Director of Special Needs Program

JOB SUMMARY

The Director of Special Needs Program will provide leadership and training in the areas of developing, implementing, and overseeing all areas of programming for special needs children and adults. The position requires the ability to carry out a broad range of assignments at any given time and at times with minimal or no supervision. This position will serve as the central contact point and conduit between the church staff and families requiring special accommodation. Primarily, being the good news of Jesus to every person in every place. This position will lead, develop, and execute a program within a premiere facility on site. The ability of this person to problem-solve is crucial in order to enable a successful church experience for children and families impacted by learning differences, disabilities, or unique physical needs. While many details and duties associated with this role are administrative, the position is one of ministry, and with it comes expectations in line with 1 Timothy 3.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Leadership

• Lead the development of specific goals and vision for special needs inclusion
• Oversee and manage a staff of 4-6
• Implement a plan for “buddy†rotations and/or create specially tailored classroom(s) Different classes may be needed for different age groups
• Determine accommodation plan and applicable strategies for each ministry participant
• Develop ministry volunteers, delegating and defining responsibilities to match servants’ gift sets
• Create and regularly lead training events to equip volunteers in the following areas: Mandatory reporting; Behavior management; Parent communication; Participant privacy & confidentiality for ministry issues; Safety & emergencies (e.g., elopement, physical aggression, seizures); First-time participants & guests; intake process; Toileting & diapering; Snacks & allergies, use of Epi-Pens; Teen servant responsibilities and limitations; Modifying activities for kids with disabilities; Making a Bible story come alive for a child with learning differences; Special needs/disability etiquette; and finding substitutes
• Stay current on new products, trends, and practices related to special needs ministry
• Implement updates as appropriate in the ministry and inform the Minister to Children of new developments that may impact the broader church
• Develop a special needs addendum to the Preschool, Children’s, Student Ministry, and College handbooks. Any policies and practices developed with special needs in mind should complement the other ministries and be applied in a way to avoid the perception or practice of discrimination (e.g., behavioral guidelines consistently applied to participants regardless of disability)
• Select and deploy a curriculum for a self-contained classroom

Administration & Organization

• Ensure that participant profiles are created and maintained (upon registration, updated annually, and as needed)
• Organize the collection of participant information and family needs through parent interviews and regular conversation
• Provided leadership to the volunteer application process (app, interview, bg check)
• Maintain a current schedule of ministry volunteers
• Keep an updated database of ministry participants and volunteers
• Create and maintain up-to-date documentation as individual behavior challenges or safety concerns arise
• Create and follow an annual ministry budget
• Plan and execute other ministry-related events as directed by the Minister to Children

Communication

• Email service reminders, weekly updates, curriculum information, and teaching tips to volunteers
• Email weekly updates to parents; actively encourage/educate parents to foster the spiritual growth of their child with special needs
• Communicate details from participant profiles and their accommodation plans on a need-to-know basis with affected volunteers and other church leaders
• Proactively communicate with other church leaders as ministry opportunities and accommodation logistics directly impact their related areas of responsibility. The ability to work well with other church leaders will be crucial to the success of the ministry
• Follow up in a timely manner with both parent and volunteer questions and needs
• Periodically educate other ministry leaders (typical Next Gen Ministry volunteers) on how to include participants with learning differences more effectively
• Keep church leadership and immediate supervisors informed about various issues inside the Special Needs Ministry. Any issues related to risk management should be carefully documented and reported in a timely manner to the appropriate church leader

COMPETENCIES

•  Possess strong communication skills in the English language (verbal and writing)
• Ability to maintain professional relationships
• Possess strong attention to detail
• Ability to respond to emergent or stressful situations in a calm and professional manner
• Ability to prioritize work, meet deadlines, work independently, multitask, and produce results in a high-stress environment
• Possess excellent management and leadership skills
• Comply with standard departmental procedures
• Highest level of personal integrity with an uncompromised commitment to the maintenance of the confidentiality and privacy of all personal and church matters, data, and information
• Genuine desire to serve God and the Church
• Must be forward-thinking and anticipate the needs of others
• This position is expected to keep the ministry cohesive with our mission, vision, and values.
• A Special Needs Ministry leader is familiar with the vernacular and culture of the world of special needs and disability. Because parents will often not disclose all relevant facts to church representatives (sometimes unknowingly and other times intentionally), it is very helpful for the person interviewing parents of new participants to have a working knowledge of special needs terms and phrases
• It is very helpful for a special needs champion to have some familiarity with current practices in local school systems, especially where risk management is concerned

POSITION TYPE/EXPECTED HOURS OF WORK

This is a full-time position (40 hours). Scheduled hours are, Monday – Thursday with occasional evenings and weekends as job duties demand.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be regularly required to do the following:

• Must have good or corrected vision as well as effective peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus
• Must have good manual dexterity and be able to use repetitive motion of the hands, wrists, and arms
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position for extended periods of time
• Must be able to move about inside the office and file rooms to perform a variety of tasks
• Must be able to frequently and effectively communicate in both written and verbal form
• Must be able to potentially lift special needs individuals (birth to adult) up to 75 pounds as needed
• Occasional reaching, stooping, kneeling, bending, and crouching

Ability to work collaboratively and communicate effectively with team members at all levels of the organization

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Minimum Bachelors, preferred Masters or Doctorate Degree or other related fields
• 5 years’ experience in caring for people with special needs and their families is required
• 5 years’ experience in ministry care with special needs families is preferred

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Duties are performed in an office setting where the work and general environment may be hectic at times. Therefore, it is essential that the employee can effectively handle the normal anxieties associated with the job and manage multiple projects in a service-oriented environment. Environmental noise levels are minimal.

OTHER DUTIES

• Must exemplify The CBC Way of Honor, Hospitality, Hustle, High Capacity, and Humility
• Must be willing to work weekends and occasional special events
• CBC Member, genuine desire to serve God and the Church
• Must live life beyond reproach 1 Timothy 3

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