Behavior Services Program Manager

About the role

The is entrusted with leading the Behavior Team, a critical unit composed of seven dedicated Behavior Specialists who work directly with students navigating complex behavioral needs. This role demands ownership of the end-to-end lifecycle of behavior services, from initial intake through ongoing review, ensuring that every action aligns with the broader goals of student growth and safety. The hire will serve as the primary architect of structured protocols that translate high-level clinical guidance into tangible, daily actions within the classroom environment. Success in this position requires a unique blend of calm navigation through active constraints and the ability to balance nuanced clinical insight with practical, real-world implementation. A core part of this role involves forging durable partnerships with families, educators, and specialists to create a cohesive and supportive network for every student. The manager will champion culturally responsive practices that affirm student identity within trauma-informed frameworks, ensuring that services are both effective and respectful. Ultimately, this position will guide reflective practice among specialists, strengthening skills, reducing burnout risk, and maintaining unwavering adherence to program standards to fulfill the organization's ethical obligations.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Architect and refine intake pathways for behavior support that meticulously align with the individual needs of each student and the specific context of their family.
• Establish and maintain structured protocols that ensure clinical guidance is seamlessly translated into actionable steps for daily use by educators.
• Conduct systematic reviews of case progress, meticulously documenting patterns and trends to drive continuous refinement of support strategies over time.
• Coordinate the timely delivery of services across all school sites to guarantee unwavering consistency in support for every student.
• Forge and nurture durable partnerships with families, educators, and external specialists to build a robust and enduring support network for student success.
• Champion culturally responsive practices that actively affirm the identity of each student within comprehensive, trauma-informed frameworks.
• Guide Behavior Specialists through structured reflective practice to strengthen their professional skills and proactively mitigate the risk of burnout.
• Monitor implementation fidelity with precision to ensure strict adherence to program standards and to fulfill all ethical obligations to students and their families.
• Analyze complex behavioral data to identify root causes and develop targeted interventions that address the specific needs of the school community.
• Serve as a central hub for communication, clearly articulating the rationale behind behavioral strategies to diverse stakeholders with clarity and empathy.
• Develop training modules that equip educators with practical tools to manage challenging behaviors effectively in real-time classroom settings.
• Oversee the documentation process to ensure that all records are thorough, accurate, and useful for informing future support decisions.
• Collaborate with the Special Education Department to ensure that behavior services are fully integrated with broader student support systems.
• Lead problem-solving sessions to navigate active constraints and remove barriers that prevent students from accessing the support they need.

Requirements

• Hold three to five years of cumulative experience in behavior services or closely related fields within educational or clinical settings.
• Demonstrate a deep knowledge of mental health supports within school environments and a clear understanding of legal compliance matters that govern these services.
• Exhibit strong skill in organizing complex information and synthesizing it into clear, accessible communication for a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Show an unwavering commitment to anti-racist work and trauma-informed approaches that guide every decision made in the role.
• Maintain a dedication to educational equity that drives concrete action and measurable outcomes rather than mere rhetoric or discussion.
• Thrive in a dynamic environment where flexibility and resilience are necessary to respond effectively to evolving student needs.
• Possess the ability to work independently with minimal supervision while still contributing effectively to a collaborative team structure.
• Pass a thorough background check and meet all health and safety requirements necessary for working in a school setting with minors.

Nice to have

• Experience collaborating with special education teams and mental health managers in schools is explicitly valued by the department.
• Familiarity with school-based mental health structures, including the distinct roles of School Counselors, LCSWs, MSWs, School Psychologists, Behavior Specialists, and Mental Health Managers, is considered beneficial.
• Understanding of specific behavior intervention plans, data collection methodologies, and progress monitoring techniques is viewed as an asset for this position.
• Experience supporting students with diverse learning needs and those who have experienced significant trauma is preferred.