Associate Director for Clinical Services

Associate Director for Clinical Services

Work Arrangement: On-Site Location: Durham, NC, US, 27710 Personnel Area: 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 successand 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.

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.

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.