Associate Director of Counseling - Philadelphia

SUMMARY

The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) campus in Philadelphia, PA, is seeking an Associate Director of Counseling responsible for providing a comprehensive, holistic, and coordinated approach to mental health care for PCOM students, as well as consultative services to the campus community.

The Associate Director serves as a member of the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) and provides intervention services that support the psychological and emotional well-being of PCOM students. This role also includes supervising counseling staff and interns at the Philadelphia, PA campus.

Responsibilities include:

• Counseling Services: Providing individual short-term counseling intervention, referrals for longer-term therapy, wellness/life-skills workshops, group counseling facilitation, crisis consultation, and crisis intervention/management.
• Student Advocacy: Serving as the OSA liaison to each academic program’s student council, assessing mental health needs, and designing interventions that address the specific needs of each program.

  ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Serve as the Lead Counselor for the Philadelphia campus, coordinating efforts and providing leadership, support, and guidance during campus crises.
  • Collaborate with other PCOM support services, such as CBT, and facilitate referrals for longer-term therapy to support student psychological and emotional well-being.
  • Facilitate coping skills groups to assist students with emotional stressors, such as performance anxiety and high-stakes exams.
  • Work with the Student Wellness Committee and Equity & Title IX Coordinator to address student concerns and develop empowerment, wellness, and life-skills programming.
  • Design, implement, and assess comprehensive programs addressing personal, interpersonal, and academic issues.
  • Coordinate with the Office of Diversity and Community Partnerships to provide programming for faculty, staff, and students.
  • Serve on the PCOM Behavioral Intervention Team, contributing to mental health-related leadership responsibilities.
  • Collaborate with Student Affairs and Compliance to identify community resources for psychiatric evaluations, testing, and to create crisis intervention policies, including hospitalization, withdrawal, and reentry protocols.
  • Develop campus-wide mental health policies and practices in partnership with the Georgia Senior Associate Director of Counseling.
  • Provide training for faculty, staff, and security on recognizing students in crisis and collaborate on intervention protocols for student suicide, death, and other crises.
  • Maintain connections with counseling professionals at peer institutions for large-scale counseling needs.
  • Maintain detailed and confidential student records and accurate documentation of all programming activities.
  • Assist in collecting and analyzing client data and producing reports for accreditation reviews.
  • Participate in professional development opportunities and institutional committees.
  • Support milestone events such as orientations, white coat ceremonies, MATCH, and Commencement.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

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  INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; capable of speaking effectively to large groups.
  • Energetic, passionate, and creative with a demonstrated ability to be flexible and adaptable.
  • Willingness to innovate and think outside the box.
  • Enjoy working with a diverse student population in a high-stress academic environment.

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  EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

  • Master’s degree in Counseling or a related field; PhD or PsyD strongly encouraged.

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  EXPERIENCE

  • Minimum of 5 years’ experience in counseling, higher education, or student development.
  • Licensed as a psychologist, LPC, or LCSW in Pennsylvania, or holds ABPP certification; PhD/PsyD desirable.
  • Experience working with graduate or professional students.
  • Familiarity with Electronic Medical Record systems.
  • Supervisory experience is a plus.