enhance student retention, especially focusing on basic needs, safety and security, and love and belonging. This position is the primary point of contact for students with substance use questions and concerns. This will include, but may not be limited to: assessment and referral for substance use/misuse, developing and maintaining a network of connections to basic needs resources across Lackawanna College locations, community engagement, and crisis intervention as needed. This position also promotes leadership throughout the student body through partnerships with Residence Life, Athletics, the Leadership Conference, and other relevant areas. This position falls within the Student Wellness Program and will also maintain a portion of the team's mental health and wellness referrals as needed based on the volume and reasons for referrals.

Essential Functions:

1. Develop, maintain, and coordinate basic needs resources and support networks across Lackawanna College locations to address student access, safety, and well-being.
2. Serve as the primary contact for student substance use concerns by conducting assessments, managing referrals, delivering prevention education, and supporting related student interventions.
3. Design and deliver student-focused workshops, seminars, and in-person programming related to substance awareness, prevention, college adjustment, gambling, and other wellness topics.
4. Partner with faculty, Residence Life, Athletics, Public Safety, Student Affairs, and other campus departments to advance coordinated prevention, leadership, and wellness initiatives.
5. Build and sustain community partnerships through committee participation, external organizations, and leadership of the Prevention and Education Consortium of NEPA to strengthen college-community collaboration.
6. Manage the Single County Authority substance use prevention and education grant, including program oversight, compliance, reporting, and related initiatives.
7. Promote student leadership development through collaboration with the Leadership Conference and partnerships with Athletics, Residence Life and Housing, Student Success, Student Life, and academic programs.
8. Develop and maintain systems for tracking referrals, assessments, training participation, program outcomes, and other data to support analysis and continuous improvement.
9. Contribute to crisis response, disciplinary processes, strategic planning, accreditation activities, and end-of-semester and annual reporting as assigned.
10. Maintain confidentiality, support outreach, and awareness efforts through institutional communication channels.
11. Work flexible hours as needed, especially during high-impact periods.
12. Perform other related responsibilities in support of student wellness and institutional priorities.

Key Competencies:

• Strong knowledge of substance use prevention, student wellness, leadership development, and current best practices in advocacy, assessment, referral, and systems navigation.
• Understanding of student access, success, and engagement trends, with the ability to respond effectively to diverse student demographics, experiences, and needs.
• Ability to build and sustain effective partnerships with students, faculty, staff, community agencies, and student organizations across internal and external communities.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to conduct presentations, facilitate training, and communicate effectively with varied audiences.
• Strong professional judgment, problem-solving ability, and adaptability to manage sensitive situations, shifting priorities, and unforeseen student or institutional needs.
• Demonstrated leadership skills, initiative, and attention to detail, with the ability to work independently, meet deadlines, and support continuous improvement.
• Commitment to equity, collaboration, confidentiality, and trauma-competent, student-centered practices, with the ability to serve compassionately, diplomatically, and in compliance with college standards.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree required in Education, Human Development, Counseling, Higher Education, Substance Use, Human Services, or related field from an accredited college or university.
• Master's degree preferred in a relevant field.
• Certified Recovery Specialist or CADC preferred.
• Must maintain professional qualification through continuing education, training, and development.

Experience:

• 3 years' experience in a related discipline such as student wellness, counseling, advocacy, or leadership development.
• Demonstrated success in providing assessment and referral, training/development, and instruction.
• Understanding of emerging trends and issues in higher education, particularly in substance use, wellness, leadership, and health promotion.
• Proven experience in program development, implementation, and supervision.
• Experience working with individuals and communities affected by substance use.

Applications will only be accepted via online method by clicking the link below. Deadline for applications, July 3, 2026. No phone calls, please.