Job Description

Who we are

SOS Children's Villages Jordan is a national non-profit organization established in 1983 to provide alternative care for children and youth who lack parental care or are at risk of losing it.

What distinguishes our care model is providing integrated care for children and youth, by covering all their needs including care, accommodation, education and skills, protection and social inclusion, food security, physical health, livelihood, and social and emotional wellbeing. The Association is guided by the UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care for Children and the Convention on the Rights of the Child issued by the United Nations. The Association also aligns its efforts with the principles of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, where the goals of the United Nations for sustainable development come within the focus of the Association's work and strategy.

Purpose of the Position

To assess individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), design and implement individualized intervention programmes, and develop communication, social, and independent-living skills while reducing behaviours of concern. Services are delivered in home and community settings in partnership with families, supporting independent living as an alternative to residential care.

The Autism Spectrum Disorder Specialist also works within a multidisciplinary team to ensure coordinated rehabilitation interventions and achieve the best possible outcomes for service users and their families.

Key Responsibilities

1. Case Assessment and Intervention Planning

• Receive referred cases and conduct comprehensive assessments of individuals with ASD, covering communication and social interaction skills, restricted and repetitive behaviours, cognitive and academic skills, self-care skills, and sensory responses, to establish each service user’s current level of functioning and needs.
• Apply standardized and recognized ASD assessment tools, such as the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Second Edition (CARS-2), the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP), and developmental skills checklists. Analyze results using an evidence-based approach to identify rehabilitation priorities.
• Conduct a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) to identify the functions of behaviours of concern and the factors that trigger and reinforce them, as a basis for developing behaviour-modification plans.
• Develop an individualized educational and rehabilitation plan (IEP) for each service user based on assessment results. The plan should include measurable goals in communication, social, behavioural, and independence skills, as well as intervention strategies and expected timeframes.
• Review and update individual plans and behaviour-modification plans regularly based on ongoing assessment results and progress data, adjusting goals and interventions to achieve the best possible outcomes.

2. Rehabilitation Sessions and Interventions

• Deliver individual and group sessions in home and community settings in accordance with approved individual plans, to develop communication, social interaction, and independent-living skills and achieve each service user’s goals.
• Apply evidence-based intervention strategies and programmes, such as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication-Handicapped Children (TEACCH), the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), social stories, and video modelling.
• Implement behaviour-modification plans to reduce behaviours of concern and strengthen appropriate alternative behaviours through positive reinforcement, while safeguarding the service user’s dignity and safety.
• Develop self-care and daily living skills to strengthen service users’ independence and inclusion within their families and communities.
• Prepare and design visual schedules, educational aids, and support materials tailored to each service user’s needs, and arrange the session environment in consideration of the sensory characteristics of individuals with ASD.
• Apply the approved quality standards and procedures for the rehabilitation component and contribute to improving the quality and efficiency of services provided to service users.

3. Ongoing Monitoring and Evaluation

• Monitor service users’ progress in communication, behaviour, social skills, and independence by collecting and analysing data and conducting periodic assessments to measure achievement of established goals.
• Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of rehabilitation and behavioural interventions and make necessary changes to plans based on data and the level of functional improvement.

4. Documentation and Reporting

• Complete approved assessment forms and reports required by relevant entities and submit them to the direct supervisor within specified timeframes and in line with approved policies and procedures.
• Prepare a follow-up report after each session or field visit, describing the interventions provided, the service user’s response, behavioural data, progress, recommendations, and next steps.
• Document all sessions and field visits promptly and systematically using approved forms and protocols to ensure accuracy, completeness, and data quality.
• Prepare comprehensive individual reports documenting assessment findings, individual plans, behaviour-modification plans, progress, home programmes, recommendations, and expected outcomes.
• Manage and regularly update service-user files and records, ensuring confidentiality, high-quality documentation, and easy retrieval of information within the organizational system.
• Provide management and supervisors with required technical reports and statistics within specified timeframes to support decision-making and improve service quality.

5. Training and Empowering Families and Caregivers

• Develop guidance and training plans for families and caregivers that define their roles in supporting the home programme and achieving the service user’s behavioural, communication, and independence goals.
• Train families and caregivers in strategies for managing challenging behaviours, positive reinforcement, and the use of visual schedules and alternative communication methods in daily life.
• Organize family training and awareness sessions on ASD and best practices for supporting their children, and promote continuity of intervention in the home environment.
• Design individualized home programmes to generalize and maintain skills acquired during sessions at home and in the community.
• Monitor family implementation of the home programme and provide ongoing feedback and technical support to ensure intervention effectiveness.
• Support families in creating an organized and safe home environment that considers the service user’s sensory needs, helps reduce behaviours of concern, and promotes independence.
• Provide guidance and support to family members when needed to strengthen their ability to implement the home programme and improve the service user’s behavioural and functional outcomes.

6. Multidisciplinary Teamwork

• Coordinate and collaborate continuously with multidisciplinary team members, including speech and language specialists, occupational therapists, psychologists, and special education specialists, to provide integrated rehabilitation services based on each service user’s needs.
• Actively participate in regular team meetings and case conferences and contribute to developing and implementing joint, assessment-based intervention plans, documenting recommendations in approved records.
• Refer cases to relevant specialists when needed and follow up on joint recommendations to ensure continuity and effectiveness of interventions.
• Exchange relevant professional information while maintaining confidentiality, and contribute to strengthening team capacity in supporting individuals with ASD.

7. Training and Professional Development

• Commit to continuous professional development and keep up to date with the latest scientific evidence and evidence-based practices in the field of ASD.
• Actively participate in training programmes, workshops, conferences, and scientific activities organized by the organization, government entities, or relevant partners.
• Contribute to improving the quality of rehabilitation services by applying quality standards and improving work procedures and interventions.
• Adhere to professional ethics, child and disability safeguarding policies, and the organization’s approved systems, policies, and procedures.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Special Education. A postgraduate diploma or master’s degree in Autism Spectrum Disorder or Special Education is preferred.
• Two to three years of practical experience working with individuals with ASD, preferably in community-based rehabilitation programmes or home-based intervention.
• Specialized training courses in ASD and behaviour modification. Certification in Applied Behavior Analysis (RBT or BCaBA) or accredited training in TEACCH and PECS is preferred.

How to Apply

• If you are interested in this position and believe you have the qualifications and experience required, we invite you to apply through our official website.

• SOS Children’s Villages Jordan is firmly committed to child safeguarding and maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse in all forms, whether in the workplace or in the communities where the organization operates.

• The recruitment and selection process is based on technical competence and alignment with organizational values. Comprehensive background checks, including a criminal record clearance certificate and reference checks, will be conducted for the selected candidate.

• SOS Children’s Villages Jordan is an equal opportunity employer. Recruitment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or marital status.