...and to carry that point farther...the head director's title is called "head" director for a reason. They make the final decisions on things. They may ask for input from their assistants...and the good ones do...but they make the final call. It is their head in the noose if things aren't going well, and it is up to them to make things right that aren't going well.

They have the authority to put people on, or take them off the podium in the best interest of the band(s)...and to give the assistants assignments within the program.

Sure, an assistant can try to take the "you're not my boss" route, or play the "supervisor" card if they want...but eventually the principal is going to get fed up with them coming to them for every little issue and do one of two things, and maybe both:

1. Refer them back to the HBD and remind the assistant that the HBD runs the program. Someone else mentioned this above...but for some reason other posters want to pretend this doesn't happen while singing "la, la, la" to themselves.

and/or,

2. NR the ABD.