Assistant House Manager for Autism Support and Behavioral Management

Job Description

Job Description

Part-Time Assistant House Manager

Residential Support & Staff Leadership

Location: East County San Diego, California
Schedule: Part-Time —32 hours/week + limited on-call rotation
Compensation: $60,000.00-$65000.00

About the Position

We are seeking a dependable, compassionate, and experienced Assistant House Manager to provide consistent, respectful support to an individual with developmental disabilities and complex support needs.

This is a hands-on leadership position for someone who understands that quality residential support is about much more than completing tasks. The right person will build a trusting relationship with the individual, recognize their needs and communication cues, maintain a calm and respectful home environment, and provide guidance to residential staff.

The Assistant House Manager will work closely with the Full-Time House Manager to promote consistency, safety, continuity, and quality of support .

Key Responsibilities

Individualized Residential Support

· Provide respectful, person-centered support based on the individual’s needs, preferences, routines, and established support plans.

· Maintain a calm, predictable, and supportive home environment.

· Follow individualized behavioral, communication, safety, and trauma-informed support strategies.

· Recognize changes in mood, behavior, communication, or routine and communicate concerns appropriately.

· Support daily activities while encouraging independence, choice, and meaningful participation.

· Respond calmly and appropriately during periods of stress, dysregulation, or challenging behavior.

Relationship Development Intervention (RDI)

· Learn and consistently implement Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) strategies.

· Use RDI-informed approaches to promote connection, communication, shared experiences, problem-solving, and independence.

· Participate in required RDI training and coaching.

· Help maintain consistency in RDI practices across the staff team.

Staff Leadership

· Provide direction and support to Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) and other residential staff.

· Help ensure staff follow established routines, support strategies, house guidelines, and individualized plans.

· Model appropriate communication and interactions with the individual.

· Assist with orienting and training new staff.

· Reinforce consistent use of trauma-informed, person-centered, and RDI-informed approaches.

· Communicate staff, scheduling, or performance concerns to the appropriate supervisor.

Household Operations & Communication

· Help oversee day-to-day household functioning.

· Help maintain a clean, organized, comfortable, and safe home.

· Monitor household supplies and assist with appointments, transportation, and other practical needs.

· Ensure important information is communicated between shifts and staff.

· Complete required documentation and shift notes accurately and on time.

· Use good judgment, take initiative, and know when concerns should be escalated.

Limited On-Call Responsibilities

The Assistant House Manager will participate in a limited on-call rotation , with fewer on-call hours than the Full-Time House Manager.

Responsibilities may include:

· Being available by phone during designated on-call periods.

· Responding to staff questions and providing guidance regarding established support strategies.

· Helping coordinate coverage when staff are unexpectedly unavailable.

· Providing additional in-person support when necessary and agreed upon.

· Escalating urgent or significant concerns appropriately.

Qualifications & Experience

Required:

· At least 3 years of direct experience in residential support, caregiving, direct support, behavioral support, or a similar setting.

· Experience supporting individuals with developmental disabilities, autism, complex support needs, or significant care needs .

· RBT certification or willingness to become RBT certified.

· Ability to work effectively with individuals who communicate differently or have limited verbal communication.

· Experience following individualized support, behavioral, and safety plans.

· Strong communication, judgment, reliability, and problem-solving skills.

· Ability to remain calm under pressure and take appropriate initiative.

· Ability to maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries.

· Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.

· High school diploma or equivalent.

· Ability to successfully complete required background checks and employment screening.

Strongly Preferred:

· Previous leadership, supervisory, Lead DSP, or House Manager experience.

· Familiarity with Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) .

· Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary or caregiving team.

· Additional education or training in developmental disabilities, behavioral health, special education, psychology, social services, nursing, or a related field.

· Current CPR/First Aid certification.

Important: Previous RDI experience is a strong plus, but candidates without RDI experience are welcome if they are willing to learn and participate in required training and coaching.

Training & Professional Development

The selected candidate will receive training related to the individual’s unique needs and support approach, including areas such as:

· Relationship Development Intervention (RDI)

· Trauma-informed care

· Individualized communication strategies

· Behavioral and safety plans

· Household-specific routines and procedures

The candidate must be willing to receive feedback, ask questions, learn new strategies, and consistently apply training in daily interactions.

Personal Qualities We Value

We are looking for someone who is:

· Calm — remains steady and thoughtful when situations become challenging.

· Compassionate — genuinely cares about the person being supported.

· Observant — notices subtle changes in behavior, communication, mood, and routine.

· Dependable — understands that consistency and reliability are essential.

· Proactive — sees what needs to be done and takes appropriate initiative.

· Respectful — treats the individual as an adult with dignity, preferences, and autonomy.

· Relationship-oriented — understands that connection is central to quality support.

· Team-oriented — values consistency and communication among staff.

· Flexible — adapts appropriately when unexpected situations arise.

· Leadership-minded — comfortable guiding others while remaining collaborative.

· Teachable — willing to learn specialized approaches, including RDI, and put them into practice.

Why This Position Matters

The Assistant House Manager plays an important role in creating a stable, respectful, and well-functioning home .

The goal is not simply to manage a household or supervise staff. It is to help create an environment in which the individual feels safe, respected, understood, supported, connected, and able to live as independently and meaningfully as possible .

The right person will bring both professional competence and genuine compassion to this role while being willing to learn and consistently implement the individualized approaches that are important to this household.

Schedule & Availability

This is a 32-hour-per-week part-time position with regularly scheduled hours and designated limited on-call availability. Because residential support needs can occasionally change unexpectedly, some flexibility outside regularly scheduled hours may be required.

The Assistant House Manager will work in coordination with the Full-Time House Manager to provide dependable coverage and continuity for the household.