Senior Director of Programs

The King’s Daughters’ School (KDS) invites applicants to consider a position that permanently and positively changes the trajectory of the lives of students with intellectual disabilities and autism. A member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Senior Director of Programs reports directly to the Executive Director, providing leadership for educational and residential programming.

Focusing on structure, round-the-clock individualized programming, and loving care, KDS continues a 100-year legacy of service by equipping students with special needs to live as independently as possible.

KDS offers co-ed programming for students from across the US and abroad, all in the heart of Columbia, Tennessee, one of the fastest-growing regions in the US. KDS’s Main Campus provides educational and residential services for school-aged, young adult, and adult students with developmental disabilities, while its Center for Autism remains Tennessee’s only residential autism school, with daily living and academic services to school-aged students with Level 3 Autism Spectrum Disorders.

The Senior Director of Programs oversees programmatic Department Heads who (along with their assistants and staff) implement programming for students. Direct reports to the Senior Director of Programs are the Principal, Residential Director, Center for Autism Director, and Recreational Therapist. The Senior Director of Programs reports to the Executive Director and has responsibility for these essential functions:

• Advance the KDS mission and legacy by leading department heads to implement high-quality educational, residential, and recreational services
• Motivate, evaluate and mentor a strong and cohesive team of Department heads
• Empower direct reports to troubleshoot and problem-solve, including emergency situations
• Lead direct reports to operate in a way that is compliant with licensing and accrediting agencies, while respecting the individuality and needs of students and their families
• Promote the organization’s employee engagement framework, helping ensure that department heads implement a quality employee experience for their staff members
• Work cooperatively with the other members of the Senior Leadership Team, mitigating risk and charting a path toward organization-wide strategic initiatives
• Serve as a member of internal leadership teams, including Performance and Quality Improvement (PQI) Team and Treatment Teams
• Be on-call (and available in-person as needed), with other Senior Leadership staff members, in emergencies

 The Following Personal and Professional Characteristics of the Position are Key:

• A management style characterized by inclusiveness, sensitivity, humor and flexibility balanced with appropriate decisiveness, accountability and delegation
• A demonstrated capacity to communicate orally and in writing with tact, consistency, clarity and inspiration with various stakeholders.
• The ability to think and act quickly and decisively in the event of an emergency.
• Relocation to Columbia, TN.

 Credentials and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree
• Experience in the care of vulnerable or needy populations, with a strong preference for experience in a residential setting
• Proven record of desire for and success in learning, growing, and adapting to best practices in leadership and in their professional field

 An Invitation to Apply

The Senior Director of Programs will be expected to assume responsibility in Summer 2025. The cash compensation and benefit package will be competitive, similar to what Senior Directors of Programs of similar organizations in the region earn. Additional benefits include 401(k) with match, profit-sharing retirement plan, time off, professional development, and bonus structure.

Please provide a CV, Cover Letter, Statement of Philosophy and three references. Electronic submission is preferred. Inquiries are strictly confidential and should be directed to:

John C. Littleford, Senior Partner, Littleford & Associates: [email protected]

The King’s Daughters’ School is an Equal Opportunity Employer