School Based Therapy Manager

Barber National Institute; Erie (Erie County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Barber National Institute is seeking a School-Based Therapy Manager in Erie, PA. You will lead and coordinate occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language therapy services at Elizabeth Lee Black School while maintaining an active clinical role within your licensed discipline.

You will supervise approximately 10 school-based therapists, oversee staff development, caseload and schedule coordination, performance management, clinical quality, and documentation, as well as manage

Qualifications

• Master's degree in occupational therapy, physical therapy, or speech-language pathology.
• Active Pennsylvania professional license in the applicable therapy field.

Responsibilities

• Lead school-based therapy services across occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology.
• Supervise approximately 10 school-based therapists and oversee staff development and performance reviews.
• Coordinate caseloads, schedules, and resource planning to ensure timely delivery of services.
• Maintain and monitor CareLogic documentation practices and ensure data quality and timeliness.
• Collaborate with educators, nurses, clinicians, families and school leaders to align therapy with IEP goals.

Skills

Leadership

Clinical supervision

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Staff development

Education

Master's degree in OT/PT/SLP

Job description

Overview

As a School-Based Therapy Manager at Barber National Institute, you will support our mission of "Making Dreams Come True" by leading high-quality therapy services that help students build communication, mobility, independence, participation, and skills that support their educational and developmental goals.

You will lead and coordinate occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language therapy services at Elizabeth Lee Black School while maintaining an active clinical role within your licensed discipline. You will supervise approximately 10 school-based therapists and provide leadership in staff development, caseload and schedule coordination, performance management, clinical quality, documentation, and departmental resources.

Working closely with educators, behavior specialists, psychologists, nurses, families, and school leadership, you will ensure therapy services align with students' Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), educational priorities, professional standards, and evidence-based practices. You will also oversee CareLogic documentation practices, support recruitment and retention efforts, and manage approved departmental resources and budgets.

This position combines clinical expertise with team leadership and requires the ability to balance direct therapy services, staff supervision, operational responsibilities, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

What You'll Bring

• Strong clinical leadership and supervisory skills with the ability to coach, develop, and hold professional staff accountable.
• Advanced clinical knowledge within occupational therapy, physical therapy, or speech-language pathology and the ability to provide evidence-based therapy within your licensed scope of practice.
• Strong understanding of school-based therapy practices and how occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language therapy support educational access and student progress.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with therapists, educators, students, families, school leadership, and interdisciplinary partners.
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate caseloads, schedules, staffing resources, and student needs to support continuity and quality of therapy services.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to balance clinical, staffing, documentation, operational, and departmental priorities.
• Ability to provide effective clinical supervision, performance feedback, conflict resolution, and professional development.
• Strong knowledge of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), educationally relevant therapy goals, progress monitoring, data collection, outcome measurement, and interdisciplinary service delivery.
• Knowledge of evidence-based assessment and intervention practices for students with autism, intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, and complex communication, sensory, motor, behavioral, or medical needs.
• Knowledge of augmentative and alternative communication, assistive technology, sensory regulation strategies, adaptive equipment, and other therapeutic supports relevant to school-based services.
• Ability to monitor clinical and operational data, identify trends, and use information to support continuous improvement.
• Knowledge of CareLogic or comparable electronic documentation systems, with the ability to monitor documentation quality, completeness, and timeliness.
• Ability to manage departmental resources and approved budgets responsibly while evaluating equipment, technology, and clinical resource needs.
• Ability to recognize and appropriately escalated significant clinical, safety, family, disciplinary, financial, or operational concerns.
• Ability to promote a safe, collaborative, respectful, and professional work environment.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development and modeling BNI's Core Commitments.

What You'll Have

• Master's degree in occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, or another discipline that meets current educational requirements for professional licensure in the applicable therapy field required.
• Minimum five years of progressive clinical experience in occupational therapy, physical therapy, or speech-language pathology required.
• Experience supporting children or students with complex developmental, communication, sensory, motor, behavioral, or medical needs required.
• Prior leadership, supervisory, clinical coordination, or team lead experience strongly preferred.
• Experience in a school, approved private school, pediatric, or similar interdisciplinary setting preferred.
• Active, unrestricted Pennsylvania professional license in occupational therapy, physical therapy, or speech-language pathology required.
• Speech-language pathologists must maintain the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) and applicable Pennsylvania educational certification required for the school setting.
• Additional certifications required for the individual's clinical discipline must be maintained throughout employment.
• Valid driver's license and ongoing compliance with all agency and insurer driving eligibility requirements for role-related travel.
• Successful completion and maintenance of all required regulatory and agency clearances, including criminal background checks, child abuse clearances, and fingerprinting, as applicable.
• Ability to meet the physical and environmental requirements associated with direct therapy services and the school environment, with or without reasonable accommodation.

A Typical Day May Include

• Leading school-based occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language therapy services while supervising approximately 10 therapists.
• Providing direct therapy services within your licensed clinical discipline using evidence-based practices aligned with students' IEP goals, educational priorities, developmental needs, and established plans of care.
• Supervising, coaching, and developing school-based therapists through direct observation, documentation review, performance evaluations, ongoing feedback, and professional development.
• Managing therapist caseloads and schedules to promote equitable workload distribution, efficient use of clinical resources, continuity of services, and timely delivery of therapy required by students' IEPs.
• Ensuring accurate and timely clinical documentation through oversight of CareLogic practices, monitoring record quality and completeness, and providing guidance regarding documentation requirements and professional standards.
• Participating in recruitment, interviewing, candidate assessment, onboarding, and retention efforts to maintain a highly qualified interdisciplinary therapy team.
• Coordinating department communication, setting clear expectations, and supporting accountability and continuous improvement across the therapy team.
• Collaborating with educators, behavior specialists, psychologists, nurses, families, and school leadership to address complex student needs and strengthen continuity across learning environments.
• Supporting the development and implementation of educationally relevant therapy goals and monitoring student progress through data collection and outcome measurement.
• Managing approved therapy department budgets and resources, including routine purchases, equipment, assistive technology, and other clinical resources.
• Collaborating with school leadership on major purchases, grants, assistive technology, equipment, and other funding opportunities that strengthen therapeutic programming.
• Monitoring clinical, operational, and performance data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Supporting supervision requirements for clinical fellows, graduate interns, students, and other developing professionals within applicable therapy disciplines.
• Reinforcing professional standards, confidentiality, safety practices, organizational policies, and applicable regulations.
• Providing clear direction, coaching, and performance feedback while creating an environment where team members feel respected, supported, and accountable.
• Translating organizational priorities into clear team expectations and measurable outcomes.
• Partnering with administrative departments to support compliance, technology, budgeting, staffing, and organizational initiatives.
• Promoting collaboration, transparent communication, ethical decision-making, adaptability, and mission-centered service.
• Participating in ongoing professional development and modeling BNI's Core Commitments in daily practice.
• Performing other duties as assigned to support the mission of Barber National Institute.