Associate Director for Clinical Services

Duke Careers • Durham, NC

3d • $94,156 - $150,733

About The Position

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.

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.

Requirements

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

Nice To Haves

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Responsibilities

• 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 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Benefits

• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree