Senior Director of Professional Training and Readiness

Note: APA operates on a 37.5-hour work week with one-hour lunch breaks each day. APA sets salaries based on several considerations, including years of relevant experience, level of education, and previous staff and/or governance experience at APA.

The Senior Director of Professional Training and Readiness leads and helps shape APA’s portfolio focused on preparing individuals for entry into and effective practice within the psychology profession. The role advances pathway programs, supervised training quality, postdoctoral and early-career support, and practice-focused resources that strengthen readiness across psychology roles and sectors. This role represents education and is part of the Psychology Team. The Psychology Team is APA’s in-house source of disciplinary expertise. It advances, communicates, and applies psychological science to benefit society and improve lives, while helping to strengthen a more unified, coordinated field of psychology in service of the human condition.

Education and Experience: 

• Doctoral degree in health service psychology required, a background in neuropsychology is preferred.
• Mid-career scholar with a minimum of 12-15 years postdoctoral experience. At least five years’ experience in psychology education, training, or professional preparation.
• Experience serving as a program director within health service psychology.
• Management skills including strategic planning, fiscal, administrative, and personnel management
• Demonstrated leadership skills and public speaking skills
• Evidence of national recognition and reputation within psychology education, training, supervised practice, or professional readiness communities
• Strong statistical and data analysis skills, with the ability to interpret and use data to inform strategy, program development, and decision-making
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; excellent interpersonal skills; excellent policy analysis skills

Computer Skills Required:

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft office, email programs, and virtual meetings.
• Openness to using AI tools to support work efficiently and thoughtfully is preferred. 

Responsibilities:

1. Provides leadership and oversight of APA’s professional training and readiness portfolio, with a focus on preparing individuals for entry into and effective functioning within the psychology profession across roles and sectors.
   1. Designs and helps shape the vision, scope, and priorities of the portfolio, including identifying what programs, partnerships, and supports are needed to advance professional training and readiness. Leads programs and projects that strengthen pathway programs to and through graduate education, bridge-to-career programs, applied and practice readiness, postdoctoral experience and support, and preparation for careers in health, education, industry, policy, and research translation.
2. Represents education in psychology in policy and program development venues (meetings, conferences, workshops, ) and to other professionals consistent with APA activities and policies (e.g., other education organizations, higher education organizations, federal agency personnel, members of Congress). Prepares presentations, comments and reports.
3. Curates and disseminates information about promising practices and national trends in professional training and readiness, including pathway programs to and through graduate education, bridge-to-career programs, supervised training quality, practice and internship alignment, postdoctoral programs and support, competency frameworks, workforce entry, and early-career transitions. Translates research into practice and develops practice-focused resources, guidance, and tools that help programs, trainees, postdoctoral fellows, and early-career psychologists apply psychology effectively in real-world contexts.
4. Serves as APA’s lead contact and liaison to key groups connected to professional training, supervised education and training, postdoctoral programs and support, and early-career development, including graduate students, postdoctoral trainees, early-career psychologists, and assigned training associations.
5. Serves as the doctoral consultant to APA governance groups, including the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) and the Committee on Early Career Psychologists (CECP), providing subject matter expertise and staff support related to doctoral education, training, and professional readiness.
6. Lead or serve on teams convened in support of advancing APA’s strategic priorities for education.
7. Responsible for administrative tasks, personnel management, and development, management, and monitoring of the portfolio budget.
8. Other Duties as Assigned: To be determined by supervisor

About APA:

The American Psychological Association (APA) represents 146,000 psychologists, students, and affiliates, primarily in the U.S. and Canada but also in other countries around the world. APA is a scientific and professional organization with about 500 employees and is categorized as a 501(c)(3) along with its 501(c)(6) companion organization, APA Services, Inc.

APA offers a generous employee benefits program, including Remote Work/Flexible Scheduling; a 401(k) option with employer match of up to 4%; medical, dental, and vision insurance options and an outpatient mental health benefit; paid personal/vacation time plus 12 paid holidays; Family/Medical Leave; tuition assistance; an Employee Assistance Program (EAP); short- and long-term disability insurance; and more. 

Job Location: Remote: APA jobs may be considered for remote work eligibility as defined in APA’s Flexible Work Policy and are subject to approval. Remote work employees may not work from the following states or U.S. territories: Alaska, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington, Wyoming.

Application Instructions:

Qualified candidates must apply online through APA’s applicant system and attach a resume and cover letter specifying your salary expectations. Applications that are submitted without both documents are considered incomplete and will not be reviewed for consideration. Once your application is submitted, you will receive a confirmation email. Please make sure to check your Spam folder if you do not receive an email from us.

The American Psychological Association is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected categories covered under local law. #LIRemote