Director of Children's Residential Services

Are you a visionary leader who believes every child deserves a safe, supportive, and enriching home environment where they can thrive?

Do you have the experience, leadership skills, and passion needed to guide a dedicated team committed to helping children with autism achieve meaningful outcomes and enhanced quality of life?

Are you ready to lead a residential program where your influence can shape services, develop future leaders, and create lasting impact for children, families, and staff?

As Director of Children's Residential Services at Anderson Center for Autism, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for our Children's Residential Program. Responsible for the successful day-to-day operation of the program and oversight of all residential employees, you will help create and sustain a high-quality residential environment where children with autism can thrive. Through strong leadership, staff development, quality assurance, family engagement, and continuous program improvement, you will help ensure exceptional quality-of-life outcomes for the individuals we serve.

This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced residential leader who enjoys building strong teams, developing innovative programs, ensuring regulatory excellence, and fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. As a member of Anderson's leadership team, you will have the opportunity to help shape the future of children's residential services while advancing our mission to optimize the quality of life of individuals with autism.

What You Will Do As Director Of Children's Residential Services

• You will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for all Children's Residential Services programs, staff, and residential environments.
• You will lead the ongoing evaluation, development, and improvement of residential programs and systems to ensure high-quality service delivery.
• You will ensure quality-of-life goals, learning outcomes, and individualized supports are effectively developed, implemented, monitored, and refined.
• You will oversee staff training, annual assessments, professional development activities, and documentation systems to promote competency and compliance.
• You will establish and maintain consistent supervision and management practices that foster accountability, engagement, and operational excellence.
• You will create and maintain safe, supportive, and enriching residential environments that promote positive outcomes for children with autism.
• You will provide leadership and support to managers and supervisors while fostering a culture of teamwork, respect, and continuous learning.
• You will collaborate closely with educational, clinical, and residential teams to ensure coordinated, person-centered services.
• You will build and maintain positive working relationships with families through proactive communication, partnership, and problem-solving.
• You will directly supervise the Assistant Director of Children's Residential Services through coaching, performance management, mentorship, and professional development.
• You will monitor program effectiveness and use data, feedback, and quality indicators to guide decision-making and drive continuous improvement.
• You will ensure compliance with agency policies, regulatory requirements, and quality standards while promoting best practices in residential services.

What You Can Bring to the Team

• A passion for supporting children with autism and helping them achieve meaningful quality-of-life outcomes.
• Strong leadership skills and the ability to inspire, mentor, and develop high-performing teams.
• A commitment to person-centered services, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Strategic thinking and the ability to balance long-term planning with day-to-day operational responsibilities.
• Strong problem-solving, organizational, and decision-making abilities.
• A collaborative leadership style that promotes accountability, innovation, and teamwork.
• Alignment with Anderson's mission, values, and Quality of Life philosophy.

The Qualifications We Seek

• Master's Degree in Human Services required.
• Experience with Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) required.
• BCBA certification preferred.
• Minimum of five years of management or leadership experience within a children's residential program required.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams, developing staff, and managing complex residential operations.
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and program management skills.

In Addition, We Expect That You

• Complete all required agency training and professional development activities.
• Maintain a visible leadership presence throughout the program.
• Promote a culture of accountability, professionalism, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Support effective communication and interdisciplinary teamwork across departments.
• Ensure compliance with all agency policies, procedures, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Model ethical leadership, sound judgment, and professionalism in all interactions.
• Champion Anderson's commitment to quality-of-life outcomes for the individuals we serve.

Anderson's QUALITY OF LIFE Expectation:
To actively support Anderson's mission by promoting and enhancing the quality of life (QofL) of the individuals we serve through thoughtful, comprehensive, and person-centered practices.

A Benefits Package Designed to Optimize YOUR Quality of Life Too:

• Up to 6 weeks of paid time off (starting in your first year!)
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer match and annual contribution
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans
• Relocation Assistance Available
  • Assistance with relocation expenses may be offered based on experience, qualifications, and relocation needs.
• Wellness program
• Ongoing professional development
• Discounted tuition at select colleges/universities
• Scholarship program for those seeking educational experiences aligned with the role (*restrictions apply)
• Invitations to staff appreciation events and experiences

And much, much more!
To get a better understanding of the benefits that will be available to you, visit andersoncenterforautism.org/benefit.

Pay Range: $110,00.00 - $130,000.00 annually; based on experience, education, and relevant certifications.

Ready to Bring Your Purpose to Life?
A bright future for you begins here at Anderson Center for Autism.

Open the door to a rewarding career with advancement opportunities; expand possibilities for yourself AND for individuals with autism, their families, your colleagues, our cause, and society as a whole!

Apply today. You'll contribute to a meaningful mission, now and for years to come!

Life as Part of our Anderson Center for Autism Team
If you are looking to build a career that brings you a deep sense of purpose and a high quality of life, Anderson Center for Autism might be just the landing place you've envisioned.

Here you will enjoy a supportive, friendly work environment that values your ideas and insights, provides rewarding mentorship experiences, and opens doors to new professional opportunities that can transform your journey.

And by working at Anderson, you will be part of a movement so much bigger than all of us. Founded over 100 years ago (in 1924), our award-winning, evidence-based educational, vocational, residential, clinical, and consulting/training programs have successfully optimized the quality of life for individuals with autism for decades now. In addition, we work every day to cultivate a broader culture of acceptance in society, further adding to the legacy of compassion for which we have come to be known throughout the country and around the world.

In addition to a rewarding career experience, as part of our team you'll also enjoy competitive pay, a generous retirement plan (including employer match and annual contribution), abundant vacation time, robust benefits, ongoing opportunities for learning and advancement, wellness programs, staff appreciation events, and a chance to work alongside wonderful professionals in a positive environment.

Our Mission at Anderson Center for Autism: To optimize the quality of life for individuals with autism.

Keyword Search: Director of Children's Residential Services, Residential Leadership, Autism Services, Human Services Leadership, Applied Behavior Analysis, ABA, Residential Program Director, Children's Services, Developmental Disabilities, Residential Operations, BCBA, Program Management, Executive Leadership, Hudson Valley Jobs, Anderson Center for Autism
 

This position description in no way states or implies that the responsibilities listed are the only duties to be performed by the person filling this position. The person in the position may be required to perform other duties as necessitated by the situation or requested by his/her supervisor.

Our organization is committed to providing a diverse workforce by ensuring that discrimination barriers to equal employment opportunity and upward mobility do not exist here. Equal opportunity means employment, development, and promotion of individuals without consideration of race, color, disability, religion, age, gender, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran status, citizenship or immigration status, unless there is a bona fide occupational requirement which excludes a person in one of these protected groups. Our organization is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

EOE