Director, Student Accessibility Services at Emerson College in Boston, MA

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Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, the Director of Student Accessibility Services leads the strategy and execution of disability accommodation services for students, ensuring that Emerson College complies with legal standards for individual accommodations and promotes an inclusive educational environment. The Director is responsible for the leadership and management of the Office of Student Accessibility Services, high-level collaboration with faculty and administrative partners across the College, and strategic oversight of resources and processes related to the delivery of disability services.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

Oversee the implementation of, and compliance with, accommodations across all college activities and Student Accessibility Services (SAS) operations.
Lead and manage the office of Student Accessibility Services, including training and supervision of staff, coordination of processes and technology related to student accommodations, collection, and reporting of data, management of budget, and focus on continuous improvement in the delivery of disability services.
Advise and guide the SAS staff on accessibility requirements, evaluation of eligibility documents, the interactive process, determination of appropriate accommodations, partnering cross-departmentally to address accommodation needs, coaching students on self-advocacy, educating faculty and staff on accommodations and accessibility, and referring students to appropriate outside services for assessment and diagnosis as necessary.
Serve as an internal expert on accessibility and accommodations, providing training and consultation for faculty and staff and facilitating conflict resolution between students and faculty or staff concerning accommodation issues.
Represent SAS and the needs of disabled students across the College, providing strategic recommendations for inclusion and accessibility efforts, focusing on initiatives that enhance student engagement and minimize barriers for disabled students.
Co-chair the Accessibility Advisory Board to influence the College’s policies, practices, and compliance strategies regarding accommodations and accessibility.
Engage collaboratively with leaders from the Social Justice Collaborative, Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO), Instructional Technology Group, and academic offices across Emerson's campuses to steer and broaden disability awareness and integrate accessible practices into all aspects of the College’s student-facing operations.
Audit and recommend policies and practices for student and co-curricular organizations to ensure accessibility for meetings, programs, and activities.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of disability laws and compliance requirements, adaptive/assistive technology, and internal and external resources for supporting students with disabilities.
Foster and strengthen Emerson’s strategic partnership with the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board (AAB) to enhance collaboration, share best practices, and leverage resources for improved accessibility and inclusion initiatives.
Serve as a member of the Student Affairs Cabinet, the leadership body of the Student Affairs division.
Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS – Qualifications are deemed required or preferred and represent what is needed to perform the job effectively.

Bachelor’s Degree in higher education administration, counseling, disability services, social work, or a related field required; Master’s degree preferred.
5-7 years of progressive experience in disability services or a related field within higher education.
Experience working with disability laws and compliance requirements, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Minimum 2 years of experience supervising staff and overseeing departmental operations.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES – This may be representative but not all-inclusive of the knowledge, skills, and abilities commonly associated with the job.

Strong understanding of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and applicable disability laws.
Knowledge of adaptive/assistive technologies, support services for people with disabilities, and relevant disability laws.
Ability to build strong working relationships and effectively collaborate with internal and external partners.
Excellent organizational and communication skills, both verbal and written.
High cultural competence and active commitment to making Emerson’s dynamic community a more inclusive, equitable, accessible, and social place for individuals of all abilities, races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, nationalities, religions, etc.
Ability to direct, manage, implement, and evaluate department operations.
Ability to effectively plan, delegate, and/or supervise the work of others.
Ability to lead, motivate, develop, train, and evaluate staff.
Working knowledge of Accommodate software is preferred.

PHYSICAL ABILITIES – Activities commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job. The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Requires the ability to move materials occasionally
Ability to sit/stand in the office for multiple hours

WORK ENVIRONMENT – Environmental or atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job.

Office environment

Disclaimer: This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees may be required to follow other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties as requested, subject to all applicable state and federal laws. Certain job duties described herein may be subject to possible modification in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.

Compensation: $98,250.00 - $122,800.00 annually, commensurate with experience.

Grade of Position: 23-12E

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 36.25

Division: Division of Campus Life

In addition to a competitive salary, Emerson College is committed to the health and well-being of our employees and family members. We offer a generous benefits package to regular staff scheduled to work 20+ hours per week.

Benefits include outstanding health plans with limited out-of-pocket expenses, dental plans, generous time-off programs, and a 403(b) retirement benefit with a 9% employer contribution once eligible. Additional benefits such as life and disability coverage as well as commuter offerings are available.

Please refer to our benefits website for a full list of benefits and eligibility requirements.