Critical Skills Coach

Title: Critical Skills Coach Overview: As the Critical Skills Coach at Barber National Institute, you will support our mission of "Making Dreams Come True" by strengthening the skills and competencies of staff who provide direct services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through field-based observation, coaching, assessment, and development, you will help ensure staff can consistently apply essential skills in ways that promote individual health, safety, dignity, quality of care, and regulatory compliance.

In this role, you will serve as a subject matter expert and field-based competency assessor for critical skills required of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) and other staff who provide services in residential, day, and community-based programs. You will observe staff in actual service environments, assess competency, provide coaching and developmental feedback, demonstrate appropriate techniques, identify skill gaps, and coordinate follow-up and reassessment when additional development is needed.

You will partner with supervisors, program leadership, Nursing/Clinical Services, Learning & Development, Human Resources, Quality, Governance, Risk and Compliance, and other internal partners to strengthen competency standards, supervisory coaching, training effectiveness, and organizational practices. You will also use observation and assessment data to identify individual and organizational skill gaps, recurring deficiencies, emerging risks, and opportunities for improvement.

This is an individual contributor role with no direct staff supervision. A significant portion of the position's work will take place in residential homes, day programs, and other service environments where staff provide direct support. Regular travel between program locations and occasional evening or weekend hours may be required to observe critical skills during normal service delivery.

What you’ll bring: Advanced practical knowledge of critical skills associated with direct support services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Ability to accurately perform, demonstrate, and explain assigned critical skills, including both the required procedure and the rationale for appropriate practice.

Strong observation and assessment skills with the ability to distinguish knowledge of a procedure from consistent, competent application of that procedure in an actual service environment. Strong coaching and development skills with the ability to provide specific, constructive, behavior-based feedback to staff with varying levels of experience and proficiency.

Ability to facilitate individual and small-group learning, skill demonstrations, simulations, practical exercises, and competency assessments. Ability to recognize and appropriately respond to practices that may present immediate health, safety, or life-safety risks. Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills with the ability to establish credibility and work effectively with DSPs, supervisors, program leadership, clinical professionals, instructors, and other organizational partners.

Ability to maintain objectivity, consistency, and professional boundaries when assessing competency and providing developmental feedback. Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret competency and observation information, identify patterns and emerging risks, and distinguish individual skill gaps from broader training, supervisory, procedural, or systemic concerns.

Strong written, verbal, documentation, facilitation, and communication skills with consistent attention to detail and follow-through. Ability to maintain accurate and confidential records and appropriately handle sensitive staff, performance, and individual information. Ability to work independently in varied program environments, manage multiple observations and follow-up activities, and appropriately escalate concerns.

Ability to adapt working hours and location to observe critical skills during normal service delivery across different programs, shifts, and settings. Commitment to BNI’s Core Commitments, including collaboration, transparent communication, problem-solving, adaptability, confidentiality, and ethical judgment. What you’ll have: Bachelor’s degree in human services, education, healthcare, behavioral sciences, organizational learning, or a related field preferred.

Minimum of five years of progressively responsible direct-service experience supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities or comparable populations. Hands-on experience performing, coaching, assessing, or supervising the critical skills associated with the position is required. Experience in residential, day, or community-based IDD services is required; experience across multiple service settings is strongly preferred.

Strong knowledge of the laws, regulations, and rules that govern BNI’s IDD services. An equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant professional experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered in lieu of the stated education requirements. Ability to maintain all certifications required to perform and assess assigned critical skills, as well as any additional certifications required by Barber National Institute or applicable regulatory requirements.

Ability to successfully complete all required regulatory and agency-mandated clearances, including criminal background checks, child abuse clearances, and fingerprinting, as applicable. Ability to regularly travel among Barber National Institute program locations within assigned regions and to other BNI locations as required.

Ability to work varied hours, including evenings and occasional weekends, as necessary to observe staff performing critical skills during normal operations. Ability to physically perform and demonstrate the critical skills assigned to the position, consistent with applicable job and program requirements. A typical day-to-day may include: Conducting structured field observations across residential homes, day programs, and community-based settings to evaluate staff performance against established critical-skill and competency standards.

Assessing both technical skill execution and professional judgment, including staff’s ability to recognize when a skill is needed, apply the appropriate technique, respond to changing circumstances, and seek assistance when necessary. Providing individualized and small-group coaching, demonstrations, practice, and remediation based on observed performance and identified competency needs.

Completing competency assessments, follow-up observations, and reassessments to verify that staff have achieved and can consistently maintain required skills. Identifying immediate health, safety, or life-safety concerns during observations and taking appropriate action while communicating significant or recurring concerns to the appropriate leadership.

Maintaining accurate documentation of observations, competency results, coaching provided, remediation activities, and follow-up outcomes in accordance with organizational processes and confidentiality requirements. Supporting supervisors with practical tools, feedback, and coaching strategies that strengthen their ability to reinforce critical skills and address competency concerns within their teams.

Partnering with Learning & Development colleagues to connect classroom training with field expectations and provide feedback on staff readiness, training effectiveness, and areas where additional learning support may be needed. Reviewing competency and observation information to identify recurring skill gaps, performance trends, emerging risks, and opportunities for improvement across individuals, programs, and service lines.

Recommending and supporting appropriate interventions, including targeted coaching, retraining, additional observation, job aids, changes to competency standards, or other learning solutions based on identified needs. Collaborating with Operations, Nursing/Clinical Services, Quality, Human Resources, Governance, Risk and Compliance, and other partners to address competency trends, strengthen standards, and support regulatory and organizational requirements.

Maintaining current knowledge of applicable regulations, organizational policies, evidence-informed practices, and evolving competency expectations for staff supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Completing other related duties that support the mission and purpose of Barber National Institute.

Perks with a Purpose Our benefits are created with YOU in mind. Healthcare

• Highmark Medical and Mental Health
• Delta Dental and Davis Vision Coverage
• Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Accounts
• Teladoc Virtual Health Financial Well-being
• 401K Retirement Plan with Employer Match
• On-Demand Pay
• Employee Referral Bonus Program
• Student Loan Forgiveness
• College Scholarship & Tuition Discounts
• Employee Discounts Life & Family Support
• Company Paid Life Insurance
• Short & Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Erie Campus*- discounted on-site weekday childcare
• Employee discounts for select BNI events and services
• Generous Paid Time Off
• Seven Paid Holidays Who is Barber National Institute? The Barber National Institute is a non-profit committed to its mission of providing the highest quality services for children and adults with autism, intellectual disabilities or behavioral health challenges and their families. Since our founding in 1952, we have evolved into a multi-faceted organization serving more than 6,200 individuals annually with a wide range of educational, vocational, residential and behavioral health programs. We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. If you need an accommodation to apply, please contact HR. EOE Any consideration of the background check will be an individualized assessment based on the applicant or employee’s specific record and the duties and requirements of the specific job.