Wellness Center Director

Job description / Role

Why the American University of Iraq—Baghdad?

Opening its doors in January 2021, the new American University of Iraq—Baghdad (AUIB) began as a dream of influential individuals in Iraqi and United States business, industry and government who wanted to see a world-class institution of higher learning established in the city, reminiscent of the days when Baghdad was an educational mecca and the flourishing capital of the Muslim world.  With a great library, palatial college buildings and student centers, state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories, and athletic facilities, AUIB will be a beautiful campus, attracting students, faculty, and staff from throughout the world.  We invite you to join us in this exciting new venture.

This position will report directly to the Vice President, Student Affairs and Enrollment Services.

General Description:
• The Director of the Wellness Center provides supervision, guidance, and leadership to the Wellness Center, which provides counseling services and programming designed to help the AUIB learning community improve their emotional wellbeing and develop the personal skills needed for successful university life.
• Services include crisis intervention, problem-solving, evidence-based psychotherapy and mental health counseling, psychological assessment, psychiatric referrals, and education and prevention programs.
• As the Wellness Center is planned to begin operations this spring 2023 semester, the Director will be instrumental in the initial setup and provision of services.
• The Wellness Center will initially have a primary focus on the offering of counseling and psychological services but will also offer student accessibility services as well as act as a campus safety center where students will be able to report their concerns, seek emergency help, or go for crisis intervention.
• Strategic Goals
• Ensure that the wellbeing of the AUIB learning community is taken care of in a well-defined, well-executed strategy.
• The Director of the Wellness Center supports the mission, goals, and objectives of the AUIB.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
• Directing and having overall responsibility for all program areas and functions of the AUIB Wellness Center, including clinical services (intake, individual, group, and emergency/crisis counseling, and individual assessment), outreach and consultation services, student accessibility services, training, and fiscal and administrative duties.
• Maintaining an active caseload of weekly counseling clients (students).
• Providing an ongoing program of personal, substance use, psychological, crisis intervention, and other types of counseling services to the students.
• Accepting referrals from staff and faculty for students suspected of experiencing emotional, psychological, or personal difficulties.
• Collaborating with faculty, staff, and/or university offices (HR and line managers) to support employee wellbeing.
• Developing policy and procedures regarding student accessibility and ensuring that the required services are available to provide academic accommodation and support for students with physical, mental, psychological, or other challenges.
• Establishing the Wellness Center as an area where students will be able to report their concerns, seek emergency help, or go for crisis intervention.
• Providing input for professional staff development programs for the Departments of Student Life and Student Services and other university divisions or departments.
• Designing and coordinating programs for residence halls and first-year experience classes on relevant topics as needed. Topics may include substance abuse, sexuality, relationships, depression, and stress management.
• Providing basic instruction in the practice of counseling to undergraduate psychology students who are earning observation/practicum hours, as requested by Psychology Department faculty.
• Designing and coordinating programs for faculty and staff on identifying and dealing with students struggling with substance abuse, depression, hostility, family problems, etc.
• Coordinating care for students who are receiving mental health treatment off-campus.
• Designing and conducting special interest counseling groups as needed, focusing on the mental health needs of the student population (e.g., substance use, relationship issues, sexual assault, academic pressures, etc.).
• Providing programs and resources in support of AUIB-wide wellbeing initiatives.
• Developing and managing the budget for the Wellness Center.
• Implementing a system for preparing and maintaining treatment records, reports, and other required documentation while ensuring the confidentiality of all student information.
• Fulfilling other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Qualifications:
• This position has a 12-month work schedule.
• The position requires, at a minimum, a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling or equivalent (Ph.D. or PsyD in psychology/social work/counseling/marriage and family preferred), full licensure by the relevant licensing authority for psychotherapy and counseling services, and no less than 10 years of counseling experience.
• Additional licensure in clinical addiction counseling is preferred.
• Evidence of the ability to work effectively and collegially in cross-functional teams
• Evidence of ability to participate in planning and participating in cross-functional collaboration regarding holistic student wellbeing.
• Evidence of strategic thinking and leadership.
• The ability to speak and work in Arabic is considered an advantage.

About the Company

AUIB is an American-style, nonprofit university located next to the Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad. This large-scale, multi-million dollar project is funded by Iraqi and U.S. donors, both public and private. The university opens for students on Jan. 17, 2021, with the College of Arts & Sciences, College of International Studies, and the College of Business. Eventually, there will be 10 colleges at the university, including a College of Medicine.