Director of Special Services

Watch Me Shine – Bangor, ME

$85,000 - $99,591 per year

If you believe in children, families, and the power of community, then you can make a difference!

Watch Me Shine is seeking a Director of Special Services. This is a full-time position that will between June 1 and July 1, 2026 depending on applicant availability.

The Director of Special Services is responsible for ensuring the program is operating smoothly and students are receiving high quality early intervention services and programming. The Director of Special Services oversees the school (which is all special education related services), clinical, and therapy departments.

Qualifications

• Master of Education or Master of Special Education
• Administrator of Special Education – 030, may consider 035 certification with experience
• Five plus years’ experience in special education
• Leadership experience

• Contributes to the development and total school philosophy of education.
• Directly oversee the school department and its staff which includes special education coordinators, clinicians, occupational therapists, classroom teachers, and paraprofessionals.
• Ensure that the school and therapy departments follow all state and federal regulations relative to the identification, placement, and program development for special education and mainstream students.
• Ensures the school department follows WMS staff policies and procedures.
• Provide program-wide leadership, oversight, and training to ensure the development of effective and appropriate special education teams and programs.
• Enforce and ensure system procedures for identification, evaluation, and placement of students with special education needs is consistently followed and delivered.
• Oversee new employee orientation (NEO). Ensures thorough onboarding and training for all new and promoted employees.
• Ensure a continuous flow of communication between classrooms, teachers, and team to ensure consistent communication and quality standards are met.
• Partners with management/leadership to oversee employee relations and resolution of employee related issues. Ensure employee morale is positive throughout the school.
• Attends and conducts executive, management, and company staff meetings as well as other related meetings and seminars. Ensure staff are supported and meet performance standards.
• Cultivate, model, and enforce a respectful, professional, collaborative environment.
• Development of a superior workforce and culture of team environment. Ensure company core values are embedded throughout all departments and classrooms.
• Conduct departmental audits to ensure accurate and complete student and personnel records are up to date; all information is collected and completed in a timely manner, and in accordance with WMS and state & federal rules and regulations.
• Prepare state and federal reports as required.
• Ensure the program is operating at full capacity, and weekly service rates are achieved.
• Helps support and implement the vision and strategic plan to guide the organization.
• Oversee and monitor the efficient and effective day-to-day operation of the organization.
• Develops budget recommendations and provides expenditure control on established budgets for special education.
• Identify and assess internal and external issues that affect the organization. Identify and evaluate the risks to the organization’s people (clients, staff, management, volunteers) property, finances, goodwill, image, and implement measures to control risks.
• Administer the funds of the organization according to the approved budget. Ensures departments submit monthly purchase reports with receipts and oversee and maintain monthly and annual department budgets.
• Provide leadership and representation in matters relating to due process procedural safeguards;
• Ensure feedback regarding employee performance is delivered in a timely manner, and that feedback is representative of the employees performance.
• Develop and assist others in the preparation and review of reports generated for State funding of Special Education programs.
• Assumes responsibility for compiling, maintaining, and filing all reports, records, and other legally required or administratively useful documents.
• Oversee student attendance reports and follow up on attendance related issues.
• Arranges for transportation of students receiving special education related services.
• Review/approve special education requests for supplies, materials, and equipment.
• Maintains a permanent inventory of equipment and materials purchased for classrooms and therapy offices.
• Assists in recruiting, interviewing, and hiring personnel.
• Is present for student drop off and pick up to build positive rapport with families.
• Consults with parents and families of students enrolled in the program.
• Ensure WMS’s mission, philosophies and core values are taught and adhered to.
• Assumes responsibility for own professional growth and development; for keeping current on literature, and for attending appropriate professional meetings and conventions.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities that may be assigned.
  

• Robust benefits package including health insurance, delta dental coverage, life Insurance, disability insurance, etc.
• Competitive paid time off (PTO) package and 9 company paid holidays.
• High Quality Supervision and Training Provided Regularly.

To be recognized nationally as a dynamic, highly specialized, child-centered early intervention program, empowering children to SHINE in all they do.

Our Mission

To help children achieve their greatest potential by providing them with safe and supportive learning environments that respect their individuality and nurtures their capacity to engage in a broad range of social interactions and learning opportunities.

Please visit our website www.watchmeshine.net for more information about our program.

Watch Me Shine is an Equal Opportunity Employer