Program Director, Master of Science in Mental Health Practice
Position Type: Faculty
Department: Office of Graduate Education
Full or Part Time: Full Time
Pay Grade: Dependent on Rank
Summary: The Program Director of the Master of Science in Mental Health Practice (MS-MHP), contributes to the training and professional development of Certified Mental Health Assistants in a 2-year training program. The Program Director is responsible for providing academic, administrative, and strategic leadership for a newly developed graduate program dedicated to preparing highly skilled, ethical, and compassionate mental health professionals.
This position is designed to attract experienced educators, academic leaders, and clinicians from a broad range of disciplines including psychiatry, psychology, social work, counseling, behavioral health, public health, and related fields. The Program Director leads curriculum development and delivery, faculty recruitment and development, student success initiatives, accreditation and continuous quality improvement, and community engagement efforts. The role emphasizes excellence in teaching, interprofessional education, workforce development, and innovative training models that respond to evolving community and healthcare system needs.
This is a full-time, non-tenure track faculty appointment. Faculty rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Principal Functional Responsibilities: Teaching, Academic Leadership, and Curriculum Development: The Program Director provides instructional leadership and oversees graduate education within their area of expertise. They lead the development, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of a rigorous, innovative curriculum aligned with best practices, accreditation standards, and professional competencies in mental and behavioral health. The Director ensures integration of didactic, experiential, and clinical learning; collaborates with faculty and partners to address curricular gaps and incorporate emerging evidence; and advances teaching innovations such as simulation, interprofessional education, and hybrid learning. The role also emphasizes developing students’ clinical reasoning, ethical practice, cultural humility, and collaborative skills, using program outcomes and feedback to guide ongoing quality improvement.
Faculty Leadership and Development: The Program Director leads the recruitment, development, evaluation, and retention of a diverse, high-quality faculty team across mental and behavioral health disciplines. The role fosters an inclusive, collaborative academic environment that supports excellence in teaching, mentorship, and scholarship. The Director mentors faculty in educational best practices, assessment, and curriculum design; promotes professional development and educational research; and cultivates a cohesive, interprofessional faculty community grounded in collaboration and shared governance.
Student Recruitment, Advising, and Success: The Program Director works with admissions and enrollment teams to recruit and select a diverse, mission-aligned student body, overseeing admissions standards, applicant review, and onboarding. The role ensures strong advising, mentoring, and professional development to support student success—from engagement and retention through graduation, licensure readiness, and workforce entry—using outcomes data to guide continuous improvement.
Clinical Education and Community Partnerships: The Program Director builds and maintains partnerships with healthcare and community organizations to ensure high-quality clinical and community-based learning experiences. The role oversees clinical education to ensure training meets professional and regulatory standards and supports integration of classroom learning with practice. The Director also advances community engagement and service-learning initiatives that strengthen student learning and address regional workforce and public health needs.
Administrative Leadership and Program Operations: The Program Director provides overall administrative leadership for the MS-MHP program, overseeing budgeting, staffing, scheduling, resource management, and strategic operations. The role supervises program staff and ensures efficient processes, accreditation compliance, regulatory reporting, and outcomes assessment. The Director also partners with college and university leadership and governance bodies to advance program quality and institutional objectives.
Service and Professional Engagement: The Program Director participates in college and university governance, committee service, and strategic initiatives, and engages with state, regional, and national professional organizations in mental health and health professions education. The Director represents the program across academic, professional, and community settings and contributes to efforts that advance the university’s mission, reputation, and impact.
Other Duties: Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- An earned doctoral degree is required in a relevant field such as psychiatry (MD/DO), psychology (PhD or PsyD), social work (PhD or DSW), counseling, behavioral health, public health, education, or a closely related discipline.
- Candidates must demonstrate significant experience in graduate or professional education, academic leadership, curriculum development, or program administration.
- A minimum of five years of experience in higher education teaching, training, or leadership is required. Candidates must demonstrate a strong commitment to inclusive excellence, interprofessional collaboration, student success, and workforce development.
- Experience working across disciplines including psychiatry, psychology, social work, counseling, nursing, or allied health fields is required.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Clinical licensure or certification in a mental or behavioral health profession
- Experience directing or coordinating graduate or professional education programs
- Demonstrated success in accreditation, regulatory compliance, and continuous quality improvement
- A record of educational scholarship, curriculum innovation, or program development; and experience building community-based training partnerships.
Physical Requirements: Must be able to utilize a computer, phone, audiovisual equipment, and other standard office technologies.
Department Specific Information: Join Northeast Ohio Medical University’s (NEOMED) College of Graduate Studies NEOMED is a mission-driven, community-based medical university committed to educating health professionals, advancing discovery, and improving the health of our region. We are seeking an Program Director, Master of Science in Mental Health Practice, who wants to contribute to meaningful work in a collaborative academic environment.
At our organization, we are committed to fostering a collaborative and team-oriented environment that is essential to fulfilling our mission. We believe every employee should feel appreciated, valued, and empowered. To maintain a supportive organizational culture, we seek individuals whose values align with our mission and who thrive in a team-based approach. We encourage individuals whose values align with this collaborative approach to apply.
Benefits & Perks
NEOMED is committed to supporting your health, well-being, and long-term success—both at work and beyond. Our comprehensive benefits package is designed to help you thrive.
Healthcare Coverage
Competitive medical, dental, and vision insurance through Medical Mutual
Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA)
Short-and long-term disability coverage, Long-term care coverage options, and Life insurance
Retirement
State retirement plan with 14% employer matching to help you plan for the future
Paid Time Off
Generous vacation and sick leave, in addition to 11 paid holidays each year
Additional Benefits
Hybrid work environment (up to two remote days per week after six months) (Policy#3349-7-151)
Educational benefits with our partner universities (Policy#3349-07-45)
Ongoing investment in your professional growth through on-site training and Lean Six Sigma certification
Employee wellness activities and initiatives that support a healthy work-life balance
To apply, visit https://neomed.peopleadmin.com/postings/6334
NEOMED is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to qualified applicants without discrimination on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, status as a parent during pregnancy and immediately after the birth of a child, status as a parent of a young child, status as a foster parent, veteran status or any other category protected by applicable state or federal law. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, NEOMED also affirms its commitment to nondiscrimination in its employment policies and practices. In compliance with Title IX (20 U.S.C Sec. 1681 et seq.), NEOMED prohibits sex discrimination, including sexual harassment.
