Program Director and Open Rank Faculty for Graduate Counseling Programs

Job Details

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.

As a part of our dynamic team of Faculty practitioners, the responsibilities for this position include teaching, scholarship, and service. Teaching expectations will cover a variety of courses within our CACREP Core content areas including courses in counseling theory and techniques, assessment and diagnosis, and internship/practicum/supervision, with some specialized courses in School Counseling or Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Faculty also engage in student advising and mentorship, program-level development and assessment crucial for maintaining CACREP accreditation, and college/university committee work. The successful candidates will exemplify skill in working competently with students and faculty representing a broad range of cultures and identities.

Applicants must be Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors (LCPC) in the State of Illinois or eligible to obtain their LCPC within 12 months of hire OR Licensed Professional Educators with PEL-School Counseling Endorsement or eligible to obtain the PEL within 12 months of hire. Members of underrepresented populations are strongly encouraged to apply. This position is a Full-Time Open Rank (commensurate with experience) 12-Month faculty position and based out of the Chicago campus.

Essential Responsibilities

• 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:

• Sustaining memberships in professional counseling organizations;
• Maintaining certifications and/or licenses related to their counseling specialty area(s); and
• Demonstrating continued evidence of:
  • Sustained professional development and renewal activities related to counseling; and
  • 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).

Qualifications

• 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.

Company

National Louis University is a private not-for-profit university offering career-building, life-changing educational programs through the doctoral level. NLU serves a diverse student body and is recognized as both a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and Minority-Serving Institution (MSI). Noted for its achievements in educational access, the Washington Monthly ranked NLU fourth on its Social Mobility list and first on its Best Bang for Your Buck – Midwest category. Money Magazine featured NLU on its “Colleges Whose Graduates Say They Make the World a Better Place” top 10 list.

At NLU, undergraduate tuition averages about $13,000, meaning that students who qualify for the maximum federal and state grants can attend the university for zero dollars out-of-pocket. As such, NLU is recognized as a national leader in closing the post-secondary completion gap, and students completing an undergraduate degree from NLU enter the workforce earning an estimated $46,000 per year after graduation, ranking NLU among the top five of all Illinois post-secondary schools.

The University offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs through seven academic units: the Undergraduate College, Kendall College of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, the College of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, the National College of Education, the School of Business and Leadership, the School of Nursing, and Accelerate U, the University’s workforce development division. NLU is one of the most diverse universities in the Midwest, helping students of all ages and backgrounds achieve their personal and professional goals. Its network features three campuses in the Chicagoland area: Downtown Chicago, IL; Wheeling, IL; Lisle, IL, and one campus in Tampa, FL. The University offers programs through various modalities including face-to-face, blended, online, synchronous, and remote learning in which courses can be supplemented with well-planned and meaningful on-campus experiences.

After significant enrollment growth in recent years, including a 23% increase in new, degree-seeking student enrollment in AY23-24, NLU’s community is composed of nearly 13,000 students (6,300 of whom are undergraduates, and 6,700 are graduate students) and 775 full-time personnel across the four campuses and online programs. Among degree-seeking undergraduates, 60 percent are eligible for federal Pell grants and 58 percent are first-generation college students. Its average undergraduate age is 28 and graduate age is 37. Its students are from 50 states and 48 countries.

Learn more about who we are at https://nl.edu/.