Neurodevelopmental Program Director – Pediatric Autism Services

Location: Nexus Children’s Hospital – Houston, TX
Program: New Directions Neurodevelopmental Program

Position Summary

Nexus Children’s Hospital – Houston is seeking an experienced Neurodevelopmental Program Director to lead the daily operations and continued development of our New Directions program.

The New Directions program serves children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental needs. The Program Director provides operational and clinical leadership to program staff, ensuring services are individualized, evidence-based, and delivered in the best interests of each patient.

Working closely with a multidisciplinary treatment team, the Program Director oversees program quality, staff performance, clinical programming, treatment coordination, and continuous improvement. This leader will help develop and evaluate services in response to patient, family, and organizational needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, consultation, training, and ongoing support to New Directions program staff, interns, and coordinators.
• Oversee the daily operations and clinical programming of the neurodevelopmental program.
• Ensure services meet established clinical, regulatory, documentation, and program-quality standards.
• Evaluate individual and team performance using data, patient outcomes, and other relevant information.
• Identify and implement improvements that enhance patient care, staff effectiveness, and program performance.
• Ensure staff complete accurate and timely documentation regarding patient history, progress, services provided, and other required information.
• Participate in the recruitment, selection, orientation, and development of program staff.
• Develop therapeutic activities and programming based on current research, clinical experience, patient needs, and health history.
• Review and evaluate patient progress toward individualized, measurable treatment goals.
• Interview patients, review clinical records, and collaborate with families and other professionals to evaluate patients for participation in the New Directions program.
• Provide clinical leadership and patient advocacy during emergencies and crisis situations.
• Educate patients and families about available services, supports, and community resources.
• Counsel and support family members in understanding and responding to patients’ neurodevelopmental and behavioral needs.
• Coordinate with physicians, nursing, therapy, behavioral health, and other department leaders to support each patient’s master treatment plan.
• Participate in treatment-planning meetings, staff meetings, and interdisciplinary case conferences.
• Respond to requests for program services in a timely and professional manner.
• Maintain current knowledge of autism treatment standards, neurodevelopmental care, and applicable clinical practices.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in social work, autism studies, psychology, behavioral health, social services, or a closely related field required.
• Three to five years of experience in behavioral treatment, autism services, neurodevelopmental programming, or a related field required.
• Previous leadership, program-management, or clinical-supervision experience strongly preferred.
• Strong clinical knowledge of autism spectrum disorder and current standards for treating children and adolescents.
• Healthcare experience and experience working within a multidisciplinary treatment environment strongly preferred.

Licensure and Certifications

• Current LCSW licensure or a master’s-level degree specializing in autism, behavioral health, or a related discipline.
• Current American Heart Association BLS/CPR certification or ability to obtain certification within 30 days of hire.
• Must obtain a current tuberculosis test within the first 14 days of employment and complete an annual health-screening questionnaire thereafter.
• Must maintain all required licenses and certifications in good standing throughout employment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop clinical or behavioral-health teams.
• Strong clinical assessment, treatment-planning, and program-development skills.
• Knowledge of evidence-based autism and neurodevelopmental treatment practices.
• Ability to evaluate program performance and use data to drive meaningful improvements.
• Strong critical-thinking, problem-solving, teaching, and crisis-management skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Exceptional organization and attention to detail.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with patients, families, clinical professionals, and operational leaders.
• Self-motivated leadership style with the ability to manage competing priorities in a complex care environment.

Our Values

Successful team members embody the Nexus values of Genuineness, Ownership, Positivity, Teamwork, Innovation, and Compassion. The Neurodevelopmental Program Director is expected to model these values while supporting patients, families, employees, visitors, and community partners.

If you are an experienced clinical leader who is passionate about improving outcomes for children and adolescents with autism and other neurodevelopmental needs, we invite you to apply and help advance the New Directions program at Nexus Children’s Hospital – Houston.