"Director of Counseling & Psychological Services"

About Hamilton College:

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. As of 2025, Hamilton College is ranked #14 for National Liberal Arts Colleges and is among the most selective colleges in the country: 13.5% of applicants to the Class of 2028 were accepted.

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.

Qualifications:

• PhD/PsyD in Clinical or Counseling Psychology.
• New York State licensure or ability to obtain a New York State license within 90 days of employment.
• At least 5 years of experience in a college or university counseling center.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Administrative:

• Oversee the operation of the Counseling Center.
• Provide supervision for all staff members.
• Maintain ethical and legal standards for the office staff.
• Represent the office on various committees within the Division of Student Life (e.g., HCC, Deans and Directors).
• Create and manage departmental budgets.
• Represent the office as director at state and national conferences.
• Provide and deliver annual performance assessments for staff.
• Communicate with off-campus therapists regarding student returns from Medical Leaves of Absence and advise members of the Dean of Students Office about the results of these communications.

Clinical:

• Maintain a reasonable caseload, in light of administrative responsibilities, to preserve a clinical connection with students. Provide group counseling, psychotherapy, and educational programs consistent with student interest, counselor interest, and availability of time. Complete case notes in a timely manner. Attend and participate in individual supervision meetings weekly.

Crisis Response:

• Participate in department on-call rotation. Follow up on crisis calls as needed and communicate with other individuals impacted by these situations as appropriate while considering ethical guidelines. Communicate with Counseling Center staff regarding crisis calls. Complete case notes on all crisis intervention calls.

Consultation:

• Consult with the Dean of Students Office, parents, faculty, coaches, Community Living staff, and other campus stakeholders as appropriate.

Outreach and Educational Programs:

• Provide outreach and educational programs upon request and as needed for campus constituencies. Actively participate in Community Advisor training.

Administrative Duties:

• Advise student groups as feasible, given time constraints. Serve on committees as time allows.

Professional Development and Ethics:

• Collaborate with colleagues in the Counseling Center cooperatively and respectfully. Cooperate with the efforts of the Division of Student Life when possible. Maintain awareness of legal and ethical considerations in the professional practice of psychology and always practice according to applicable laws and guidelines.

The next Director will be responsible for:

• Leading a team of 10 professional staff members with authenticity and confidence.
• Facilitating collaboration and meaningful relationships across campus while ensuring buy-in for the center’s mission.
• Maintaining a pulse on national mental health trends to bring an informed perspective and innovative approaches to student care.
• Building trust through openness, consistency, and strong communication.

Hamilton has retained Stanton Chase, an executive search and leadership advisory firm, as its search partner. Please direct expressions of interest and nominations to DC_HamiltonCounseling@stantonchase.com.