Description
Job Title: Director of Specialized Services
Full-Time, 12 Month, Role Level 4
Reports To: Principal/Head of School
Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes
Who We Are:
YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School is a tuition-free, public charter high school, with a singular focus on supporting youth aged 17-20 who have been pushed out of traditional schools. During our 1-year alternative program, Youthbuild facilitates a warm, loving culture that uses a variety of structures to build community, such as a restorative-justice approach to discipline, weekly community meetings, and school-wide service projects. Students are empowered to attain their high school diploma and vocational certifications, while receiving unconditional support by the staff around them. At YouthBuild, we work intentionally to disrupt the cycle of poverty and support our students to achieve post-secondary success (4-year college, 2-year college, vocational training program, or liveable wage job). Visit https://www.youthbuildphilly.org/ to learn more.
The Opportunity:
The Director of Special Education reports directly to the Principal/Head of School and leads the Specialized Services Department, establishing a shared vision, strategic priorities, and consistent compliance practices across YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School’s Rise and Flex programs. The Director oversees special education staff and contracted providers, directly supervises the Flex Manager of Special Education, and coordinates staff assignments across academic classrooms, workforce development settings, and resource rooms to support inclusive learning environments and student progress. Through coaching, feedback, professional development, and collaboration with school leaders, the Director strengthens instructional practices among special education teachers, academic teachers, and workforce development instructors while promoting teamwork and continuous improvement. The Director ensures the timely implementation of IEPs, evaluations and reevaluations, related services, assistive technology, individualized programming, family engagement, and progress monitoring, including coordinating services for students receiving instruction off-site. Serving as the LEA Representative at IEP and manifestation determination meetings, the Director oversees required documentation and timelines, partners with the Director of Culture to uphold disciplinary safeguards, and serves as the school’s liaison to the Bureau of Special Education.
Who You Are:
You are/have…
- Invested in our core values - Respect, Excellence and Perseverance.
- Equity-focused and believe that all students can achieve.
- Passionate about community service and civic engagement.
- Excited to mentor students and support them throughout their time at YouthBuild and beyond.
- Collaborative and dedicated to personal and professional development.
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills.
- An instructional leader with experience developing teachers’ instructional practices through coaching, feedback and evaluation which has a direct impact on student learning.
- Demonstrated expertise in special education compliance, including IEP development and implementation, evaluations and reevaluations, mandated timelines, procedural safeguards, and discipline protections.
- Proven ability to lead special education services across multiple programs, supervise staff and contracted providers, and coordinate related services to meet students’ individualized needs.
- Strong knowledge of specially designed instruction, inclusive practices, assistive technology, and transition planning that prepares young adults for graduation, postsecondary education, employment, and independent living.
- Demonstrated ability to partner with students, families, school leaders, and external agencies to resolve concerns, remove barriers, and ensure equitable access to services.
- A successful Special Education Educator with 10 years of school based experience, of which a minimum of 5 years as a school leader, highly preferred.
- Pennsylvania Teaching Certificate in Special Education K-12, required
- Supervisor of Special Education Pennsylvania Certificate, preferred
What You’ll Do:
You will…
- Lead the Specialized Services Department by establishing and implementing a shared vision, strategic priorities, and consistent special education compliance practices across YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School’s RISE and FLEX programs.
- Oversee special education services, compliance, and contracted providers across both programs, including directly supervising the FLEX Manager of Special Education.
- Coordinate/schedule the deployment of Special-Education staff to academic classrooms, vocational settings, and supplemental resource rooms in order to optimize the learning potential for the students in those instructional spaces.
- Ensure the instructional effectiveness of the special education teaching staff through coaching and feedback as well as offering professional development opportunities for special education teachers to enhance their instructional practices and stay abreast of industry changes.
- Foster a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement within the special education department.
- Coordinate with the Directors of Academics and Workforce to professionally develop the Academic Teachers and Workforce Instructors in best practices (instructional strategies and techniques) for Special Education students in order to optimize the learning potential for the students in those instructional spaces.
- Lead all Special-Education business with the School’s Support Teams (Finance, Operations and Compliance), including matters regarding staff timesheets, incentives, etc.
- Serve as the Special-Education Team point-person for receiving staff call-outs, approving time-off, etc. and review bi-weekly timesheets submitted by the Special Education Teachers and the Behavior Specialist.
- Manage the provision of any “related services” to students, as well as extraordinary student situations, such as coordinating the delivery of Special Education services to students off-site.
- Supervise the work of the Special Education Teachers regarding IDEA compliance work, including reviewing special education documents, assessing need for assistive technologies, individual student programming, family engagement, and conducting progress monitoring, as needed.
- Serve as the LEA Representative (Chair) at IEP Meetings, including manifestation-determination meetings.
- Write permissions to evaluate/re-evaluate, obtain signatures, and initiate evaluation/reevaluation according to compliance timelines.
- Manage and coordinate testing with contracted school psychologists for evaluation/reevaluation reports and any required reevaluation assessments for related services as needed.
- Monitor special education document processing for compliance with mandated timelines.
- Coordinate with the Director of Culture to ensure that the discipline processes set forth in the Procedural Safeguards Notice (PSN), as well as in the Student Code of Conduct, with regard to Special Education students are followed.
- Serve as YB Liaison to the Bureau of Special Education Advisor and Partner with the Chief of Staff and Strategy in the preparation for the Bureau of Special Education’s Cyclical Monitoring.
- Plan, coordinate, and manage intersession programming, ensuring effective implementation, resource allocation, and alignment with student graduation goals.
- Other duties as assigned by the Head of School/Principal.
What We Offer You:
- Generous time off
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Flexible spending accounts
- 401(k) savings plan with an employer match
- Employer paid parental leave, life insurance, short-term disability and long-term disability
- Educational assistance and professional development opportunities to enhance skills and career growth
- Supportive and collaborative work environment
- Strong community support and involvement
Salary Range:
New YouthBuild Director level staff can expect a starting salary of between $90,000 - $105,000 based on years of
experience, education, and certifications, if applicable.
During the application process, applicants will have the opportunity to discuss our employee total rewards package
and additional benefits.
This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee.
All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, medical condition, veteran status, or any other basis as protected by federal, state, or local law.
