Program Director for Addiction Studies Graduate Certificate Program

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota is seeking candidates who are eager to contribute to its Lasallian Catholic mission of awakening, nurturing, and empowering learners to ethical lives of service and leadership. We invite individuals to help transform lives through education, inspired by the Catholic Intellectual Tradition’s quest to understand the human experience through faith and reason and its embrace of all who are dedicated to learning from one another through authentic conversations in search of the truth. We are especially interested in and give preference to candidates who demonstrate a vision to create and nurture initiatives that will advance our mission within the scope of their duties and who will foster a culture of dialogue that, with respect for all people, supports the search for meaning and purpose in pursuit of excellence.

Job Summary

The Program Director position works within a community of professionals dedicated to providing relevant, rigorous, and relational academic opportunities for adult learners. The role has responsibility for the program curriculum, practicum placement, student advising, enrollment, program budgets, hiring and support of faculty, and overall administration of the program. They work closely with other units within the University, including but not limited to Student Central, Marketing, and Academic Affairs. The Program Director ensures program vitality and academic quality by balancing administrative and academic functions that support a rigorous approach to teaching and practice that meets student learning goals.

Salary Range: $30 - $35 per hour

Main Duties & Responsibilities

Program Administration

• Collaborate with university and/or online administrative units to facilitate the development of a multi-year marketing and visibility campaign, ensuring alignment of messaging tied to program outcomes
• Establish and monitor annual enrollment goals
• Establish a muli-year course schedule that supports student’s progression and appropriate class sizes
• Enforce academic policies as documented in the Catalog and Student Handbook
• Advise and oversee students on program requirements, practicum requirements, and licensure requirements
• Maintain relationships and contribute to community development for the purpose of recruiting students and faculty, engaging alumni, marketing the program, and cultivating practicum placement sites.
• Forecast enrollment, income and expenses, create multi-year budgets, and monitor program fiscal performance and reporting
• Understanding program performance metrics and partnering across functional areas to recommend and implement ways to optimize program performance
• Ensure that all expenses are processed in an accurate, timely, and prudent manner
• Recruitment and marketing - develop and implement a recruitment plan and collaborate with marketing and communications on promotional materials
• Hire and oversee adjunct and practicum supervisors.

Practicum Management

• Advise students on academic requirements and obtaining appropriate placements to complete the required 880 hour practicum via training workshops, individual advising and site development.
• Maintain and keep up to date with requirements for Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counseling (LADC) curriculum based on the MN Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy standards.
• Maintain standards of clinical performance in accordance with institutional objectives; professional standards of practice; and regulatory and accreditation agency standards.
• Coordinate practicum program development; maintain records, develop a handbook of practicum policies and procedures, recommend policy and procedure changes.
• Develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with practicum site supervisors, practicum instructors, other clinical faculty and students.
• Collaborate with other program directors and faculty regarding the dual track/license process.
• Develop and supervise the practicum seminar instructors.
• Maintain contact with the credentialing agencies for addiction studies counselors and other licensure boards related to the fields of counseling and social work to uphold academic and professional requirements including dual licensure.

Student Engagement

• Evaluate applications for admission, manage interviews, and make recommendations to Admissions.
• Direct student advising and orientation to the program.
• Collaborate with Admissions and Student Central to implement a communication strategy to yield admitted students.
• Advise prospective and current students on their educational goals and degree and licensure requirements.
• Oversee course sequencing and progress to ensure alignment programmatic needs.
• Administer the summative activities for student completion of the program
• Works with Student Central and the Registrar to:
• In collaboration with various offices, ensure that all students have an orientation to the program
• Monitor academic status of students (probation, leaves, retention, degree completion)

Faculty Leadership

• Recruit, hire, and maintain a roster of exceptionally qualified faculty using a variety of sources
• Conduct regular faculty meetings to promote coherence in curriculum implementation and sharing of best practices
• Provide ongoing support to faculty
• Evaluate faculty performance by reviewing instructor or course evaluations and conducting course observations

Curriculum Leadership

• Create, update, and maintain a rigorous curriculum and coursework that reflects research and professional practice in the discipline
• Ensure that faculty are teaching from approved syllabi and using updated technology, along with the university LMS system
• Monitor the development and approval of all syllabi for all courses
• Conduct program reviews and course observation at least every three years
• Maintain curricular relevance through ongoing connections within the discipline/industry including formal advisory committees and various environmental scanning approaches
• Implement ongoing assessment of student achievement of program outcomes

Experience and Education Requirements

• Master’s degree, doctorate preferred, in discipline related to addiction studies. Minimum five years clinical experience as a LADC required. Holds current LADC license.
• Dual licensure in Social Work and LADC or Counseling and LADC is strongly preferred.
• Experience working with MN requirements for LADC licensure. Demonstrated commitment to the LADC profession, continuing education in the field, and to serving marginalized populations.
• Experience in higher education is preferred which includes teaching, program development. and/or administration.

Essential Knowledge & Skills

• Excellent communication, organizational, and multi-tasking skills with proven ability to work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal skills with students, faculty and other professionals in academic settings and with community partners.
• Understanding of nontraditional college student experiences.
• Professional decorum and ethical decision-making.
• Creation/maintenance of a collegial spirit among students, faculty, and colleagues.
• Effective interpersonal and supervisory skills in recruitment, performance management, coaching/counseling.

Physical Demands

Sedentary work. Sedentary work involves lifting no more than 10 pounds at a time and occasionally lifting or carrying articles like docket files, ledgers, and small tools. Although a sedentary job is defined as one which involves sitting, a certain amount of walking and standing is often necessary in carrying out job duties. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required occasionally and other sedentary criteria are met.

Physical Hazards – Health and Safety Concerns

General office environments

Apply online at: https://www.smumn.edu/about/offices-services/human-resources/employment-opportunities/ and include a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references.

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota believes inclusion and human dignity contributes to a robust academic and work environment and is critical to achieving the University's mission in an increasingly diverse society. Individuals with expertise and diverse skills from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. The successful candidate must support, respect, and advance the mission of Saint Mary's University as a Lasallian Catholic institution.

All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.