Program Director, Counseling Program

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Program Director of the Counseling Program in Illinois is responsible for the administrative and academic functioning of the program, and supervision and development of program faculty. As the lead administrator for the CACREP-accredited program, the Program Director will serve as the program representative to a range of internal and external stakeholders, and will work in close collaboration with the Florida Counseling Program Director to achieve curriculum alignment, operational efficiency, and academic excellence.

About ISPP at National Louis University

The APA-Accredited Illinois School of Professional Psychology PsyD program has a rich tradition of training graduates to engage the world as health-service psychologists. The program employs a practitioner-scholar model and offers a curriculum designed to prepare clinicians who provide scientifically grounded, theoretically informed, and culturally responsive psychological services. ISPP alumni practice in all 50 states and in several countries around the world.

Provide curricular oversight to ensure program compliance with CACREP standards and other regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate with the Dean to prepare program budget and manage the program expenditures.
• Monitor student progress; enrollment, retention, and graduation rates; and successful licensure and employment rates.
• Lead faculty hiring, development, and evaluation.
• Manage faculty teaching loads, advising, and service activities to ensure equity, efficiency, and transparency.
• Work effectively with external stakeholders to strengthen the program and align student education and training with employment needs.
• Other duties as assigned by the Dean of the College.

In compliance with CACREP Standards (2024), the Program Director must also be willing to commit to:

1. Sustaining memberships in professional counseling organizations;
2. Maintaining certifications and/or licenses related to their counseling specialty area(s); and
3. Demonstrating continued evidence of:
   1. Sustained professional development and renewal activities related to counseling; and
   2. Sustained professional service and advocacy in counseling, ongoing counseling practice, and/or research and scholarly activity in counseling commensurate with their faculty role (Section 1.Z).

• Must meet CACREP Core Faculty standards through an earned research or practitioner doctorate (PhD or EdD) in Counselor Education and Supervision or closely related field (preferably from a CACREP-accredited program);
• Current licensure or license eligibility as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and/or Professional Educator License (PEL) with School Counselor endorsement in Illinois. Candidates who hold both credentials are especially encouraged to apply;
• Minimum of five years of experience in clinical mental health counseling and or/school counseling;
• Evidence of effective supervision competencies; Appropriate professional memberships; Evidence of professionalism in working with a diverse range of populations; Commitment to experientially-based education; Evidence of knowledge and experience teaching online courses and using technology in teaching

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ability to teach in two or more of the eight (8) CACREP areas;
• Experience in CACREP re-accreditation process and/or CACREP accredited program administration

About NLU

National Louis University (NLU) is looking to honor its past while defining a bold new future as a contemporary, comprehensive university that prepares diverse students for sustained professional success with a deep commitment to Access, Excellence, Innovation and Equity. We are a pioneering community that uses innovation to improve outcomes. NLU questions the status quo and strives to adapt and evolve with the changing needs of its students. We are a community that cares about each other and our students and we work collaboratively, tirelessly and quickly to advance change in the service of students. We have a long venerable history, but we are not typical. We seek to solve intractable social issues through education; we believe we have not succeeded until graduates achieve sustainable career related employment; and we foster a culture that promotes failing fast so that we may constantly improve our work.

Founded in 1886, National Louis University is a private not-for-profit university offering over 70 programs from short-term certificate through the doctoral level across its five colleges. The University serves over 10,000 students per year and has experienced unprecedented growth over the last several years. Most students are from Illinois, but the University also attracts students from throughout the U.S. and from around the world who take advantage of campus based, blended and online programming.

NLU is located in the center of Chicago's downtown loop, across the street from the Art Institute, in an area which has been recognized as America's largest campus with over 25 institutions and 50,000 students attending a college across the city. In addition, the University has two suburban locations and a Florida regional campus.

NLU Inclusion Statement:

National Louis University is deeply committed to serving its community, advancing access and equity, and ensuring that all individuals are welcomed and valued. We are dedicated to fostering a culture where diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the core of who we are. These are more than just words to us: they are truly a way of life for the NLU community. We recognize that differences in abilities, age, ethnicity, gender (identity and expression), race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and background bring richness to our work environment. We affirm diverse perspectives, innovative contributions, and authentic presentations of self from every member within the NLU community. We believe inclusion is grounded in the actions we intentionally take each day. Our goal is to inspire and empower NLU employees and community members to cultivate an environment where we collectively focus on uplifting and advancing our institutional culture.

At National Louis University, we offer our employees an innovative environment to work together and inspire the ideas that will make an impact. As our external environment changes, our employees are provided the opportunities and tools needed to grow both personally and professionally to remain successful. NLU employees and dependents are offered a wide range of benefits, including but not limited to, Health Insurance benefits, Retirement benefits, Paid Time Off and Educational Opportunities. Additional information regarding full-time faculty benefits can be found here.

Compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate. Offers are based on multiple factors permitted by law, including but not limited to: budgetary considerations, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, current/previous faculty rank, market considerations, tenure and standing with the university (applicable to current employees), and internal equity.