Ascend Autism Group
Westport, CT
Full Time
Salary - $55,000-$65,000 annually
About Us:
Ascend Autism is a family-centric, tech-enabled autism therapy company serving children and families across the Northeast. Through a natural and accessible approach to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Ascend Autism is elevating outcomes for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). At Ascend Autism, we prepare kids and families for what's next.
About the Role:
The Operations Manager will support the day-to-day operations of Ascend Autism's Westport center and play a key role in ensuring the center runs smoothly, efficiently, and in alignment with company standards. This role requires a highly organized, hands-on operator who can manage scheduling, support BT/RBT hiring and onboarding, maintain center systems, coordinate facility needs, and help create a positive experience for employees, clients, and families.
The Operations Manager will also serve as an important center-level leader in staff communication, family coordination, and operational follow-through. This position includes meaningful involvement in BT/RBT interviews, onboarding, schedule management, customer service, and employee accountability conversations related to reliability, attendance, tardiness, and professionalism.
The ideal candidate:
The ideal candidate is proactive, detail-oriented, adaptable, and comfortable working in a fast-paced healthcare services environment. This position will partner closely with the Center Director, clinical leadership, HR, and other support teams to promote operational excellence, strong communication, schedule consistency, and a high-performance culture grounded in collaboration, honesty, problem solving, accountability, and clinical excellence.
Key Responsibilities:
Center Operations & Daily Execution
Support the day-to-day operations of the center to ensure a safe, organized, clean, and professional environment
Maintain center organization, inventory, materials, supplies, and operational readiness in alignment with client and staff needs
Identify facilities, maintenance, or vendor-related issues and coordinate timely follow-up as needed
Help ensure the center remains compliant with applicable company policies, procedures, and operational standards
Assist therapists and center team members with client-related operational needs, as appropriate
Support special projects, center events, and other operational initiatives as assigned
Scheduling, Attendance & Staffing Coordination
Create, update, and maintain center schedules for behavior therapists in coordination with clinical and operational leadership
Coordinate shift coverage, schedule changes, call-outs, and staffing adjustments in a timely and organized manner
Maintain strong visibility into staffing needs and proactively communicate scheduling risks or gap
Partner with the Center Director and clinical team to support schedule consistency for clients, families, and employees
Monitor attendance, tardiness, and schedule adherence, escalating concerns and participating in follow-up conversations as appropriate
Participate in difficult conversations with employees related to attendance, reliability, schedule consistency, professionalism, and center expectations
Use scheduling systems accurately and consistently to support real-time communication and execution
BT/RBT Hiring, Interviewing & Onboarding
Conduct second/final round interviews and site visits for BT/RBT candidates who advance beyond the initial screening stage
Evaluate candidates for reliability, professionalism, communication skills, schedule fit, culture fit, and readiness to work with young children with autism
Provide hiring recommendations to the Center Director, HR, and recruiting team based on final-round interviews and site visits
Coordinate BT/RBT onboarding and training logistics for the center
Partner with HR and recruiting teams to support candidate flow, interview scheduling, hiring needs, and new hire readiness
Help ensure new employees are welcomed, prepared, and supported during the onboarding process
Support training coordination and follow-up to ensure employees understand center expectations, workflows, scheduling requirements, and company standards
Family Communication & Customer Service
Serve as a professional and responsive point of contact for family communication related to scheduling, attendance, center logistics, and operational questions
Build rapport and maintain positive relationships with families through timely, clear, and solutions-oriented communication
Coordinate with clinical leadership to ensure family communication is accurate, appropriate, and aligned with each client's care team
Support family-facing communication during schedule changes, staffing updates, center events, and other operational matters
Participate in difficult or sensitive conversations with families, when appropriate, in partnership with the Center Director and clinical leadership
Help ensure families experience Ascend as organized, responsive, compassionate, and professional
Systems, Reporting & Administrative Operations
Maintain accurate and timely updates in CRM, scheduling, HR, and other operational systems
Prepare weekly operational reports for the Center Director and leadership team
Track key operational items, follow-ups, and documentation with a high level of accuracy and accountability
Respond to employee, family, and client inquiries or issues in a timely, professional, and solutions-oriented manner
Support administrative documentation, internal communication, and operational workflows as needed
Use Microsoft Office and other technology platforms to improve organization, visibility, and execution
Culture, Communication & Team Support
Promote a positive center culture that supports high morale, accountability, teamwork, and excellent client service
Build strong rapport with employees, families, clients, and cross-functional support teams
Serve as a reliable point of contact for operational questions, scheduling needs, and day-to-day center support
Communicate clearly and professionally across clinical, administrative, and leadership teams
Model Ascend's values and help reinforce expectations related to reliability, professionalism, attendance, communication, and center readiness
Support a culture of accountability by addressing issues directly, professionally, and in partnership with leadership
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree preferred, ideally in Business, Operations Management, Healthcare Administration, Human Services, Education, or a related field
Minimum of 3+ years of experience in operations, management, administration, customer service, healthcare services, education, childcare, or a related leadership role
Experience interviewing, onboarding, coaching, or managing frontline employees preferred
Experience in healthcare services, behavioral health, childcare, education, ABA, or a related service-based environment preferred
Facilities management or vendor coordination experience preferred
Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills
Ability to handle sensitive conversations with professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment
Ability to manage multiple priorities, adapt quickly, and follow through in a fast-paced environment
Comfortable using technology, scheduling systems, CRM platforms, and productivity tools to support day-to-day execution
Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records, schedules, reports, and documentation
Collaborative, team-oriented, and comfortable working closely with clinical, HR, and operational leadership
Benefits:
Competitive salary with bonus opportunity
Health, dental, and vision insurance
401(k) match
PTO and paid holidays
Tuition reimbursement
Referral program
Career advancement opportunities for top performers
Supportive and collaborative team culture
Work Environment:
Center-based environment supporting children receiving ABA therapy
Moderate to loud noise level at times
Frequent interaction with employees, clients, families, and clinical team members
Physical Requirements:
Prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking, and frequent bending
Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at a time
May be required to assist with center organization, supplies, materials, and light operational tasks
Ascend Autism is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is our policy to make all personnel decisions without discriminating based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, physical disability, mental disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, national or ethnic origin, or any other protected status.
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