Director of PATH Services

UNC-Chapel Hill's Prevention, Advocacy, Therapy, & Harm Reduction (PATH) program serves as a vital co-curricular and Student Success partner in supporting students and the broader campus community regarding substance use education and prevention, risk awareness and mitigation, confidential therapeutic services and case management, and a robust collegiate recovery program. Through partnerships with other campus departments, community agencies, student organizations, and peer mentors, we use evidence-based public health and social work strategies to foster an environment that creates, emphasizes, and supports healthy choices and positive decision-making. We utilize a whole-person, student-centered, non-judgmental, and supportive approach, and are seeking experienced professionals to join our interdisciplinary team.

PATH Prevention, Advocacy, Therapeutic Support & Harm Reduction is UNC Chapel Hill's comprehensive substance use services program within the Division of Student Affairs/Student Success, delivering an integrated continuum of care spanning population-level prevention, evidence-based clinical interventions, referrals and case management, risk mitigation and harm reduction strategies, and collegiate recovery support to UNC-Chapel Hill's more than 32,000 students.

Reporting to the Executive Director of Health and Wellbeing, the Director of PATH Services provides strategic leadership, administrative oversight, and operational direction for the University's comprehensive substance use prevention, intervention, and recovery program. This position establishes PATH's strategic plan, goals, measurable objectives, and evaluation framework; directly supervises four professional staff (an Administrative Assistant, a Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist, a Prevention & Harm Reduction Coordinator, and a Recovery Programs Coordinator); manages the program budget across multiple fund sources (state allocation, student fees, grants, and philanthropy); and serves as the University's principal subject matter expert, internal consultant, and external voice on substance use health, policy, and student welfare.

The Director holds clinical credibility sufficient to provide meaningful oversight of PATH's clinical services including SBIRT, brief motivational intervention, clinical substance use counseling, warm-handoff referral, and re-entry case management while operating as a public health systems leader who works upstream to shift campus culture and downstream to support individual students. The Director builds and sustains relationships across a wide range of constituencies, including students in recovery, residence life and Greek life, staff, parents, campus health and counseling partners, senior University leadership, and community coalition partners, adjusting register and approach for each.

Standard work schedule Monday through Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm, with regular on-campus presence expected for student accessibility, staff supervision, and partner engagement. Occasional evening and weekend availability required, particularly during high-risk campus periods (orientation, move-in, homecoming, major athletic events, spring break, finals). Some regional and national travel expected for professional conferences and coalition participation.

This is the inaugural leadership role for PATH, which is newly established and aspires to become a national model among public flagship universities. The Director is responsible for naming, branding, and institutionally anchoring the program.

Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree required (or foreign degree equivalent); for candidates demonstrating comparable independent educational or instructional activities associated with the delivery and/or management of student support functions, will accept a relevant Bachelor's degree (or foreign degree equivalent) and at least 1 year of relevant experience in substitution.

Progressively responsible post-master's experience in substance use prevention, intervention, and recovery supports. Demonstrated supervisory or management experience, including hiring, training, evaluating, and supporting professional staff. Demonstrated experience working in or closely with higher education settings at the four-year or graduate level, with understanding of college student development and campus culture. Demonstrated experience with collegiate recovery programming and working knowledge of ARHE standards. Demonstrated experience with program development, implementation, and assessment, including designing evaluation strategies and using data to improve programming. Demonstrated experience managing departmental or program budgets from multiple fund sources, including grants, student fees, and/or state allocations. Demonstrated knowledge of clinical/sub-clinical concepts, compliance, and processes related to substance use services, with the ability to support clinical staff.

Working knowledge of evidence-based prevention frameworks (SAMHSA Strategic Prevention Framework, NIAAA CollegeAIM, socio-ecological model). Clinical fluency across the substance use disorder spectrum, including current knowledge of fentanyl contamination risk and opioid overdose response. Understanding of federal and North Carolina legal frameworks governing substance use services in higher education, including FERPA, HIPAA, DFSCA, the NC Good Samaritan/Overdose Prevention Act, and ADA/Section 504 as applied to students in recovery. Must complete FERPA and HIPAA compliance training within 30 days of hire and maintain annual compliance. Responsible for handling sensitive and confidential student health information, requiring discretion and compliance with applicable privacy laws, including 42 CFR.

Knowledge of CAS, NASPA, ACHA, and ARHE standards as applied frameworks for program quality. Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills with demonstrated cultural competence. Demonstrated commitment to equity, cultural humility, and trauma-informed service delivery. Demonstrated ability to build and sustain relationships with diverse stakeholders and to communicate data findings accessibly to non-technical audiences.

• Doctoral degree (DrPH, PhD, EdD, or DSW) in public health, health education, counseling, social work, higher education, or a related behavioral health field.
• Experience at a Research 1 (R1) or doctoral flagship public university or comparable large, complex institution.
• Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) or Certified in Public Health (CPH) designation, in addition to clinical licensure.
• Demonstrated experience managing federal or state grants (SAMHSA, HRSA, or state opioid settlement-funded programs), including grant writing, compliance monitoring, and reporting.
• Experience designing, implementing, and coordinating campus or community coalitions or collective impact initiatives, or working as a primary partner within one.
  
  Published or presented program evaluation findings, research, or policy work at peer-reviewed venues or national professional conferences (NASPA, ACHA, ARHE, CADCA, or equivalent).
• Familiarity with NC statewide behavioral health infrastructure, the NC Division of Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services, and the Orange County/Chapel Hill treatment provider landscape.
• Experience in fundraising, donor stewardship, or development, including writing donor proposals and engaging individual donors and foundations.
• Demonstrated leadership in the field at state or national levels: committee service, association leadership, or peer mentorship of emerging professionals.
• If professional licensure applies to your training, your standing must be current, or expected within 6 months of hire: Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist (LCAS) in North Carolina, or LCAS-Associate with an approved supervision plan and documented pathway to full licensure. Equivalent out-of-state clinical licensure (LCSW, LPC, LMFT, LADC, or equivalent) with demonstrated addictions specialization accepted, with NC licensure or endorsement expected within 12 months of hire.

Primarily sedentary office work involving continuous sitting, talking, hearing, and computer use, with frequent standing, movement across campus, and facilitation of in-person programming. Occasional physical activity associated with community events and outreach tabling. Ability to move up to 25 lbs. with or without accommodation.

Role regularly involves exposure to emotionally challenging content (student disclosures of trauma, addiction, crisis, grief, and loss); candidates are expected to maintain a sustainable professional practice including peer consultation and clinical supervision where applicable.

This position is designated as a Campus Security Authority in accordance with the Clery Act. This position will be required to report Clery crimes to the Clery Compliance Manager and complete annual training about reporting responsibilities.

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (919) 843-2300 or send an email to employment@unc.edu
Please note: The Office of Human Resources will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.