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Shelby County
Memphis, Tennessee

Counselor A - Programs (Corrections)

CounselorIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, call expectations and time off.

Posted 7mo ago

Job Description

Position Summary

Develop and implement counseling programs to supervise the work of assigned counselors and to counsel individual groups.

Pay Grade: 45

Salary Commensurate with Experience and Education

Minimum Qualifications

  • Two (2) years’ experience as a counselor or social worker in a criminal justice/institutional setting, or in a program management and/or program development setting; AND
  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in social science, psychology, sociology, counseling, social work, criminal justice or a closely related area; OR
  • An equivalent combination of related education, training and/or experience.
  • PROOF OF EDUCATION, TRAINING AND/OR EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Lectures, facilitates counseling groups and monitors counseling sessions.
  • Works with various related agencies and exchanges information as required.
  • Directs trains and evaluates counselor effectiveness.
  • Reviews and discuss data related to counselor effectiveness.
  • Organizes and leads group discussion to accommodate group needs.
  • Develops and maintains facility’s program matrix, schedule and other activities as assigned
  • Prepares the completion of monthly, quarterly, etc. reports
  • Maintains and update all program files, forms spreadsheets, documents and reports
  • Collects and analyzes program statistical data and develops and implement changes.
  • Monitors approved curriculum-based programs
  • Makes recommendations to Administrator/Manager for improvements, modifications, and possible training
  • Assists with training facility on program development and compliance.
  • Present required data to supervisor monthly.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

KSAs

  • Ability to establish and maintain meaningful rapport with co-workers and agencies.
  • Ability to evaluate data, investigate incidents and write reports as required.
  • Ability to prepare reports, proficient in the use of Microsoft suites (Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook).
  • Ability to compose general correspondence, write and type documents for a variety of needs.
  • Ability to supervise a diverse staff and facilitate their working together as a cohesive team.
  • Ability to work under pressure in a prison environment and function professionally as a team member.
  • Ability to express ideas clearly, concisely and effectively, verbally and written.
  • Skilled in organizing work, setting priorities and monitoring details.

Special Requirements

  • Must be able to function in a prison environment.
  • Must be able to work shift evening and on weekends if required.
  • Will be required to pass drug testing and TB screening.

Disclaimer

This position description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work employees perform within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties responsibilities and qualifications required by the employee assigned to the position.

This position is subject to a background check for any convictions that have a substantial relationship to potential job duties. Only convictions that are substantially related to potential job duties will be considered and will not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Shelby County Resident Disclaimer

All employees hired after September 1, 1986, must be residents of Shelby County and shall continue to reside in the County as a condition of their employment.

The residency requirement shall not apply to certain public safety/civil service employees.

This means exemption from this policy is in effect for the following departments and positions: (1) Sheriff Deputy Patrol Officers, Deputy Jailers and Dispatchers, employed by the Sheriff Department, (2) Correction Officers employed by the Division of Corrections, (3) Firefighters, Paramedics and Dispatchers employed by the Shelby County Fire Department.

The residency exemption for public safety/civil service employees does not include Appointed positions with Sheriff’s Office, Division of Corrections or the Fire Department.

Key Responsibilities

The role involves developing and implementing counseling programs, supervising assigned counselors, and facilitating individual and group counseling sessions within a corrections setting. Responsibilities also include directing, training, and evaluating counselor effectiveness while maintaining program documentation and analyzing statistical data.

Requirements

Candidates must possess a Bachelor's degree in a relevant social science field or an equivalent combination of education and experience, along with a minimum of two years of experience as a counselor or social worker in a criminal justice or institutional setting. Successful applicants must be able to function professionally in a prison environment, potentially work evenings and weekends, and pass required screenings.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Staff SupervisionData EvaluationReport WritingMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft OutlookCorrespondence CompositionTeam FacilitationWorking Under PressurePrioritizationDetail Monitoring

Correctional Counseling — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 26% are remote, 48% have no call, 66% require no weekends.

Counselor pay on WeekdayDoc is up 2.5% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Counselor by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Cost of livingTennessee index 91.9US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Counselor listings in Tennessee287 active13,670 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 26% remote · 48% no call · 66% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Counselor pay trend+2.5% vs prior quarter—through Sep 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Location & Logistics

Tennessee has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states.

Top Counselor Jobs

33 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution27 jobs · 22 employers

9
<$65k
8
$65k-80k
4
$80k-95k
3
$95k-110k
3
$110k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks27 jobs · 22 employers

401k / retirement match
96% this job
CME allowance
44%
Sign-on bonus
22%
Loan repayment
7%
PSLF eligible
4% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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+ 31 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Counseling listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 13,634 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes weekends
Shelby County logo

About Shelby County

Government Administration
Memphis, Tennessee
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Government employment
Pension
PSLF eligible

Living in Memphis

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$142k
Typical market rent
$1,232/mo
Residents’ average commute
21 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
92.2
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.