Associate Director, NCSS

Under the administrative supervision of the Executive Director of the National Center for START Services (NCSS), the NCSS Associate Director serves as the Executive Director's strategic partner in monitoring organizational health, advancing organizational priorities, and strengthening the quality, fidelity, and long-term sustainability of NCSS. The Associate Director is responsible for the development, coordination, supervision, and implementation of START training, consultation, and technical assistance nationally and internationally. This includes supervision of Project Managers, oversight of contracts and service deliverables, development of training and written resources, leadership of the National Advisory Council and START Network, and supervision and support of the NCSS implementation team. In partnership with the Executive Director, the Associate Director provides organizational oversight of quality assurance, policy development, continuous quality improvement, and organizational practices to ensure NCSS consistently reflects START values and fidelity. Please note that this position is open to remote work.

Job Duties/Responsibilities

Leadership, Strategy & Organizational Management (40%)

• Participate as a key member of the NCSS leadership team, contributing to strategic planning, organizational decision-making, and long-term growth and sustainability.
• Lead continuous assessment and improvement of organizational operations, services, policies, and practices in alignment with the NCSS strategic plan.
• Foster organizational cohesion, collaboration, and cross-functional integration across clinical, research, operations, quality, communications, and training teams.
• Provide executive leadership during organizational, system, or emergency response efforts and support coordinated organizational communications during significant system changes.
• Provide direct supervision to NCSS leadership staff, providing coaching and leadership development in, but not limited to, the areas of effective leadership, performance management, quality improvement principles, and supervision practices while fostering a collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Ensure compliance with UNH/USNH policies, contractual requirements, and organizational procedures.
• Serve as the designated representative for the Executive Director in their absence, providing executive oversight across all NCSS operations.
• Partner with the Executive Director to ensure organizational priorities, operations, policies, and strategic initiatives align with the START Model and organizational goals.
• Provide executive oversight of organizational quality assurance, policy development, governance, and continuous quality improvement to promote accountability and operational excellence.

Operations Management (40%)

• Partner with the Executive Director to establish organizational priorities, allocate resources, monitor organizational performance, and anticipate staffing and operational needs.
• Monitor NCSS’ contractual commitment–deliverables and spend-down billing.
• Ensure fidelity to the START Model across implementation, training, consultation, technical assistance, and program development while supporting innovation and growth. Develop and approve organizational policies, implementation standards, protocols, tools, manuals, and resources supporting START implementation.
• Provide strategic leadership to oversee NCSS Quality Assurance (QA), to monitor implementation of quality and organizational outcomes using evaluation and performance data to drive continuous improvement and organizational reach nationally. Collaborate with the NCSS Operations Management Team to assign, monitor, and evaluate program development activities across the national network.
• Ensure clinical, research, operational, and programmatic priorities remain integrated throughout implementation activities.

START Model Stewardship (20%)

• Serve as the primary liaison between implementation, research, quality, and evaluation activities to promote evidence-informed practice.
• Identify emerging trends, research opportunities, and innovative implementation strategies that strengthen and improve START outcomes.
• Build and sustain strategic partnerships with state agencies, provider organizations, federal funders, government officials, legislative partners, national START programs, and other key stakeholders to advance the mission and sustainability of START.
• Collaborate across organizational departments to ensure consistent communication, alignment of organizational priorities, and effective dissemination of standards, implementation updates, and best practices.
• Translate research and evaluation into policy, training, technical assistance, and implementation of resources.
• Develop publications, presentations, and educational resources highlighting START outcomes and innovations. Support development of implementation standards and resources that strengthen consistency across the START Network. 

Master's degree in appropriate discipline and 7-10 years related experience; experience with MH-IDD, state/local agency contracts, program evaluation, adult learning, and contract negotiation; ability to travel nationally.

Key Responsibilities

• supervising project managers
• overseeing contracts
• developing training resources

Job Details

• Category: Project and Program Management
• Seniority: Senior Level
• Commitment: Full Time
• Workplace: Remote — United States
• Salary: USD 80,270 – 143,800 / year
• Languages: English

About National Center for START Services

A national center providing training, consultation, and technical assistance for START services. — Industry: Non-Profit Organizations and NGOs