USC Internship – Employee Assistance Professional

The University of Southern California (USC) is one of the world’s leading private research universities. An anchor institution in Los Angeles, a global center for arts, technology, and international business, USC is also one of the largest private employers in the City of Los Angeles. We are searching for exceptional individuals to help us fulfill our mission: Developing individuals and society as a whole through the cultivation and enrichment of the human mind and spirit.

Job Summary

The

Employee Assistance Professional (EAP)

at USC provides a full range of clinical services including assessment of individual and/or departmental needs, referral, crisis intervention, mandatory employee referrals, and psycho-educational training. This role contributes to program content design and policies addressing family, personal, and work-related issues. The EAP develops and conducts training sessions for faculty and staff to increase awareness and skills in well-being, chemical dependence, stress, and other issues affecting employee morale and performance. This position sets standards and evaluates programs on an ongoing basis, including bilingual and bicultural activities. Through supportive counsel, the EAP identifies strategies and resources to help employees navigate transition and achieve success in their personal and professional lives. This role will execute USC’s vision while championing USC’s culture and values.

Minimum Qualifications

The candidate for the position of

Employee Assistance Professional (EAP)

must meet the following qualifications:

• Five or more years of experience in one or more of the following fields: post master’s in a clinical setting, human resources, or employee assistance programs.
• Practiced knowledge of psychology principles applied to human resources administration, employee engagement and program development.
• Advanced knowledge of industrial-social work, organizational psychology or counseling theories and techniques.
• Experience with employee crisis intervention, management and incident response and reporting.
• Experience with assessment and evaluation as well as clinical documentation.
• Ability to develop positive working relationships and a strong rapport with team members.
• Exceptional organizational skills, including the ability to prioritize between immediate needs and long-term objectives.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in making decisions with minimal supervision and discretion with confidential information.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills; heightened interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work strategically and collaboratively across departments.
• Excellent analytical skills and the ability to think strategically and creatively.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Must be State of California licensed mental health care professional.
• Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP) or equivalent employee assistance program experience.
• LPCC, LCSW, MFT CA state certification.

Preferred Qualifications

The ideal candidate for the position of

Employee Assistance Professional (EAP)

has the following qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Social Work, Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology, or another related field.
• Seven or more years of experience as an employee assistance professional.
• Three or more years of experience in an employee assistance program.
• Experience working in higher education or at a higher education institution.
• Experience building and shaping employee assistance programs in a complex organization.
• Developed counseling skills founded in empathy and a culturally sensitive approach.
• Experience with group consultation, mediation and problem identification and resolution.
• The ability to interpret policies and trends, conclude sound analyses and propose solutions.
• Experience in leadership and people-building roles.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and relationship-building abilities.
• HR knowledge based on a combination of theory, learning, research and hands-on experiences.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate with senior leadership.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish.
• CEAP, PCC, ICF, EAP, EAPA or other similar certifications.

Job Responsibilities

The candidate for the position of

Employee Assistance Professional (EAP)

will be responsible for:

• Possessing a broad understanding of employee assistance resources and services traditionally available through HR. Assisting in the development of community-based referral network. Organizing, coordinating and reviewing community resources, social service agencies and other psychosocial referral sources for employees. Submitting reports to government agencies as mandated by law.
• Conducting individual, couple and family assessment sessions. Providing referral, short-term, brief intervention-focused counseling and crisis intervention services as appropriate. Developing and conducting workshops, seminars, and related activities appropriate for USC faculty and staff. Planning and implementing outreach activities and promotional campaigns for University employees.
• Managing a high-quality delivery of services to targeted program participants or beneficiaries. Determining ideal evaluation methodology and establishes appropriate clinical techniques. Reviewing and evaluating client progress and establishing follow-up contact.
• Communicating program priorities and performance standards and assessing operations using relevant, participant criteria. Consulting with department administrators regarding problems presented by staff or faculty related to psychosocial factors such as chemical dependence, job related stress and interpersonal relations with co-workers, subordinates and supervisors. Leading clients to development of strategies for conflict resolution. Cultivating positive working relationships with HR stakeholders to facilitate programming. Promoting the services offered by the center.
• Assisting in development of prevention, intervention, referral, and outreach services. Assisting in the design of courses and leading subsequent training sessions with University administrators regarding chemical dependence, stress, crisis, and referral procedures. Conducting staff development activities. Supervising graduate student interns and creating a plan to utilize their experience to benefit the center. Driving continuous improvement by leveraging new or changing practices, strategies, offerings, and trainings. Facilitating innovation by maintaining currency with mental health knowledge including new frameworks, tools, and technologies.
• Planning and conducting quality assurance reviews and recommending changes as appropriate. Maintaining objectivity when diagnosing program challenges and designing rational solutions in response. Demonstrating integrity in decision-making.
• Maintaining confidential client records. Contributing to an inclusive environment by building and maintaining collaborative relationships with team members, peers, and leaders across the HR organization. Upholding the principles of the USC Code of Ethics.
• Understanding how center initiatives and programs further University departmental strategy and goals. Providing insights from counseling to influence HR’s development of employee resources. Demonstrating, through words, actions, and ideas, alignment to USC’s Strategic Plan and the HR Organization’s Strategic Plan.
• Performing other related responsibilities as requested and when necessary. The University reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

The annual base salary range for this position is $ 91,259.59 – $ 113,000.00 . When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

The University of Southern California is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Minimum Education: Master’s degree in psychology, social work, counseling or related field(s). Minimum Experience: 3 years; Marriage and family therapy (MFT), LPC, LCSW certifications from an accredited program. State of California licensed mental health care professional. Minimum Skills: Proven knowledge of psychology principles applied to human resources administration, employee engagement and program development. Experience with employee crisis intervention, management and incident response and reporting. Advanced knowledge of industrial-social work, organizational psychology or counseling theories and techniques. Experience with assessment, evaluation, and clinical documentation. Proven interpersonal skills, able to establish strong, positive working relationships and rapport with diverse groups of team members. Exceptional organizational skills, able to prioritize between immediate needs and long-term objectives. Sound decision-making skills, demonstrating integrity with minimal supervision and discretion with confidential information. Excellent written and verbal communications skills. Proficiency with Microsoft Office. Excellent analytical skills, able to think strategically and creatively.