Director of Employee Assistance Programming

The University of New Mexico is initiating a search for a Director of UNM’s internal employee assistance program known as CARS (Counseling, Assistance and Referral Services), to begin in January 2027. CARS promotes a healthy work-life balance by providing on-site and remote services to assist UNM faculty and staff members with professional and personal concerns. CARS services include counseling for individuals and couples (where one person is a UNM employee); supervisory consultations with organization leadership; crisis interventions such as bereavement help for departments; seminars and workshops; and departmental in-service training. CARS currently employs four counselors including the director, supported by administrative staff.

The CARS Director provides direct services such as supervisory consultations to managers, short-term counseling for individual employees, training, and crisis assistance for departments and programs. The Director supervises CARS clinical and administrative staff and actively collaborates with various mental health and substance abuse resources in the UNM community. The Director ensures that employees who utilize the EAP Program receive confidential, ethical and quality counseling services. The Director also represents CARS on various committees across the UNM campus and collaborates with campus partners to promote employee welfare at home and at work. Institutional collaborators include Ombuds services, ADVANCE at UNM, Division for Change and Empowerment, the Compliance, the Ethics and Equal Opportunity Office (CEEO), the Dean of Students Office, the Campus Assessment Response Education (student safety concerns) and Threat Assessment teams, and Student Health and Counseling (for situations in which student issues impact faculty and staff). The Director plans and oversees the CARS budget program, staffing, and expenditures.  The CARS Director reports to the Office of the Provost.

Duties and responsibilities

•  Establishes and implements short- and long-range organizational goals, objectives, strategic plans, policies, and operating procedures; monitors and evaluates programmatic and operational effectiveness, and effects changes required for improvement.
• Provides clinical and managerial supervision for CARS clinical and administrative staff, ensuring consistent and effective delivery of services
• Ensures compliance with pertinent standards and regulations
• Collaborates with campus partner institutions to promote employee wellbeing
• Provides direct services to UNM clients including supervisory consultations, brief counseling, training, and crisis interventions
• Develops and directs implementation of employee mental health and substance abuse education and awareness programs, including outreach and communications programs to promote employee well-being and awareness of available services
• Assists departments in improving workplace climate and promoting healthy work-life balance
• Coordinates and interacts with university officials and committees, employees, external mental health and substance abuse providers and/or law enforcement agencies as needed in specific cases.
• Monitors emerging challenges to employee wellbeing, and advises University leadership on management and prevention strategies
• Plans and oversees CARS budgets and operations

The University of New Mexico (UNM) is the premier research university in the state of New Mexico. We are a Carnegie R1 Highest Research Activity Institution, a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution, and a Carnegie Community Engaged Institution. UNM is located in Albuquerque, the largest city in New Mexico. Albuquerque is an ethnically diverse metropolitan area of over a half million residents that has been listed as one of the best small cities in the U.S. by National Geographic Traveler. The city has a rich culture and a location offering unparalleled opportunities for outdoor adventure. Learn more about our city here (https://unmfirst.unm.edu/why-choose-us/why-albuquerque.html). The University is located within one hour of Santa Fe, three hours of Taos, and within minutes of the Sandia and Manzano mountain ranges, which offer great opportunities for hiking, biking, rock climbing, skiing, and other outdoor activities. 

Dir,Employee Assistance Prog - Job Descriptions - Human Resources :: The University of New Mexico