Director of Counseling and Psychological Services

The University of Kansas, the flagship institution of the Kansas university system, is seeking an experienced, innovative, and collaborative mental health leader to serve as the next Director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). Keeling & Associates is pleased to be supporting the University in this search, and we welcome applications, nominations, and questions. This is an exciting opportunity to provide leadership and direction to a dedicated team in identifying and implementing strategies to meet the needs of the current and future diverse student population.

The Director is responsible for leading and managing the operations of CAPS, sustaining current services, and exploring innovative approaches that supplement those services. The Director is expected to develop and implement a strategic plan; ensure an inclusive and collaborative work environment; forecast and allocate resources; provide supervision, directly and indirectly, for the staff; develop, implement, and evaluate ongoing assessment plans and outcomes; direct outreach and promotion activities; and perform other tasks that are expected of a mental health leader on campus. Reporting to the Associate Vice Provost for Student Affairs, the Director, who serves as a member of the Student Affairs leadership team, must be prepared to partner with colleagues across the University in order contribute to the overall well-being and academic success of students. Further, the ability to develop relationships with community mental health partners will be a key to success in this role.

Counseling and Psychological Services

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is the direct-service counseling unit available to all enrolled students at the University of Kansas. CAPS consists of Clinical Service, Testing Service, and the Campus Assistance, Resource, and Education (CARE) Coordinator (confidential support for students who have experienced gender-based interpersonal violence). The CAPS Clinical Service delivers a range of mental health services including individual and group psychotherapy, psychiatric services, and limited psychological testing. In addition, CAPS offers consultation services to parents and university staff and faculty who are concerned about a student's needs. The Testing Service administers national standardized tests for academic placement and entry to graduate and professional programs. The CAPS doctoral internship in psychology is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). Permanent, full-time staff include counseling and clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatrists, and support staff.  Student staff include counseling psychology doctoral and master’s practicum students; doctoral psychology interns; mental health peer educators who may be undergraduate or graduate students; and student hourly employees in the testing service.

Required Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology or Clinical Psychology from an APA-accredited program and APA-accredited internship; or doctoral degree in Social Work from a Council on Social Work Education accredited program. Minimum of five years of postdoctoral clinical experience, including experience providing therapy, serving a diverse population with a wide range of mental health concerns. Licensed as a mental health provider; if not licensed in Kansas, must be license eligible to practice independently as a mental health provider in the State of Kansas. Minimum of three years of progressive administrative and supervisory experience.
• Effective written communication skills as evidenced by the application materials.

Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of postdoctoral clinical experience serving a diverse population with a wide range of mental health concerns. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a diverse population of students, staff, faculty, administrators, and other members of the community. Experience in a college/university counseling center with a multidisciplinary staff and an APA accredited internship. Knowledge of compliance with federal and state laws and requirements along with the administration and legal complexities associated with managing a university counseling center. Minimum two years of experience with budget management. Demonstrated knowledge and appreciation of a broad range of theoretical orientations, approaches, and interventions. Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Demonstrated ability to conduct program assessment efforts. Experience in policy and procedure development. Knowledge or training in student development. Commitment to professional development and professional associations. Excellent verbal communication and public presentation skills. Exceptional interpersonal skills with a broad and diverse range of people.
• Demonstrated commitment to the highest ethical standards of professional practice and personal and professional integrity.

The University of Kansas

The University of Kansas (KU) is the flagship institution of the Kansas university system.  It is a major comprehensive research and teaching university of 28,500 students and over 2500 faculty.  The University of Kansas is the only Kansas Regents university to hold membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), a select group of sixty-five public and private research universities that represent excellence in graduate and professional education and the highest achievements in research internationally. KU is located in the city of Lawrence, a progressive city of about 90,000 in northeast Kansas. Lawrence is consistently rated as a Top 10 town for its sports, arts, and live music scene. Lawrence and KU are a 45-minute drive from Kansas City and its airport.

Application Procedure and Timeline

The University of Kansas has partnered with Keeling & Associates, LLC, in this search process. Application materials should include a resume and a letter of interest and must be sent to recruiting@keelingassociates.com. The subject line of the email should read “KU – Director of CAPS.” The review of materials will begin March 13 and will continue until the position is filled.

Those interested in submitting nominations or in having a confidential discussion before applying should contact K&A Senior Consultant Jeff Ewing (JFEwing@KeelingAssociates.com).  

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university's programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and are the Title IX coordinators for their respective campuses: Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX, civilrights@ku.edu, Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY (for the Lawrence, Edwards, Parsons, Yoder, and Topeka campuses); Director, Equal Opportunity Office, Mail Stop 7004, 4330 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Fairway, KS 66205, 913-588-8011, 711 TTY (for the Wichita, Salina, and Kansas City, Kansas medical center campuses).