Associate Director, Habilitation — HLS

Help open a new office. Build a lasting foundation.

BAYADA is seeking a collaborative, mission-driven Associate Director to help launch and grow the new HLS Habilitation office in Missouri. This is an opportunity to help shape a new team, build trusted community relationships, and establish dependable office operations while supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to live with greater independence, dignity, and opportunity.

As the office grows, you will partner with BAYADA leaders and future office team members to create a welcoming, reliable presence for clients, families, employees, and community partners. This is a hands-on leadership opportunity for someone energized by building relationships, developing people, and bringing structure to a new operation.

Role overview

• Practice: Habilitation

• Location: St. Louis, Missouri

What you will do

• Help launch the HLS office and establish BAYADA as a trusted provider and employer in the community.

• Build relationships with clients, families, referral partners, community organizations, and prospective employees.

• Support outreach, recruiting, and local business-development efforts that grow awareness of Habilitation services.

• Partner with BAYADA leaders to establish sound office routines, responsive service processes, and a positive client and employee experience.

• Support client-service coordination, staffing, scheduling, and day-to-day office workflow as the team is built.

• Help monitor office goals, key performance indicators, and operating measures, and use them to identify priorities and solve problems.

• Contribute to hiring, onboarding, coaching, and development of a strong office team.

• Support quality, safety, and compliance by following BAYADA policies and applicable requirements, and by elevating questions or concerns promptly.

• Work collaboratively with clients, families, employees, and colleagues to address changing needs with care and sound judgment.

• Participate in leadership development and help prepare for increased office leadership responsibility as the HLS team grows.

Building the office

The opening period will bring evolving priorities and hands-on work. You may help establish local relationships, support client and employee growth, and step into operational responsibilities while the office’s staffing and processes are being developed. The Associate Director role is designed to build leadership capability through hands-on experience and partnership with the Director and other BAYADA leaders.

What we are looking for

• Bachelor's degree required.

• Experience leading people, coordinating operations, or managing day-to-day business activity.

• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to earn trust and work effectively with a range of people.

• Good judgment, organization, follow-through, and the ability to manage competing priorities.

• A flexible, practical approach to solving problems and improving processes.

• A genuine commitment to supporting people with I/DD and helping clients and families achieve meaningful outcomes.

• Comfort working in a new office where priorities and processes may evolve as the team grows.

Preferred experience

• Experience supporting people with I/DD, Habilitation, or other community-based human services.

• Experience launching or growing an office, program, or service.

• Experience with hiring, coaching, employee development, client services, scheduling, staffing, or operational measures.

• Experience with community outreach, referral relationships, or recruiting.

Why this opportunity matters

A new office is an opportunity to build trust from the beginning. Your leadership will help create a caring, dependable environment where clients and families feel supported, employees can grow, and the HLS office can become a valued part of its community. At BAYADA, our commitment to compassionate care and lasting relationships guides how we serve—and how we build for the future.