Reports to: Deputy Chief of Specialized Services
Position Overview:
The Senior Director provides leadership support to Related Services under the direction of the Deputy Chief of Specialized Services (or designee). This individual serves as a member of both the OSS Executive Team and OSS Staff Group.
The BPS Related Service Department is responsible for providing services to approximately 8,000 BPS students. The department is 330 staff strong in these service areas and has a budget of $39 million.
The Senior Director is responsible for developing service assignments for schools and leading strategic planning efforts aimed at improving student outcomes and ensuring high-quality instruction.
Why This Role Matters
This is a high-impact leadership role at the center of Boston Public Schools’ commitment to inclusive education. The Senior Director will directly influence how thousands of students with disabilities access services, engage in learning, and achieve meaningful progress.
This position is ideal for a leader who thrives in complex systems, is energized by large-scale problem-solving, and is committed to building coherent, equitable, and sustainable service delivery systems in a nationally recognized urban district.
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic Leadership & District Alignment
- Provide overall leadership and direction for the BPS OSS Related Services department
- Partner with OSS senior leadership to design and implement district-wide strategies that improve service delivery and student outcomes
- Lead long-range planning aligned to the BPS Inclusive Education Plan, ensuring access, participation, and progress for students with disabilities
2. Organizational Management & Supervision
- Oversee and support a team of 4 Division Supervisors, each responsible for supervising related service providers across the district
- Ensure strong operational systems for day-to-day service delivery, compliance, and staff supervision
- Build leadership capacity within the department through coaching, performance management, and professional learning
3. Data-Driven Resource Deployment
- Develop, implement, and continuously refine a data-informed staffing and resource allocation model
- Ensure equitable and efficient deployment of related service providers based on student needs, service mandates, and school-level data
- Monitor service delivery trends and adjust systems to improve access and outcomes
4. Culture, Climate, and Staff Engagement
- Foster a strong sense of esprit de corps across a large, multidisciplinary team
- Promote positive working conditions, staff retention, and professional collaboration across schools and programs
- Lead initiatives that strengthen staff voice, engagement, and shared purpose
5. Talent Management & Staffing
- Oversee hiring, onboarding, and staffing processes in alignment with BPS and BTU policies and collective bargaining agreements
- Develop strategic approaches to recruitment, retention, and workforce sustainability
- Ensure staffing structures support both compliance and high-quality service delivery
6. Fiscal & Grant Management
- Oversee large departmental budget, ensuring strategic, compliant, and efficient use of resources
- Manage and monitor, in partnership with the OSS Director of Finance and Operations, federal, state, and local grants that support related services programming
- Align financial planning with district priorities and student needs
7. Project Management & Systems Implementation
- Lead complex, cross-functional projects that impact service delivery across the district
- Design and implement scalable systems that improve efficiency, compliance, and service quality
- Track progress, manage timelines, and ensure successful execution of key initiatives
Qualifications
Required
- Master’s degree or higher in Special Education, Related Services field, Educational Leadership, or a related discipline
- Certified Special Education Administrator
- Significant leadership experience in urban education systems
- Demonstrated expertise in managing large teams and complex organizational systems
- Strong background in project management, strategic planning, and data-driven decision-making
- Deep knowledge of IDEA, service delivery models, and inclusive practices
Preferred
- Experience leading within a large, diverse public school district
- Proven ability to manage multi-million dollar budgets and grant funding
- Track record of advancing inclusive education and equitable service delivery systems
- Bilingual/Multilingual proficiency
Terms:
BASAS, Group 12B 12 months, 225 days
Boston Public Schools does not discriminate in its programs, facilities, employment, or educational opportunities based on race, color, age, disability, sex/gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, genetics, military status, or any other protected category. BPS prohibits retaliation and any form of bias-based intimidation, threat, or harassment.