Director of Counseling & Psychological Services

About Hamilton:

Chartered in 1812 after being founded in 1793 as the Hamilton-Oneida Academy, Hamilton College is among the three dozen oldest colleges in the United States. For more than 200 years, Hamilton has been preparing students for lives of meaning, purpose, and active citizenship on a beautiful campus that blends historic buildings and traditions with modern facilities and resources. Hamilton offers 44 majors (concentrations) and 58 total areas of study to its 2000 students in a fully residential environment.

The Opportunity:

The Director of Counseling and Psychological Services leads initiatives that provide mental health, developmental, and educational services to a student body of approximately 2,000 full-time residential students at a highly selective liberal arts college. A key aspect of this role is providing direct supervision and leadership for approximately 10 staff members, which includes an office manager, a full-time assistant director, three full-time psychologists, four part-time employees, and two part-time psychiatrists.

Reporting to Jeff Landry, the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, the Director also works collaboratively with the Director of the Health Center in supporting a culture of student wellness across the student body. The Director administers all clinical, operational, and financial aspects of the department while also carrying a clinical caseload. The Director is expected to serve on various committees, including the Hamilton Cares Committee, the Bias Incident Response Team, and the Division of Student Life Leadership Team, and to participate in an emergency on-call rotation for the department.

Key Criteria:

The following key criteria outline the qualifications, experiences, and leadership qualities Hamilton College seeks in its next Director of Counseling and Psychological Services:

Extensive Clinical Leadership Experience in a Higher Education Context

• Proven track record working on a college campus, coupled with experience supervising clinical staff.
• Understands the unique pressures of students’ mental health needs in a rigorous, fully residential academic environment.
• Skilled in crisis management and handling acute situations for a college student population.
• Leads with professionalism while building meaningful relationships across campus and securing buy-in for the center’s mission.

Strategic Administrative Expertise

• Comfortable balancing administrative responsibilities with clinical engagements to maintain student connection and provide supervision.
• Ensures a data-driven approach to service delivery and resource allocation.
• Maintains a pulse on national mental health trends to bring an informed perspective and innovative approaches to student care.
• Values and leverages the skillset of the clinical team through operational support and clinical supervision.
• Collaborates with multiple departments and supports training initiatives for campus partners, e.g. Campus Safety, Health Center, Community Living, Athletics, etc.

Relational, Inclusive, and Culturally Competent Leadership

• Builds trust through openness, consistency, and strong communication, while operating with authenticity and confidence.
• Demonstrates an approachable, accessible leadership style in keeping with Hamilton’s relational culture.
• Committed to fostering diverse representation among the clinical staff, while demonstrating cultural competency in service to a highly diverse student population.
• Treats individuals with respect and humanity; fosters a collaborative team mindset beyond departmental boundaries.
• Calm, thoughtful, and adaptable under pressure; comfortable working in ambiguity.