POSITION DETAILS
Location: Chicago, IL (school-based, with travel within Chicago and surrounding suburbs)
Reports To: Executive Director
Organization Type: Nonprofit — School-Based Mental Health & Youth and Family Support Services
Employment Status: Full-time preferred; part-time arrangements will be considered for highly qualified candidates
FLSA Classification: Contract-exempt
Schedule: Evening and weekend availability required on an as-needed basis
ABOUT UNITED STAND
United Stand is a Chicago-based nonprofit dedicated to standing with underserved, misunderstood, stressed, and trauma-exposed children and their families. For more than three decades, United Stand has partnered with Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Catholic schools, and families to foster the healthy development of vulnerable youth — preparing them to become adults who positively transform society.
Through school-based counseling, therapeutic interventions, academic support, and family engagement, United Stand provides a lifeline of stability, healing, and hope for students facing significant emotional, behavioral, and environmental challenges.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Clinical Director (CD) provides leadership and oversight for all clinical programs at United Stand and serves as the primary director of the agency's practicum and internship training programs. The CD oversees United Stand's role as an ACEPT-accredited training site for doctoral and master's-level students, directly supervises primary clinical supervisors, and ensures the consistent delivery of high-quality, evidence-based services.
This role encompasses staff training and development, university and school-community partnership building, and occasional community outreach with an emphasis on mental health literacy. Candidates must hold an active independent license at the doctoral level and have a minimum of two years of post-licensure experience in Illinois — or in another state with eligibility to obtain Illinois licensure prior to the start date.
This position requires a deep commitment to trauma-informed, compassionate, and culturally responsive care for Chicago's most vulnerable youth and families.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Mission-Driven Leadership & Clinical Direction
- Champion United Stand's mission; ensure all programs, decisions, and clinical practices reflect its core values and commitment to service excellence.
- Lead the development and implementation of clinical training for agency employees, externs, and interns that strengthen knowledge and skills and expand mental health services to Catholic and private Chicago-area schools.
- Promote trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and developmentally appropriate practices across all programs.
- Foster a collaborative, compassionate, and accountable organizational culture.
2. Program Oversight & Clinical Quality
- Oversee the delivery of school-based counseling, therapeutic services, academic support, and family engagement programs.
- Ensure all clinical and educational services meet applicable professional, ethical, and regulatory standards.
- Maintain current knowledge of legal, ethical, and professional standards in psychology, including best practices in the field.
- Support staff in implementing best practices in trauma-informed care, child development, and family systems.
- Use data and program evaluation tools to assess effectiveness and drive continuous improvement.
- Collaborate with primary supervisors of doctoral interns and externs to provide didactic training and monthly peer group supervision.
- Ensure all confidential client files are properly maintained and secured in accordance with applicable regulations.
- Oversee diagnostic testing resources, including the purchase and management of Q-Global (Pearson) testing materials and online scoring services; ensure all test kits and materials remain current.
3. Budget & Financial Stewardship
- Provide the Executive Director with timely input on clinical budget needs to ensure the long-term sustainability of clinical programs and training initiatives.
- Ensure financial practices related to the clinical division are transparent and compliant with nonprofit standards.
4. School, Family & Community Partnerships
- Strengthen and expand partnerships with universities, partner schools, and community organizations throughout the Chicago area.
- Serve as a public representative of United Stand, articulating its mission and impact to diverse audiences.
- Build strong, trust-based relationships with parents and caregivers, recognizing them as essential partners in youth development.
- Advocate for policies and practices that support trauma-exposed youth and their families.
5. Executive Reporting & Board Support
- Provide the Executive Director with timely and accurate reports on services delivered, populations served, grant-related activity, and program outcomes to support board-level decision-making.
6. Staff Leadership & Organizational Development
- Recruit, supervise, and support a diverse team of clinicians, educators, and administrative staff.
- Participate in the interviewing and hiring of primary supervisors, doctoral/master's-level externs and interns, and site supervisors.
- Collaborate with the Executive Director and Finance Director to sustain and grow United Stand's programs.
- Cultivate a trauma-informed, inclusive, and supportive workplace culture.
- Implement professional development opportunities, including CEU access and performance management systems, to ensure staff have the tools and training needed to serve youth and families effectively.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required
- Doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) in Clinical or Counseling Psychology from an APA-accredited program.
- Active, independent licensure as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Illinois — or current independent licensure in another state with documented eligibility to obtain Illinois licensure by the employment start date.
- Minimum of two (2) years of post-licensure experience as a licensed clinical psychologist.
- Three to five years of experience in a clinical training director or equivalent supervisory role, including substantial provision of individual therapy, crisis intervention, and case consultation.
- Demonstrated experience working with trauma-exposed youth and families, particularly in school-based settings.
- Strong working knowledge of trauma-informed care, child development, and family systems frameworks.
- Demonstrated success in grant writing and financial or programmatic oversight.
- Excellent communication, relationship-building, and public-speaking skills.
Preferred
- Completion of a pre-doctoral internship at an APA-accredited internship site.
- Familiarity with Chicago's public and Catholic school systems, neighborhoods, and community resources.
- Experience with government-funded subcontracting and compliance review processes.
- Experience leading school-based mental health or family-support programs.
- Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish, or demonstrated experience working with multilingual families and communities.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES
- Equity-Centered Leadership: Committed to identifying and addressing systemic barriers affecting youth and families.
- Strategic Vision: Able to guide long-term organizational growth while effectively managing day-to-day operations.
- Collaborative Partnership Builder: Skilled at developing and sustaining relationships with universities, schools, families, and community partners.
- Financial Stewardship: Ensures responsible, transparent, and sustainable use of organizational resources.
- Inspirational Communicator: Able to articulate United Stand's mission and impact with clarity, credibility, and passion.
- Resilience & Adaptability: Leads effectively through complexity, crisis, and organizational change.
United Stand is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
