Associate Director of Counseling and Inclusion

Associate Director of Counseling and Inclusion

Skidmore College is seeking an Associate Director of Counseling and Inclusion to join a talented team committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion as core values of our work and community. This is an exciting leadership role for a collaborative clinician with a sophisticated understanding of the needs of a diverse student body and experience developing initiatives to support historically marginalized and underrepresented populations. Through collaborations with campus partners, including the Office of Student Diversity Programs and The Center (a space dedicated to equity, inclusion, and justice), the Associate Director will have the opportunity to strengthen the College’s connection with, and support of, students from a wide range of racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.

The Associate Director of Counseling and Inclusion is a newly created position that is multifaceted in scope and function. The Associate Director will advise the Director on climate, access, and inclusion strategies related to the work of the Counseling Center; assume a leadership role in the professional development of Center staff with a focus on enhancing inclusive practices; develop culturally informed outreach for BIPOC students, as well as strategies to reduce barriers and increase access to services; serve as an administrative leader of the office in the Director’s absence; and provide consultation to the other Health & Wellness offices (and Student Affairs more broadly) regarding issues of equity, access, and inclusion. In addition, the Associate Director will provide direct clinical and consultation services to the Skidmore community in support of the student body and with an emphasis on serving BIPOC students.

About Skidmore College

Skidmore is a highly ranked, residential, liberal arts college situated on 1,000 acres of natural beauty in Saratoga Springs, New York. With 2,500 students from 40 states and 70 countries, 43 majors, more than 100 student clubs, funded research, and internship opportunities, and 118 study abroad programs, it offers faculty, staff, and students a dynamic college experience. Consistently acclaimed in national rankings, Skidmore has been recognized as one of “America’s Most Entrepreneurial Colleges,” a “Best Value” school and a “Hidden Ivy.”

The principal mission of Skidmore College is the education of predominantly full-time undergraduates, a diverse population of talented students who are eager to engage actively in the learning process. The College seeks to prepare liberally educated graduates to continue their quest for knowledge and to make the choices required of informed, responsible citizens.

At Skidmore, creativity is at our core. It empowers us to combine different ideas, try new things and look at the world from a wide range of perspectives. We have an altogether different way of doing things at Skidmore, and it all starts with our commitment to creative thinking.

Skidmore’s community of scholars, professionals and staff is intended to be inclusive of individuals of every race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability or place of origin, providing equitable employment opportunities on a campus committed to ideals of diversity in the workplace and the classroom.

Primary Responsibilities

• Assumes a leadership role in enhancing the professional competence of Center staff in working with students from diverse backgrounds. This entails coordinating or providing in-house professional development trainings several times per year, facilitating team conversations around DEI related topics, and identifying external training opportunities to foster staff growth in these areas.
• Serves as administrative leader of the Counseling Center in the Director’s absence. This involves directly collaborating with the Associate Dean for Health & Wellness and providing direction to the Office Coordinator, Staff Clinicians, Case Management Clinician, and Psychiatric Consultant.
• Advises the Director on all climate, access, and inclusion related matters at the Counseling Center and assists in overall planning and policy making within the department. This involves weekly meetings with the Director and independent project work on occasion.
• Collaborates regularly with leadership in the Office of Student Diversity Programs , The Center (a space dedicated to equity, inclusion, and justice) , and other areas of the college to strengthen our connections with diverse student groups and develop programs to better support historically marginalized members of the campus community.
• Provides direct clinical services, with a special focus on supporting students with BIPOC and other historically underrepresented identities. This involves conducting initial evaluations, and risk assessments. It also includes delivery of skill-building workshops on a variety of topics related to collegiate mental health (e.g., managing anxiety, coping with depression, etc.).
• Serves as a consultant to the other Health & Wellness offices (and Student Affairs more broadly) regarding issues of equity, access, and inclusion, and serves on college committees when their experience and expertise are requested.
• Provides evening and weekend on-call backup to Skidmore’s contracted on-call service, ProtoCall in the form of 2-3 week-long rotations per semester, which also include being the on-call representative of the Counseling Center in case third-party consultation is urgently needed by Skidmore faculty or staff members.
• Provides third-party consultation to Skidmore faculty, staff, families, and students regarding mental health issues in general and about specific students of cdoncern, within the ethical and legal parameters of confidentiality.
• Provides regular training to Residential Life staff, Campus Safety, Peer Health Educators, and Peer Mentors. Also provides outreach to the broader campus community (e.g., through ConnectMORE trainings, panel presentations, etc.).
• Performs other related duties as assigned by the Director.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in Clinical or Counseling Psychology, Master’s Degree in Social Work or Master’s degree in Mental health Counseling .
• Currently licensed as a Psychologist, LCSW-R or L.M.H.C ; if not licensed in the State of New York, must be license eligible and be licensed within one year of hire .
• A minimum of three (3) years of experience post-licensure with an understanding of a traditional college aged population.
• Demonstrated experience in working with individuals from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds is essential.
• Experience with rapid assessment, risk management, and brief therapy are also crucial.
• Must have the capacity to practice independently, to collaborate effectively with individuals of different backgrounds and abilities, and to provide skilled supervision of clinical staff as needed.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of racial and ethnic identity development, social justice, race-related disparities in access to healthcare, and strategies for promoting equity and inclusivity in a higher education environment.
• Ability to establish collaborative working relationships with campus partners, student groups, and local mental health resources, and to interact effectively with members of the Skidmore and Saratoga communities daily.
• Strong interpersonal skills, leadership qualities, and the ability to engage professional staff and students at different levels of knowledge and experience on challenging issues.
• Strong clinical skills, including the ability to conduct rapid assessment, accurate diagnosis, treatment planning, and flexible service delivery in a short-term therapy model.
• Ability to establish oneself as a person who is expert and trustworthy with students, parents, faculty, and staff members who typically are under high levels of stress and distress.
• Knowledge of current standards of practice, professional ethics, and best practices in terms of treatment, risk assessment, and management of crisis situations.
• Knowledge of, and facility with, electronic medical recordkeeping systems and clinical documentation standards and statutes.
• Strong written and oral communication and persuasion skills, as well as the ability to set limits, define appropriate boundaries, and lead others.
• Ability to provide skilled mentoring to colleagues and trainees, and the ability to identify and assess areas in need of further development.
• Current knowledge of clinical outcome research.
• Strong planning and facilitation skills.
• Ability to triage and prioritize tasks, manage time effectively, and consistently meet expected deadlines in a high-volume, fast-paced office environment.
• Ability to be flexible and to work with a relatively high degree of autonomy, while also complying with communicated expectations, established systems/procedures, and directives.
• Basic resource allocation abilities.
• Ability to stand in for the Director of the Counseling Center in their absence.

Required documents needed to apply:

• On-line application
• Cover Letter
• Resume
• List of Three References

Pay Range: Commensurate with experience

In order to prevent or significantly reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission at Skidmore College and protect all members of the College community from infection, successful candidates will be required to submit proof of full vaccination as a condition of employment, unless exempted as a reasonable accommodation of a medical condition or sincerely religious belief or practice.

EEO STATEMENT

Skidmore College is committed to being an inclusive campus community and, as an Equal Opportunity Employer, does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, domestic violence victim status, familial status, dating violence, or stalking, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

Employment at Skidmore College is contingent upon an acceptable background check result.

CREATIVE THOUGHT MATTERS.