Associate Director - Special Kids Connect

Associate Director

This position is 100% in office.

Special Kids Connect (SKC) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to develop resources, raise awareness, and provide support for children with disabilities and their families throughout Monterey County. Guided by its motto, "Helping Special Kids Reach for the Stars," SKC delivers services across three core divisions:
Community Programs, Community Services, and Educational Services/the Family Empowerment Center.

SKC believes that every individual deserves equitable access to the resources, information, services, and opportunities needed to reach their full potential. The organization recognizes that many families face barriers—including language, disability, culture, income, transportation, and systemic inequities—that can limit access to support and is committed to reducing these barriers through culturally responsive, family-centered, and person-centered services, so that every individual and family has the opportunity to thrive, feel welcomed, and fully participate in their community.

Opportunity Highlights

• Salary Range: $85,000 - $95,000
• Benefits include:
• Vacation: 10 days annually, increasing to 15 days after 5 years of service
• Sick Days:
  Up to 40 hours per year
• Medical, Vision, and Dental Insurance (base plan 100% covered)

You Are

• Bilingual and biliterate in English and Spanish.
• Experienced in generating revenue through relationship-building, grant writing, and fundraising.
• Passionate about supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and their families, ideally as family member of an individual with a developmental disability or as a self-advocate. State funders require lived experience with a developmental disability, preferably through an immediate family member.
• Organized, forward-thinking, and cross-collaborative with other leaders and departments.

Position Overview

Special Kids Connect seeks a mission-driven, bilingual Associate Director to serve as a key strategic and operational leader within the organization. The Associate Director will initially focus on the Community Services Division, which represents approximately 60% of SKC's total revenue and includes a budget of $600,000 or more, while building the broad organizational knowledge needed to support all three of SKC's divisions over time.

Reporting Relationships

The Associate Director reports directly to the Executive Director. The Associate Director will have five direct reports for whom they hold full supervisory responsibility, along with four additional staff whose reporting relationship is shared equally (50/50) with the Education Manager.

Primary Responsibilities

• Organizational Leadership & Cross-Divisional Oversight
• Partner with the Executive Director to support oversight and strategic alignment across Community Programs, Community Services, and Educational Services/the Family Empowerment Center.
• Help set organizational priorities, support effective execution across divisions, establish budget allocations, and identify and apply for funding opportunities.
• Identify opportunities for program integration, efficiency, impact, and revenue growth to support long-term financial stability.
• Serve as a thought partner to the Executive Director on organizational challenges and opportunities and contribute to leadership continuity by developing broad organizational knowledge and capacity.
• Program Leadership & Management
• Inform, implement, and evaluate programs, workshops, conferences, and services in line with California Department of Development Services (DDS) and California Department of Education (CDE) policies and best practices.
• Monitor grant activities and outcomes, including data requirements, timely and accurate data collection, and early identification and resolution of risks to deliverables.
• Oversee data collection and reporting on workshop attendance, pre/post survey analysis, and outreach and community engagement participation.
• Maintain deep expertise in eligibility, access, and navigation of Regional Center, generic (IHSS, SSI, Medi-Cal, CAPI), legal/advocacy, and public education services (IEPs, 504 plans, post-secondary transitions).
• Identify optimal service…