Senior Director, The Manville School

October 2024 | Boston, MA
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The Manville School at the Baker Center seeks a Senior Director to lead strategy and operations.

About The Baker Center for Children and Families

Baker Center 2024 student and teacherAn affiliate of Harvard Medical School, The Baker Center is a nationally recognized mental health organization dedicated to improving the quality of mental health care for children, families, and caregivers. Originally named Judge Baker Children’s Center, in honor of Harvey Humphrey Baker, the first judge appointed to the Boston Juvenile Court, the Center opened in 1917 and serves children and families of Greater Boston and the MetroWest region.

The Baker Center is dedicated to improving the lives of children and families by bridging the gap between science and practice to improve access to the highest quality care in community-based settings. For more than 100 years, The Baker Center has been instrumental in creating a continuum of care that supports

children’s healthy development at the policy, systems, and practice levels. Through direct programs and services, research, and professional training, The Baker Center is a preeminent voice and active resource on issues of children’s mental health.

About The Manville School

The Manville School at The Baker Center is a therapeutic day school for students in grades K-10 who experience social, emotional, behavioral, neurological, and/or learning difficulties that impacted their ability to succeed in previous school settings. Manville has been recognized as a leader among special needs day schools in the Boston area since 1957.

Baker Center 2024: studentsManville offers a comprehensive array of evidence-based services and supports that promote healthy development and educational success, including:

  • Highly-structured classrooms with an average class size of 8, and each staffed by a special education teacher, assistant teacher, and behavioral counselor
  • Innovative curriculum with highly individualized instruction, aligned with Massachusetts Common Core State Standards
  • Educational support services including reading, math, speech and language, occupational therapy, and assistive technology
  • Fully integrated clinical services, with evidence-based individual and group therapy
  • Comprehensive evaluations and a newly opened assessment classroom
  • Active caregiver support and family programs

In 2023, nearly 120 students achieved exceptional educational and personal outcomes through Manville’s integrated clinical, behavioral, and academic services. Manville has a diverse student population representing 49 communities in Massachusetts.

About the Opportunity

Reporting to the President/CEO of The Baker Center, the Senior Director of the Manville School oversees all of Manville School’s operations and, with the Manville School leadership team, provides overall leadership and sets the vision for the school. In partnership with the President/CEO and senior management team, the Senior Director develops and implements strategic goals for the Manville School and ensures that Manville School leadership and staff are working together to achieve successful outcomes. These outcomes will be consistent with the highly effective model that Manville School is known for and consistent with the overall mission of The Baker Center.

The Senior Director will work closely with the President/CEO and Director of Finance to ensure that Manville School is reaching its target census, adapting to current needs, and meeting the high standards of The Baker Center. The Senior Director will also work with the President/CEO and senior staff to identify growth and business development opportunities to expand Manville School’s impact.

Key Responsibilities

Baker Center 2024: Manville SchoolSchool Operations

  • Lead planning, development, and delivery of school-based educational, clinical, behavioral, and family engagement services in support of the mission of the Manville School.
  • Oversee all operations of the school with 8 direct reports, over 40 indirect reports, and 120 staff, including trainees/interns, administrative, front-office and kitchen staff.
  • Working with the President/CEO, establish strategic goals for school-related services, develop operating plans to meet those goals, and update and monitor implementation of the operating plans.
  • Ensure Manville School’s compliance with all requirements, laws, and regulations governing the provision of special education services.
  • Develop and maintain a balanced budget and prepare reports and other documents as required.
  • Assess and ensure that staff/personnel needs are maintained at appropriate levels and that The Baker Center’s diversity goals are met.
  • Ensure that all of The Baker Center policies are understood, practiced, and enforced.
  • Incorporate center-wide organizational goals into the program-specific goals within school-related programs and services.
  • Implement and maintain systems for defining and measuring program effectiveness, including the assessment of children’s educational, behavioral, social, and psychological functioning at intake, throughout their stay at Manville School, and after leaving the school.

Leadership

  • Serve as a member of The Baker Center senior leadership team, working with other organizational leaders, the Board of Trustees, and The Baker Center staff.
  • Work closely with department heads and managers to provide supervision and professional development in accordance with The Baker Center guidelines.
  • Integrate Manville School’s programs and services into the overall structure of The Baker Center and help develop center-wide creative, holistic approaches to working with children and their families that support their growth and development.
  • Serve as a member of The Baker Center Operations Team, IT Steering Committee, and Retirement Plan Committee
  • Identify areas for growth, expansion and new business opportunities in special education.

External Relations, Marketing, & Admissions

  • Organize and implement marketing strategies to ensure continued appropriate student referrals to maintain enrollment to meet organizational targets.
  • Represent Manville School and The Baker Center at, and maintain positive relationships with, external constituencies, including DESE, MAAPS, GBAAPS, Massachusetts Legislature, City of Boston, etc.
  • Maintain positive working relationships with referring school districts.
  • Participate in professional and community activities that serve the interests of the Manville School and The Baker Center

Key Qualifications

  • Baker Center 202410+ years of experience within a therapeutic special education setting with 5+ years in a leadership/administrative role, with responsibilities covering a wide range of program functions (budget/finance, admissions/marketing, educational and clinical service delivery).
  • Master’s degree in Education, Social Work or Psychology, or a related field, with the corresponding Massachusetts License.
  • Management/supervisory, crisis response, and budget/financial management training preferred.
  • A track record of exceptional leadership, with an entrepreneurial vision and effective communication, transparency, and listening skills to sustain collaboration, innovation, and creative problem-solving within the program.
  • A demonstrated capacity for effective leadership, including strong communication skills, the ability to motivate and supervise effectively, strong crisis intervention and creative problem-solving skills.
  • The ability to be flexible and work collaboratively across multiple domains and constituent groups.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills, interpersonal skills, ethics, and cultural awareness.
  • Ensure confidentiality and a high level of customer service in all interactions.
  • Commitment to working in an integrity driven environment, demonstrating consistency in cultural humility, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  • Must have the ability to prioritize multiple tasks and deadlines.
  • Meticulous attention to detail.
  • Commitment to mission and vision of the agency.

Diverse and multilingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.  The Baker Center is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law.

The compensation range for this position is $150,000 – $175,000, commensurate with experience.

If you are interested in being considered for this search, please use the form below to submit your cover letter and resume in confidence.

Kieran McTague

Senior Vice President, Principal

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