Director, Counseling & Psychological Services 

 

California State Polytechnic Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona), a nationally ranked and innovative public university known for its hands-on, real-world education, invites nominations and applications for the position of Director of Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS). This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced and student-centered mental health leader to guide a dedicated team of professionals serving a diverse and vibrant student body. Cal Poly Pomona seeks a director who will champion a culture of inclusion, transparency, and equity; strengthen alignment between the division and CAPS and Survivor Advocacy Services (SAS); balance accountability with compassion; and foster team cohesion and a shared commitment to holistic student well-being.

Reporting to the Senior Associate Vice President for Equity and Belonging, the director will provide strategic leadership and clinical oversight for mental health services for approximately 26,000 students.  The successful candidate will be a visible and engaged campus partner, offering significant clinical experience, skills in organizational development and change management, current college mental expertise, and an established record of effective leadership and supervision.

 

Position Summary:

The Director of Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) will provide direct oversight for a team of over 10 clinicians, two survivor advocates, administrative staff, and an associate director.

In addition to the above job duties, the Director:

• Provides overall administration and strategic direction of the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and Survivor Advocacy Services (SAS)
• Assesses CPP’s student counseling and survivor advocacy needs to develop and facilitate each unit’s services and programs
• Engages in personnel management and fiscal planning
• Innovates, designs and implements programs and services designed to specifically support the goals of the Division of Student Affairs
• Formulates, implements, and evaluates polices and procedures
• Manages and oversees the departmental budget
• Prepares annual reports and handles special projects
• Provides clinical supervision for non-licensed counselors
• Involved in development of campus-wide policies and procedures regarding student health and wellbeing needs 
• Provides therapy, outreach, consultation, crisis intervention, and training
• Must actively and visibly embrace a community mental health approach to move CAPS in that direction and away from a private practice model

 

Required Education and Certifications

• Master’s degree in psychology or a related field
• Must be a fully licensed mental health clinician in good standing with the state of California. Acceptable credentials include: Licensed psychologist, LCSW, LMFT, and/or LPCC
• Valid CA Driver’s License

 

Required Experience and Skills

• Minimum of three years of successfully leading a university counseling center or mental health organization in a similar setting of comparable scale and complexity; including experience supervising a diverse team of professionals of licensed and unlicensed clinicians
• Demonstrated expertise with clinical mental health models, accreditation standards, and policy and procedures related to the field of psychology
• Knowledge and experience with integrated with health and wellbeing models
• Evidence of success in supervising and evaluating employees, resolving conflicts, and encouraging team cooperation among diverse staff
• Background in developing and facilitating programs, outreach services, consultation, and mediation interventions
• Expertise and/or experience in crisis intervention and working with a broad range of presenting problems and constituencies
• Skill in data collection, needs assessment, and analyzing metrics to assess effectiveness and improve quality of services
• Robust and culturally responsive clinical skills that meet the needs of a multicultural, multigendered, and multi-aged clientele; ability to use these skills in a variety of situations within their leadership
• Superior oral and written communication skills; including demonstrated ability to develop effective oral presentations, facilitate an open exchange of ideas, and write clear and concise notes, documents, and reports
• Superior interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate with and respond to multiple constituencies and make meaningful connections at all levels of an organization
• Demonstrated ability make independent decisions, exercise sound judgment, and to multi-task and set priorities
• Knowledge of Electronic Medical Record Systems, such as (Point and Click)

 

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Previous experience working in a University Counseling Center and with Behavioral Intervention Teams

 

Application Process

Cal Poly Pomona has partnered with Keeling & Associates (K&A) in this search process. To be considered for this position, all candidates must submit an official application through the Cal Poly Pomona Careers site. Confidential inquiries and nominations should be addressed to LeAnna Rice at lrice@keelingassociates.com. A confidential review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the appointment is made. All materials submitted by September 8, 2025 will be given priority consideration.

 

A complete application package will include:  

• A letter of interest addressing how the candidate’s experiences match the position requirements;  
• A current CV/resume;  

 

Salary and Total Rewards

The anticipated hiring range for this position will be $150,000-$161,708 annually, commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The CSU system offers employees a comprehensive benefits package typically worth 30-35% of your base salary. For more information on programs available, please see the Employee Benefits Summary.

 

 

 

Out of State Work

The California State University (CSU) system is a network of twenty-three public universities providing access to a quality education through the support of California taxpayers. Part of CSU’s mission is to prepare educated, responsible individuals to contribute to California’s schools, economy, culture, and future. As an agency of the State of California, the CSU’s business operations almost exclusively reside within California.   The CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy prohibits hiring employees to perform CSU-related work outside California. For more information, go to the CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy. 

 

Background Check

Cal Poly Pomona will make a conditional offer of employment to final job candidates, pending the satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check). The conditional offer of employment may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. In determining the suitability of the candidate for the position, Cal Poly Pomona will give an individualized assessment to any information that the applicant submits for consideration regarding the criminal conviction history such as the nature, gravity and recency of the conviction, the candidate’s conduct, performance or rehabilitation efforts since the conviction and the nature of the job applied for. For more information, go to the CSU Background Check Policy.

 

CSU Classification Salary Range

This position is part of the Management Personnel Plan (MPP). The CSU Classification Standards for this position are located on the CSU Classification Standards website. The CSU Salary Schedule is located on the CSU Salary Schedule website. The classification salary range for this position according to the respective skill level is: minimum $5,053 and maximum $16,221 per month. Please refer to the anticipated hiring range for the appropriate salary rate for this particular position.

 

Employment Eligibility Verification

Cal Poly Pomona hires only individuals lawfully authorized to work in the United States. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.  For more information, go to the Acceptable I-9 website. 

 

University Driving Requirements

Positions that require driving for university business by using a personal or state vehicle must comply with the Authorized University Driver Policy. Driving records are monitored and evaluated by the Risk Management Department. The Risk Management Department evaluates a good driving report based on the following criteria. The driver must: 1. Have a valid California or other State Driver’s license. 2. Have no more than 3 motor vehicle violations or been the cause of 3 accidents in a 12-month period (or any combination of 3 thereof) 3. Not have more than 3 DMV Points, if their license is Class C or, 4. Not have more than 5 DMV Points, if their license is Class A, B, or C with endorsements. For more information, go to the Authorized University Driver Policy.

 

Conflict of Interest 

This position is a “designated position” in the California State University’s Conflict of Interest Code.  The successful candidate accepting this position is required to file financial interest disclosure forms subject to state regulations.  For more information, go to the CSU's Conflict of Interest Policy. 

 

Outside Employment Disclosure 

Executive and Management Plan Personnel employees must disclose all current outside employment at the time of hire as a precondition of hire and at the following times after hire: annually in July, within 30 days of accepting outside employment, and upon their manager’s request.  For more information, go to the Outside Employment Disclosure Policy. 

 

Child Abuse/Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA)

The person holding this position is considered a “mandated reporter” under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. See policy at the Child Abuse/Neglect Reporting policy.

 

Security & Fire Safety 

In compliance with state and federal crime awareness and campus security legislation, including The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, California Education Code section 67380, and the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), Cal Poly Pomona’s Annual Security Report and Annual Fire Safety Report are available for viewing at: https://www.cpp.edu/pdfs/annual_security_report.pdf and https://www.cpp.edu/housing/documents/fire_safety_report.pdf.

 

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination

As a federal contractor, Cal Poly Pomona will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant.  For more information, see the Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision poster.

 

Reasonable Accommodation

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact the ADA Coordinator by email at ADACoordinator@cpp.edu. For more information, go to Employment Notices.

 

Equal Employment Opportunity

Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, Cal Poly Pomona provides equal opportunity in employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. Cal Poly Pomona complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices. 

 

Other Notices

For other important employment notices, we invite you to visit Cal Poly Pomona’s Employment Notices web page.