BACKGROUND

About Birch Family Services

Birch Family Services (Birch) imagines a world where individuals with autism and developmental disabilities are celebrated for their abilities, uniqueness, and potential.

Since 1975, Birch has served over 20,000 people with autism and developmental disabilities and their families throughout New York City. The organization has grown from a single classroom to a provider of educational and community services in 36 locations supporting 40 programs across Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, with an operating budget of $100 million.

Every year, the organization supports more than 2,000 people. From preschool to graduation, employment, housing and beyond, Birch Family Services provides fully integrated programs and services to support individuals in achieving their goals across their lifetime:

Education Programs offering a broad range of services for children and families ages 3-22 are in 9 locations throughout NYC. Services span the full spectrum, from the early detection of learning and developmental delays through evaluations, to early childhood education and special education services. As children grow, they may transition to school-age services within their local district, or continue receiving special education services and transition planning through adulthood.

Residential Programs for adults where each person works toward developing independent living skills, becoming active members of their community, striving for optimal health, and actively pursuing their life goals in a group living or apartment environment. Birch also offers residential programs for children with complex needs that is highly structured and integrated with the school environment.

Life Skills and Family Support services offer participants opportunities to develop greater independence through participation in site-based and community activities that are designed to foster skill development, enhance socialization, promote community inclusion, relationship-building, encourage self-advocacy, and support informed choice.

Learn more about Birch Family Services at birchfamilyservices.org.

The Opportunity

Birch Family Services is at a pivotal moment in its 50-year history, entering a period of organizational strength, operational scale, and strategic possibility. With a $100M budget, 1,100 staff, and programs across 36 sites in New York City, Birch has built a deeply respected legacy supporting individuals with autism and developmental disabilities across every stage of life.

The next Chief Executive Officer will inherit a stable, mission-driven organization and be charged with guiding its next chapter: strengthening infrastructure, deepening impact, and ensuring Birch is positioned for long-term sustainability and growth.

This is a highly visible, externally facing leadership role for a CEO who is equally at home sitting with a child in a classroom, in the board room, and engaging with government leaders. The ideal leader is deeply grounded in mission, energized by complexity, and skilled at aligning people, systems, and resources to expand opportunity for the individuals Birch serves.

ROLE OVERVIEW

Strategic Organizational Leadership & Management

• Partner with the Board and senior leadership team to lead a sharpened strategic agenda that balances mission impact and financial sustainability while pursuing targeted, scalable areas of program expansion and growth.
• Strengthen organizational capacity by refining workforce systems and program operations to ensure Birch can deliver high-quality services at full and sustainable scale.
• Further strengthen Birch’s existing culture of collaboration, inclusivity, and people-centered practice.
• Invest in building and developing a high-performing leadership team, with a strong emphasis on accountability, professional growth, and succession planning.
• Champion excellence and innovation in whole-person care, driving strategies that ensure Birch’s services meet each person’s full range of needs and deliver measurable, high-quality outcomes across programs.
• In partnership with HR leadership, develop and advance innovative strategies to attract, retain, and support a skilled, mission-driven workforce.
• Serve as the primary liaison to the Board of Directors, supporting strong governance as well as recruitment and engagement of board members. 

Program Oversight & Operations

• Work with the leadership team to optimize program design, as well as the use of space and resources to match demand and staffing realities.
• Partner closely with program leaders to streamline operations, remove barriers to service delivery, and ensure staff are fully supported to focus on high-quality outcomes for individuals and families.

Government Relations, Fundraising & External Affairs

• Act as Birch’s chief ambassador, building on its excellent public profile and reputation in its field, deepening government and funder relationships, and advancing advocacy that benefits the people Birch serves.
• Expand and diversify revenue streams through major donor cultivation, deepening foundation partnerships, corporate engagement, and public funding optimization.
• Continue Birch’s active engagement and participation in councils, trade associations, and other collaborative venues.
• Build a strong internal culture of advocacy, ensuring the organization is positioned as a visible and influential voice in the disability and education sector.

Additional Qualifications

• A mission-driven leader with a deep commitment to individuals with autism and developmental disabilities and the broader special needs community.
• Bring at least fifteen years of senior executive leadership experience in a complex, multi-site organization within disability services, education, healthcare, or a closely related field.
• Proven ability to set vision, translate strategy into execution, and align financial, operational, and programmatic priorities in service of mission and impact.
• Proven ability to balance financial sustainability, compliance, and operational rigor with mission-driven program excellence. Values business intelligence and data-driven decision making.
• A trusted external leader and experienced advocate, capable of building credibility and influence across government, philanthropic, and community ecosystems. Experience working within New York State and New York City systems (e.g., OPWDD, SED, and NYC DOE) is strongly valued.
• Able to build strong relationships, trust quickly, communicate with clarity, and lead with humility and conviction.
• Excellent team management skills; strong culture builder; approachable to all levels of staff and nurtures collaboration, accountability, innovation, and professional development.
• Brings strong board partnership experience, with ability to recruit, activate and empower board members.

WHO WE ARE

Work Environment

The CEO position is full-time, in person, salaried, and exempt. Many of Birch’s services are 24/7 and 365 days per year. The position is based at the organization’s headquarters at 104 West 29th Street and the CEO is expected to be in office, at programs, or in the community. Flexibility is required for evening and weekend responsibilities as needed.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The base salary range for this position is $475,000 to $550,000 plus benefits, including opportunity for a discretionary incentive. Birch offers a competitive benefits package including comprehensive health coverage, retirement plans, life insurance and long-term disability, and generous time off.

TIMELINE AND NEXT STEPS

If you are interested in this position, please click here. All applicants will receive an email confirming receipt of their application.

We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply even if you do not meet all of the qualifications outlined above. If you are selected to move forward for an initial screening call, we expect you to hear from us throughout June and July.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Birch Family Services provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics, in addition to federal law requirements. Birch Family Services complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.