Job Summary/Basic Functions

The University of Mary Washington (UMW) is seeking a Director for the Talley Center for Counseling Services to oversee the strategic direction, administration, and delivery of student mental health services. The Director leads an engaged staff focused on supporting student success and works collaboratively with partners across UMW to foster a holistic and inclusive approach to campus-wide mental health and wellness.

About the University of Mary Washington
Founded in 1908, the University of Mary Washington (UMW) has built a rich history of traditions and accomplished academic excellence. With an enrollment of almost 4,000 students, UMW is a residential campus located in Fredericksburg, Virginia, with outstanding students and passionate teachers, located just an hour from Washington, DC, to the north and Richmond, VA, to the south. Under the leadership of President Troy Paino, UMW has increased its retention rate and recruited a more diverse and talented student body while raising the school’s academic profile.  U.S. News & World Report has named Mary Washington one of “America’s Best Colleges” and has placed it among the top ten public liberal arts colleges in the country. The University has been recognized as one of the top producers of US Fulbright students, and students, faculty, and alums.

About the Talley Center for Counseling Services
The Talley Center for Counseling Services (Talley Center) provides mental health and wellness services to University of Mary Washington (UMW) students to further their development and success. Through individual counseling and group therapy, Talley Center clinicians and trainees support students in their mental health and well-being. Throughout the academic year, the Talley Center also partners with other offices in promoting wellness-focused events. The Talley Center staff collaborates with UMW faculty, staff, and students to enhance their skills in supporting distressed students and to guide them on when and how to refer students for higher-level care. Talley Center staff are also highly involved in the development of new mental health professionals, providing training, clinical experience, and supervision to graduate-level externs and interns. 

About the Director
The Director of the Talley Center provides leadership and vision for Center operations, including staff and trainee supervision, budgetary oversight, and collaboration with other campus departments. The Director plans and implements services for a diverse student population, including individual and group therapy, consultation, training, outreach, and wellness programming. The Director also serves in a clinical capacity, seeing students as a component of the position, and supervises the professional staff in the delivery of clinical services, including supervision of pre-licensed staff, mental health residents, interns and/or externs, as necessary. The Director is responsible for program and service evaluation and outcomes assessment. 

Starting in the Fall 2025, the Talley Center for Counseling Services will be part of the newly-established Health and Wellness Department in UMW’s Division of Student Affairs. The Director will report directly to the Associate Vice President for Health and Wellness. 

Director’s Key Responsibilities:

• Leadership & Administration: Provide visionary leadership for the Talley Center for Counseling, including staff supervision, budget management, and policy development.
• Clinical Oversight: Ensure high-quality mental health services, including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, and consultation.
• Staff Supervision & Development: Recruit, train, and manage a team of mental health professionals, interns, externs, and support staff. Provide ongoing professional development opportunities.
• Crisis Response: Oversee crisis intervention services and collaborate with campus partners to address urgent student mental health concerns. Serve on the University’s Threat Assessment Team and Behavioral Intervention Team.
• Campus Collaboration: Work closely with faculty and staff to promote mental health initiatives and integrate counseling services into student life.
• Outreach & Prevention: Develop and implement mental health awareness programs, workshops, and training for students, faculty, and staff.
• Compliance & Accreditation: Ensure compliance with ethical standards, legal requirements, and best practices in college mental health services.

Required KSAs/Competencies/Qualifications

• Broad generalist clinical skills/experience in: assessing and intervening (especially brief psychotherapy therapy models) with a wide range of disorders and degrees of pathology; consultation/liaison, outreach programming; outcomes assessment.

Required education

• APA-approved Psy.D.or Ph.D. in counseling/clinical psychology

Required Experience:

• Experience in leading an organization, budget oversight, and providing clinical services.

Additional Considerations:

• Brief therapy and group facilitation experience in a college/university counseling center.
• Expertise in one or more of the following areas is highly desirable: health psychology, wellness programming, cognitive-behavioral therapy, substance abuse, eating disorders, and multicultural issues.
• Previous grant writing experience is desirable, but not required.
• Must be a psychologist licensed to practice in the state of Virginia, or must obtain license to practice in the state of Virginia prior to start of employment.