Managing Director of Special Education

Neighborhood Charter Schools (NCS) is a public charter school network rooted in Harlem and the Bronx serving students in an intentionally designed inclusive learning community. NCS is built on a simple but powerful belief: every child deserves to be known valued and supported as their full self. Our schools operate as a true neighborhood model grounded in deep relationships with families and a commitment to belonging for every student.

What distinguishes NCS is an inclusive-by-design approach. Classrooms schedules and supports are intentionally built to serve autistic students multilingual learners students with IEPs and general education students together. Inclusion is not a program or an add-onit is the foundation of how our schools function and how students experience learning every day.

As NCS expands from a K8 network to a K12 system the launch of its first high school marks a defining moment for the organization. This next chapter requires greater coherence across schools clarity around vision and systems and senior leadership to ensure quality and consistency as the network grows.

About the Role

The Managing Director of Special Education is responsible for defining the vision for special education and inclusion at NCS to ensure equity and inclusion for all students. As part of this role the Managing Director will be responsible for setting the strategy for implementing the vision especially as NCS shifts from a K-8 to a K-12 model. The Managing Director will work with the executive leadership team to build and maintain strong systems and programming for students with disabilities across the network.

As a senior organizational leader the Managing Director of Special Education also serves as a cultural standard-setter for the network. Grounded in a deep belief in equity for all students the MDSE models NCSs LIGHT values in practice sets clear expectations for how leaders work together and inspires teams to pursue system-wide change in service of students and communities.

What Youll Do

Define and Uphold the Vision for Special Education for K-12

• Design and articulate a clear shared K12 vision for special education programming and inclusive practices at NCS that ensures equity access and inclusion for all students.

• Design the strategy for implementing evaluating and maintaining fidelity to the vision for programming across the network.

• Work with the Special Education team to ensure families receive regular direct support and advocacy.

• Define and create family communication systems and norms across the special education team to ensure the development and sustainment of strong relationships with NCS families.

• Partner with school-based directors and principals to ensure special education vision and inclusion practices are evident and effective on the school level.

• Collaborate with network academic leaders to ensure inclusive practices expectations for rigor and support structures are aligned within content-specific systems and curricula.

Lead Manage and Develop School and Network Leaders

• Manage and support the School-Based Directors of Special Education the Autism Program Specialist Network Intervention and 12:1 Specialist and the Special Education Projects Manager.

• Build a culture of collaboration accountability and professional growth among school and network leaders.

• Lead the vision of Special Education Team growth and expansion while developing clear plans for training development and accountability.

• Collaborate with leaders network-wide to ensure consistent professional development for teachers and leaders that aligns with the vision of special education.

Build and Sustain Strong Special Education Systems

• Serve as the primary steward of inclusive special education systems across all NCS campuses ensuring consistency in service models instructional practices compliance and student support structures.

• Establish clear goals and metrics for the successful implementation of special education systems and support.

• Use data and qualitative evidence to identify priorities and drive continuous improvement.

• Build systems that are coherent scalable and responsive as the network grows.

• Collaborate with the Special Education and Operations teams to develop and implement a robust enrollment system for the Autism Program that ensures budgetary and programmatic alignment.

• Collaborate with the School-Based and Operations teams to ensure robust network-wide enrollment systems that include dedicated processes for students with IEPs.

• Collaborate with the School-Based Directors and Culture teams to develop and maintain network-wide behavior systems to ensure strong support services and data collection.

• Work with the Finance Team to manage the Special Populations budget.

Refine and Codify the K8 Special Education Model Aligned to the High School Vision

• Work with the Executive Director and senior leader team to design a scalable sustainable K12 special education model that supports both current students and future expansion.

• Ensure alignment between high school academic and culture expectations and existing K8 practices to support increased rigor independence and postsecondary planning.

• Partner closely with the Founding High School Principal and academic leadership to align the schools vision for the academic and student experience with special education systems ensuring consistency in service models instructional practices compliance and student support structures.

Who Youll Work With

• Executive Director this role reports to the Executive Director and serves as the driver of special education and inclusivity for the network.

• School-Based Special Education Team direct reports and key partners in executing the special education vision and driving school-based systems.

• Network-Based Special Education Team direct reports and key partners in executing network-wide special education vision and systems.

• School Principals critical partners to ensure that special education and inclusion are at the forefront of school-based systems.

• Network Academic Leadership Team critical partners to ensure that inclusion sits at the center of the academic vision and its implementation.

• Network Leaders cross-functional partners to ensure special education priorities are supported by talent operations and organizational systems.

Required Skills and Experience

• Masters degree in Special Education or related field preferred

• NY State Teaching Certification required

• NYS SBL/SDL certification preferred or willingness to participate in an accredited SBL/SDL program to pursue certification

• A minimum of 4 years of school leadership and professional management experience

• Proven effectiveness as a special education teacher or service provider.

• Strong knowledge and experience in best practices for students with disabilities including autistic students

• A commitment to contributing to a diverse equitable and inclusive setting

• Effective organizational and time management skills

• Collaborative mindset and ability to work productively with all stakeholders

• Effective communicator in public and interpersonal settings

Additional Details

• This is a full-time NYC-based in-person role with regular travel between the Harlem Bronx future high school campuses.

• The salary range for this position is $160000- $170000. Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience.

Neighborhood Charter Schools is committed to building a diverse equitable and inclusive organization. We encourage candidates of all backgrounds who share our mission and values to apply.