Chief of Adult Services, Aspire Living & Learning

 

Aspire Living & Learning is a non-profit human services agency making a meaningful difference in the lives of neurodiverse adults and children.  The mission of Aspire Living & Learning is to serve neurodiverse children and adults who are discovering their passions, unlocking potential, and thriving.  We provide residential programs, day support, special education, and employment services in partnership with families and in collaboration with public and private health, human service, education and other government agencies. Headquartered in Vermont, our 1,200 team members serve individuals across four Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states (Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Maryland). 

 

Aspire recently finalized a new strategic plan which will direct the organization’s efforts through 2025.  This plan is centered on three core goals:

 

Entering the organization at a crucial moment of time, the new Chief of Adult Services (CAS) will provide critical, timely leadership, systems-thinking, and relational aptitude to the management of Aspire’s Adult Services function, which makes up 70% of the organization’s business.  The need for the new CAS role emerged from Aspire’s recent strategic planning effort, and thus the person who fills it will both oversee the day-to-day operations of Aspire’s current Adult Services work and envision and enact a future that includes more effective internal collaboration, streamlined operations, and increased growth and impact. 

 

As defined in the new strategic plan, Aspire is moving from a “paternalistic” approach, i.e. believing that the service provider knows what is best for their clients, to a “partnership-based” approach, i.e. asking the client what is best for them in order to live the life they have dreamed about. While there is widespread buy-in in Aspire’s new strategic philosophies and plan, the organization now needs to connect the ideas to specific, measurable actions that embody these shifts. Positioned at the intersection of Aspire’s central office functions (FI, HR, etc.) and the organization’s state-level Adult Services operations, the CAS will serve as a key connector and leader of Aspire’s next phase of organizational evolution.

 

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief of Adult Services will serve on the eight-person Executive team that provides leadership across the entire organization. In this capacity, the CAS will play an integral role in informing, creating, and executing the strategic direction of Aspire.  The CAS will directly manage five staff members, four of whom oversee program operations in an Aspire state (CT, MA, MD, NH) and one of whom oversees facilities. The CAS will serve as the face of Aspire amongst the internal Aspire operating sites as well as within the external Adult Services field, including state and federal collaborators, experts, and innovators. 

 

This position is flexible in terms of location. The successful candidate will live within a commutable distance of one of Aspire’s offices in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, or Maryland and be willing and able to travel ~10 days/month to visit Aspire sites and staff members, attend Executive Team gatherings, represent the organization at external gatherings, etc.

 

Energetic, Optimistic Organizational Leader 

 

 

This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position with a starting salary range of $140,000-$170,000 commensurate with experience and qualifications. Aspire Living & Learning also offers a comprehensive and generous benefits package including medical (80%+ covered by Aspire), dental (75%+ covered by Aspire), life, disability (short-term and long-term), and pet insurances in addition to a 403b (with 2% match), free telehealth services, an EAP, and FSA participation.  This position will also have access to unlimited PTO as well as a leased car for business and personal usage. 

 

Please note that Aspire Living & Learning has adopted a COVID-19 vaccination policy to safeguard the health and well-being of our employees and individuals we support. As a condition of employment, employees are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless an exemption is approved for medical or religious reason or as otherwise required by law.

Candidates must include a resume and a cover letter that describes how their qualifications and experience match the needs and mission of Aspire. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Upload required documents to: https://eostransitions.applicantpool.com/jobs/.

 

Aspire Living & Learning believes it must play an active role in creating a community of employees that is diverse, inclusive, and equitable. Our work benefits greatly from the contributions of people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women, LGBTQ people, and individuals with disabilities. Hence, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities. 

 

This executive search is being conducted by Eos Transition Partners consultant, Erin Cox. All submissions will be acknowledged and are confidential, and any questions can be submitted to Erin at: ecox@eostransitions.com.