Director of Waiver Services

ARC OF ACADIAN; New Iberia (LA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Arc of Acadiana is seeking a Director of Waiver Services to lead Waiver operations across New Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, and Vermilion. You will guide QIPDs and Coordinators, develop staff, oversee daily operations, and ensure compliance with state and federal requirements.

You will collaborate with executives and support teams to align services with approved plans. The role emphasizes person-centered planning, safeguarding participant rights, and ensuring timely, well-documented service

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Communication, Social Work, or Business required.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• At least five years of relevant experience in waiver/Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) operations, including person-centered planning and documentation, problem-solving, decision-making, and managing change.

Responsibilities

• Direct daily waiver operations across all service areas.
• Establish priorities, balance workloads, assign coverage, and resolve competing operational demands.
• Lead department meetings, case reviews, readiness reviews, and implementation initiatives.
• Coordinate with the Vice President, COO, HR, Nursing, Financials, Billing, Scheduling, Day Programs, and other Directors.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Communication, Social Work, or Business

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

At Arc of Acadiana, you’ll help lead Waiver Services that help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities live meaningful lives in their homes and communities. As Director, you’ll guide QIPDs and Coordinators, develop employees, and oversee daily operations, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and participant risk management. You’ll ensure services are safe, person-centered, timely, properly documented, and aligned with approved plans and agency requirements. Service Areas: New Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, and Vermilion.Location: 6400 HWY 90 W New Iberia, LAReports to: Vice President of Waiver ServicesWhat You’ll DoLeadership and OperationsDirect daily waiver operations across all service areas.Establish priorities, balance workloads, assign coverage, and resolve competing operational demands.Lead department meetings, case reviews, readiness reviews, and implementation initiatives.Coordinate with the Vice President, COO, HR, Nursing, Financials, Billing, Scheduling, Day Programs, and other Directors.Q and Coordinator Partnership OversightDefine and enforce role boundaries while maintaining shared participant accountability.Review caseloads using participant count, SIL requirements, day-program participation, geography, travel, health risks, incidents, family communication, and staffing barriers.Ensure weekly Q/Coordinator caseload reviews occur and produce documented action items.Intervene when work is duplicated, unassigned, overdue, or inconsistently completed.Quality Assurance and ComplianceOwn documentation review, SIL-contact spot checks, CPOC quality review, home and binder review, corrective-action follow-up, and trend monitoring.Ensure compliance with applicable state and federal requirements and coordinate licensing activities, surveys, audits, and responses.Ensure required plans, reports, revisions, contacts, training, and follow-up actions are timely and complete.Report significant compliance, safety, and service-continuity issues to executive leadership.Participant Services and RiskOversee admissions, transitions, placement decisions, service continuity, and high-risk participant situations.Ensure participant backup staffing and evacuation plans are current and reflected in service planning.Oversee critical-incident escalation, medical-emergency response, hospital-admission handoff, discharge planning, and systemic corrective action.Protect participant choice, dignity, rights, health, safety, welfare, and person-centered outcomes.Employee SupervisionSupervise Qs and Coordinators and establish clear performance expectations.Provide coaching, conduct evaluations, and coordinate corrective action with HR when required.Ensure required training, licensing, competency, and participant-specific onboarding are completed.Ensure DSP supervision and participant-specific staff guidance are effectively carried out through Q/Coordinator partnerships.Housing, Financial, and Administrative OversightOversee the team regarding housing transitions, HUD/Section 8 and apartment-renewal workflows, move coordination, and escalation of unresolved housing risks.Coordinate with Financials regarding budgets, major purchases, petty cash, leases, and participant financial concerns.Ensure AXIS Care, SharePoint, binders, trackers, payroll follow-up, and required administrative systems are used consistently.Emergency Preparedness and Mobile/Floater DSP Oversight – in Partnership with Vice PresidentMaintain a written emergency-response hierarchy, after-hours coverage plan, evacuation process, and relief procedure.Oversee deployment and utilization of the Mobile/Floater DSP for approved medical transportation, medication deliveries, urgent home response, and emergency coverage.Ensure emergencies begin with 911 when indicated and that direct support ends at hospital admission unless separately authorized.Ensure the Floater supplements rather than replaces EMS, Nursing, Medicaid transportation, family resources, or routine DSP staffing.Review emergency utilization for recurring staffing gaps, preventable disruptions, and needed corrective action.Decision AuthorityApprove operational priorities, portfolio balancing, coverage assignments, and workflow standards.Require retraining, documentation correction, case review, or enhanced monitoring when standards are not met.Escalate staffing, safety, quality, compliance, and participant-risk concerns to executive leadership.Recommend personnel actions in coordination with HR and the Vice President.How Success Is MeasuredTimeliness and completeness of participant plans, contacts, reports, revisions, and follow-up.Completion of SIL face-to-face and other required participant monitoring.Incident follow-up timeliness and closure of corrective actions.Overdue work, renewal readiness, documentation quality, and audit findings.Balanced workloads across Q/Coordinator partnerships.Emergency-response coverage, Floater utilization, and reduction in disrupted Q/Coordinator work.Employee training, supervision, evaluations, and performance follow-through.Participant continuity, safety, rights, and person-centered outcomes.Bachelor’s degree in Communication, Social Work, or Business required. Master’s degree preferred.At least five years of relevant experience in waiver/Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) operations, including person-centered planning and documentation, problem-solving, decision-making, and managing change.Supervisory or management experience and experience with incident management required.Knowledge of waiver/HCBS requirements, Medicaid requirements, applicable licensing standards, and services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.Strong understanding of person-centered planning, Comprehensive Plans of Care (CPOCs), Supported Independent Living (SIL) requirements, and participant monitoring and documentation.Ability to lead, coach, and hold Qs and Coordinators accountable while balancing caseloads, coordinating coverage, and managing competing priorities across multiple service areas.Strong working knowledge of regulatory compliance, survey readiness, quality assurance, emergency preparedness, and risk management practices.Proficiency with AXIS Care or a comparable electronic service system, along with the ability to use SharePoint and administrative tracking tools consistently and accurately.Independent judgment, strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to follow an issue through to resolution.Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with leadership, staff, participants, families, guardians, and regulatory agencies.Experience managing multiple service areas, programs, or caseloads preferred. Experience with waiver/HCBS licensing surveys, Medicaid requirements, and regulatory compliance strongly preferred.Valid driver’s license, acceptable driving record, and the ability to travel regularly throughout the assigned service areas.All experience must be confirmed by HR against the approved job classification and applicable Louisiana requirements.Work EnvironmentThis role combines administrative leadership with regular travel throughout New Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, and Vermilion, including participant homes and program locations. Frequent collaboration with Qs, Coordinators, leadership, and supporting departments is required. The Director must be able to respond to emergency situations and operational needs outside of normal business hours when necessary.What We OfferArc of Acadiana offers the opportunity to lead meaningful work in a mission-driven organization, develop employees, and improve services that help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities live meaningful lives in their homes and communities.Eligible employees enjoy medical, dental, and vision insurance; life and voluntary life insurance; short-term disability insurance; a 401(k) retirement plan with company match; paid time off and paid holidays; an employee assistance program (EAP); employee discounts through TicketsAtWork; and professional development and leadership development opportunities. Benefits eligibility and details are subject to plan terms.Bring Your Leadership to a Mission That MattersIf you can connect daily operations with quality services, support employees while maintaining accountability, and turn challenges into practical solutions, we’d like to hear from you.Apply today to join Arc of Acadiana as our Director of Waiver Services.