The Project Director articulates the mission and coordinates the work of the ASD Nest Support Project of New York University. The director’s primary role is to sustain and strengthen the support that the ASD Nest Support team provides to the New York City Department of Education’s (NYCDOE) ASD Nest Program, as defined by contract between NYU and the NYCDOE. The director liaises with partners at the NYCDOE; communicates with other parties in and outside of NYU; oversees financial, administrative and contractual matters; maintains and updates systems, practices and procedures; and hires, coordinates and supervises the Nest support team consisting of around 20 full- and part-time professionals.

• Maintain, enhance and grow the ASD Nest Model. The director:
1. Organizes and follows through on all elements of the Support Team’s work to expand knowledge about the effective use of ASD Nest practices; maintains fidelity of implementation of the ASD Nest model across all program schools; anticipates challenges and collaborates with stakeholders to prevent fidelity deterioration and to ensure growth and expansion of the model within and across Nest schools.
2. Guides the project’s two major activities: school consultation and professional development; establish Nest’s professional development framework; oversee development of more than 60 workshops and large-scale events (up to 450 attendees) that provide extensive, comprehensive options for new staff and seasoned professionals alike, including all teachers, social workers/guidance counselors, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, coaches and administrators. Nest professional development efforts are unified by program-wide annual themes that inform and shape all aspects of our support for Nest schools.
3. Champions the development and widespread incorporation of Social Development Intervention (SDI), Nest’s unique approach to supporting students’ social development, into all aspects of Nest practice in the schools.
4. Liaises with partners at the NYCDOE to coordinate support to schools, which requires maintaining ongoing knowledge of nearly 60 ASD Nest schools and the needs of their respective principals, teachers and therapists, family, and students.

• Manage Team Work & Workload. The director:
1. Leads the collaborative team of Nest professionals that is responsible for all school-facing consultation, training, and support.
2. Supervises the Department Directors (Elementary, Secondary, and SDI) and the Operations team, who are responsible for: managing and supervising a team of support staff; ensuring the team’s efficient and reliable support for every school’s Nest staff; refining the team consultation model to promote fidelity of implementation across all school teams; supporting school administrators through professional development and onboarding of new program schools; and updating the program’s “Landmark Documents” that define and delineate the full range of Nest practices and protocols.
3. Maintains standards of excellence around collaboration, including protocols for effective communication, efficient team meetings, and project management.
4. Develops and implements internal and external protocols to facilitate the efficient running of all aspects of the team’s collaborative work with school partners. Includes systems and analyses to evaluate the effectiveness of training, workshops, and consultations; clear procedures for scheduling and event registration; and a school consultation reporting system that maximizes coordination of school support work within the Nest support team.

• Contract, Administration & Finances. The director:
1. Guides all aspects of the project’s budget; negotiates contract work and costs with the DOE; closely monitors project expenses; coordinates regularly with finance teams across multiple levels of New York University.
2. Oversees the Operations Team’s monitoring and tracking of employee reimbursement, contract compliance and financial operations, in accordance with NYU’s operating procedures.
3. Develops appropriate packages of support to offer to schools via contracts; “sells” these packages to the nearly 60 Nest program principals.
4. Handles all personnel matters related to Nest staff, including hiring, evaluation and supervision.

• Communications, Outreach & Partnerships. The director:

1. Is the “face” of ASD Nest for partners within NYU centers and schools, as well as for outside high-level stakeholders at the NYCDOE, the United Federation of Teachers, and other players in the education field.
2. Liaises with speakers and experts in the fields of autism and inclusive education.
3. Oversees the maintenance of the project web site, social media, newsletter/parent communications, etc.
4. Ensures clarity and consistent, professional “look and feel” of materials distributed to and communications with staff, principals, families, and partners.