POSITION IDENTIFICATION
TITLE Director Project Access-Autism Program Specialist
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 2544
GRADE 45
CLASSIFICATION Exempt
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Designated Professor
GENERAL FUNCTION
The Director for Project ACCESS also serves as an Autism Program Specialist and is responsible for the coordination of activities and continued identification of program activities and project priorities and exercises managerial responsibilities for the Project ACCESS office. The Director, in collaboration with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, develops the contract proposal which supports the continuation and funding of the Project ACCESS effort, develops programs for training for public school educators, and provides consultation services to public school personnel regarding educational programs for students with autism. As the Autism Program Specialist, the Director serves as an advisor to the State of Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education regarding students with autism. This position is funded by IDEA-Part B and administered through the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Division of Special Education.
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education: A master's degree is required, with an emphasis in Special Education or a closely related area. An equivalent combination of years of experience and education may be considered for substitution of educational requirements.
Experience: At least five years of responsible experience at a Missouri public school, Project ACCESS, the Missouri State Department of Education, or at another agency in a role that primarily serves schools in their capacity to support students on the autism spectrum.
Skills: Excellent oral and written communication skills are required.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Develops the practices and CCESS contract including aligning effort with the funding mandate, innovating new programs and activities, operationalizing these by defining staff scopes of work, negotiating funding levels and contract activities in collaboration with the state department of education, informing the contract through researching evidence-based intervention strategies that align with best practices, and preparing and delivering the contract in a timely manner.2. Assists school districts in meeting federal and state requirements for providing a free and appropriate public education to students with autism by training school personnel in key areas, including: eligibility determination for special education under the autism category, conducting functional behavior assessments for disciplinary procedures, developing legally defensible educational programs, and designing and evaluating social communication and behavior goals using research-based strategies.
3. Leads the planning, coordination, and delivery of professional development for public school personnel through various formats—including online in-person, hybrid, and expert-led sessions—focused on networking, problem-solving, and targeted skill-building.
4. Manages a dynamic learning catalog utilizing asynchronous and synchronous technologies, such as learning management systems and web conferencing tools.
5. Continuously evaluates program effectiveness using data and feedback to ensure alignment with best-practice instructional design and contract requirements.
6. Administers an educational program which allows participants to earn academic credit, in conjunction with in-service training workshops, by developing a curriculum, scheduling related activities, and serving as the professor for students enrolled in the prescribed college course when necessary.
7. Manages the Project ACCESS budgets by planning and developing a project budget that provides for execution of contract deliverables.
8. Collaborates with the University’s financial services department to prepare quarterly invoices for the department of education. Monitors budgets to ensure that expenditures align with activities, are appropriate, and do not exceed budgeted amounts.
9. Participates in reporting and auditing, as necessary.
10. Oversees project staffing by leading recruitment efforts, including job searches, candidate vetting, and onboarding. Provide staff with targeted professional development in tools and practices for delivering training, resources, and services. Communicates policies aligned with agency and university standards, define scopes of work, and supervise and evaluate staff performance.
11. Provides advice to the State of Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as to appropriate strategies for educating students with autism by serving as a resource professional for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Section of Special Education.
12. Promotes an awareness of the project activities and services available through Project ACCESS by creating, maintaining, and executing a marketing plan that includes the use of social media, electronic mail campaigns, list servs, marketing videos, and a Project website.
13. Present professional development topics at conferences, conduct educational/informational programs, writes public service announcements and news releases, and participates in media interviews.
14. Manages the daily operations of the Project ACCESS office by establishing activity priorities, goals, and objectives, determining resource allocations, assigning activity responsibilities, and evaluating progress toward achievement of established goals and objectives.
15. Contributes to the overall success of Project ACCESS by performing other essential duties and responsibilities as assigned.
SUPERVISION
The Director supervises the professional and clerical staff of the Project ACCESS office.
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
REVISED AUGUST 2025
