Head of Admissions & Legal

Position Summary 

The Head of Admissions & Legal Operations is a strategic and relational leader responsible for overseeing Gersh Academy’s legal advocacy operations function while driving growth. This dual-role position ensures the organization is well-positioned in both the legal and referral ecosystems—maintaining strong external partnerships with advocates and professionals, while ensuring operational excellence in contract, documentation management, and Admissions Software Management. The role plays a critical role in supporting the mission of placing students in the least restrictive and most supportive educational environment. 

Key Responsibilities 

Legal & Advocacy Oversight 

• Ensure the strength and viability of each placement case by coordinating thorough internal case review and documentation prior to impartial hearings or district engagement. 

• Maintain and nurture strong relationships with external advocacy attorneys, ensuring Gersh remains a preferred placement referral for complex special education cases. 

• Oversee the intake and collection of all required legal and clinical documentation necessary to initiate and sustain student placement. 

• Supervise contract execution and documentation processes related to each student’s placement, ensuring timely and compliant file completion. 

• Partner with admissions and operations staff to streamline workflows that support legal onboarding and contract readiness. 

• Oversee the accuracy and completeness of student records in Finalsite CRM, including timely upload of all remaining documents and ongoing data validation to support compliant and efficient admissions processing. 

• Monitor case timelines and proactively follow up with attorneys, families, and internal teams to ensure timely submission of documentation and to accelerate case closure and enrollment decisions 

Admissions Growth & Partnerships 

• Identify and cultivate new and existing referral sources, including developmental pediatricians, neuropsychologists, advocates, attorneys, and independent evaluators. 

• Develop and maintain strong, ongoing relationships with public school districts and special education directors to position Gersh Academy as a trusted out-of-district placement partner. 

• Represent Gersh Academy at professional events, conferences, and within key networks in the special education legal and clinical communities. 

• Work closely with the marketing and admissions teams to coordinate messaging and outreach strategies for various referral segments. 

Leadership & Collaboration 

• Report regularly on legal trends, referral activity, pipeline development, and case quality. 

• Provide support and training to internal teams delivered by our attorneys regarding special education law, impartial hearing readiness, and document preparation. 

• Collaborate with education, clinical, and administrative leaders to ensure a seamless experience for families during the admissions and legal advocacy process. 

• Oversee the collaboration of the placement of the student with the local school campus leaders.  

Qualifications 

• Advanced degree in business, public policy, or special education preferred; significant experience in operations, special education advocacy or law required. 

• Minimum of 7 years' experience working within operations, the special education legal system, advocacy space, or within a non-public placement environment. 

• Deep knowledge of IDEA, FAPE, IEP processes, impartial hearings, and CSE meetings. 

• Demonstrated success in building referral relationships with attorneys, districts, or evaluators. 

• Highly organized with strong follow-through on documentation, contract workflows, and compliance. 

• Proven process improvement in operations. 

• Willingness and ability to travel regularly for meetings, events, and outreach opportunities. 

• Prior work in a special education school or therapeutic setting. 

Location: Remote with frequent travel

Benefits 

Gersh Autism offers a competitive compensation package, including comprehensive health and retirement benefits, professional development opportunities, and a supportive work environment committed to your personal and professional growth.  

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision) 

• Retirement Plan (401k matching) 

• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D) 

• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity) 

• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability 

• Training & Development 

The pay range for this role is $90,000-$120,000, which includes KRA bonus