Director of Admissions & Legal Operations

For over 30 years, Gersh Autism has empowered students on the autism spectrum to reach their full potential. Serving individuals aged 5-21 across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, our network of K-12 schools provides personalized education tailored to each student’s unique learning style. We offer comprehensive therapeutic services—speech, physical, occupational therapy, and more—along with vocational training for older students. Our dedicated team collaborates with families to ensure academic, social, and emotional growth, preparing students for success beyond the classroom.

At Gersh Autism, we are committed to helping individuals on the autism spectrum lead fulfilling, independent lives.

The Director of Admissions & Legal Operations is a strategic and relational leader responsible for overseeing Gersh Academy’s legal advocacy operations function while driving growth. This dual-role position ensures the organization is well-positioned in both the legal and referral ecosystems—maintaining strong external partnerships with advocates and professionals, while ensuring operational excellence in contract, documentation management, and Admissions Software Management. The role reports directly to the Executive Vice President of Admissions and plays a critical role in supporting the mission of placing students in the least restrictive and most supportive educational environment. 

Key Responsibilities 

Legal & Advocacy Oversight 

• Ensure the strength and viability of each placement case by coordinating thorough internal case review and documentation prior to impartial hearings or district engagement. 

• Maintain and nurture strong relationships with external advocacy attorneys, ensuring Gersh remains a preferred placement referral for complex special education cases. 

• Oversee the intake and collection of all required legal and clinical documentation necessary to initiate and sustain student placement. 

• Supervise contract execution and documentation processes related to each student’s placement, ensuring timely and compliant file completion. 

• Partner with admissions and operations staff to streamline workflows that support legal onboarding and contract readiness. 

• Oversee the accuracy and completeness of student records in Finalsite CRM, including timely upload of all remaining documents and ongoing data validation to support compliant and efficient admissions processing. 

• Monitor case timelines and proactively follow up with attorneys, families, and internal teams to ensure timely submission of documentation and to accelerate case closure and enrollment decisions 

Admissions Growth & Partnerships 

• Identify and cultivate new and existing referral sources, including developmental pediatricians, neuropsychologists, advocates, attorneys, and independent evaluators. 

• Develop and maintain strong, ongoing relationships with public school districts and special education directors to position Gersh Academy as a trusted out-of-district placement partner. 

• Represent Gersh Academy at professional events, conferences, and within key networks in the special education legal and clinical communities. 

• Work closely with the marketing and admissions teams to coordinate messaging and outreach strategies for various referral segments. 

Leadership & Collaboration 

• Report regularly to the Senior EVP of Admissions on legal trends, referral activity, pipeline development, and case quality. 

• Provide support and training to internal teams delivered by our attorneys regarding special education law, impartial hearing readiness, and document preparation. 

• Collaborate with education, clinical, and administrative leaders to ensure a seamless experience for families during the admissions and legal advocacy process. 

• Oversee the collaboration of the placement of the student with the local school campus leaders.  

Qualifications 

• Advanced degree in business, public policy, or special education preferred; significant experience in operations, special education advocacy or law required. 

• Minimum of 7 years' experience working within operations, the special education legal system, advocacy space, or within a non-public placement environment. 

• Deep knowledge of IDEA, FAPE, IEP processes, impartial hearings, and CSE meetings. 

• Demonstrated success in building referral relationships with attorneys, districts, or evaluators. 

• Highly organized with strong follow-through on documentation, contract workflows, and compliance. 

• Proven process improvement in operations. 

• Willingness and ability to travel regularly for meetings, events, and outreach opportunities. 

• Prior work in a special education school or therapeutic setting. 

 Location: New York or Remote (with regular travel) 

Benefits 

Gersh Autism offers a competitive compensation package, including comprehensive health and retirement benefits, professional development opportunities, and a supportive work environment committed to your personal and professional growth.  

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision) 
• Retirement Plan (401k matching) 
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D) 
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity) 
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability 
• Training & Development 

The pay range for this role is $90,000-$120,000, which includes KRA bonus

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