Assistant Director, Accessible Engagement

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Emerson College's Student Accessibility Services (SAS) is seeking an Assistant Director, Accessible Engagement to join our team. This newly created position will serve to strengthen the College's commitment to Equity, Access, and Social Justice (EASJ) by focusing on student facing accessibility, equity, Universal Design, and a social justice model of disability. The individual in this role will develop opportunities across campus and create dynamic programming designed to increase awareness, educate, and support actions that both lift up disability as an identity and support accessibility for disabled students. By centering the lived experiences of graduate and undergraduate disabled students, their learning, growth, and strengths-based leadership development, this position will enhance their experience at Emerson and foster the College's commitment to accessibility. The person in this role will support these aims by using participatory approaches to program design that both invigorate the community and cultivate deep understanding. The focus of this role will be to partner with staff from a range of offices to integrate both accessibility/disability content and accessibility in marketing and in-practice delivery processes.

The Assistant Director, Accessible Engagement will play a critical role on the highly collaborative SAS team as it works to support individual disabled students and advance a culture of disability awareness and access on campus. The ideal candidate in this position will independently take initiative, assess needs and design programs, with success being predicated upon being able to collaborate with multiple stakeholders and manage multiple projects simultaneously. Reporting to the Director of SAS, this position will be a part of Student Affairs, which works expansively with campus partners and students to deepen access and foster liberatory social justice practices.

This position is not responsible for determining accommodations nor for Section 504/ADA compliance, rather it exists to collaborate within and outside of SAS to support access in all areas of the college, provide accessibility and disability programming expertise, and partner in promoting student-facing disability justice efforts.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

Campus Accessibility Engagement & Programming/Education

• Align with existing student-facing programming offices on three Emerson campuses to enhance the scope of disability awareness and accessible programming in the areas of: 1) Content: developing programming content such as student-leadership trainings; reviewing student organizations' policies and developing resources for accessibility at meetings and events; creating health-related interactive activities; and building dynamic student employee trainings, with a focus on accessibility and disability, and 2) Access: ensuring accessibility for students who have a range of disabilities as they participate in, plan and produce marketing materials, meetings, and events.
• Independently design and implement workshops, activities, events, and collaborate to build an early-orientation program.
• Develop and demonstrate use of accessible training materials, for virtual and in-person events
• Evaluate the effectiveness of programs/trainings/events that have been designed, facilitated, or supported- both in terms of accessibility content and removal of barriers to access. Produce reports including qualitative and quantitative information.
• Collaborate with staff in the Intercultural Center, the Emerson Wellness Center, Student Engagement and Learning, Housing and Residential Education, the Social Justice Collective, Internationalization and Equity, and other offices that comprise the overarching accessibility/intersectionality field at Emerson. Develop partnerships designed to increase student engagement related to: recognizing and promoting behaviors, policies, practices, and initiatives that are in accordance with the College's goals of EASJ, with particular emphasis on removing barriers and increasing involvement and satisfaction for disabled students.
• Serve as accessibility point of contact and content expert for student organizations and associated events.
• Develop relationships with individual students with the goal of understanding their lived experiences, sense of belonging, and intersectional identities. Attend student meetings and events to foster connections with the disabled student community and its allies.
• Assess environmental conditions in facilities, organizations, marketing, and events that may negatively influence the sense of belonging and access for disabled students, and propose dynamic, student-involved interventions to neutralize these conditions
• Balance advocacy for students and a disability justice mindset with SAS's policies and processes in its work with students. Maintain deep awareness of both areas when communicating, making recommendations and supporting students and staff
• Manage $5,000 initial budget for programs
• Establish internal and external relationships with the goal of increasing leadership, professional, and scholarship opportunities for disabled students
• Evening and weekend hours will be required.

SAS Team Support

• Function as integral member of SAS team: support caseload's trends, cyclical priorities, policies, and processes.

• Identify opportunities and barriers to access within and outside of SAS, and provide updates and suggestions related to venues, populations, trends, and accessibility of student programming
• Develop training and support students' use of the Accommodate database
• Manage administrative aspects of student-facing projects in SAS

• Increase engagement on SAS's social media by understanding current students' needs and interests and by maintaining currency with trends.
• Represent SAS on committees to advocate for accessibility
• Respond to student and parent concerns; make referrals, maintain case notes.
• Attend regular department and division meetings.
• Other duties as assigned

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

• Master's degree in student affairs, higher education administration, disability studies
• 5 years' experience in a dynamic, student-facing higher education environment, direct support of students with disabilities or adult training
  

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

• Strong knowledge in disability best practices in higher education including ADA and other relevant legal guidelines; and disability justice and advocacy
• Knowledge of student development theory
• Training expertise- developing, planning, implementing, and evaluating. In particular, use of participatory, creative approach that engages students as active participants in their learning.
• Familiarity with creating accessible materials and spaces
• Universal Design and its applications across multiple settings
• Fresh, Creative ideas and a sense of optimism and humor are a plus
• Ability to perform duties that require tact, sensitivity, independent judgment, discretion, and flexibility
• Comfortable presenting for groups in educator-leader role and working with interactive groups
• Able to work independently: self-directed and motivated
• Interest in behavioral change, holistic wellness, and working across differences
• Manage multiple initiatives and collaborate with multiple stakeholders simultaneously
• Able to balance competing demands and work effectively towards long- and short-term projects.
• Flexible approach to tasks and schedule
• Strong abilities related to organization and time management
• Familiarity with technologies: Word, Canva, presentation set up such as microphones
• Collaborative across colleague and constituent groups

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 ability to lift and move objects that are light
• Requires ability to move materials occasionally

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

• On-campus position
• Requires some evenings and weekends

COMPENSATION

Starting salary for this position will be between $54,274 - $66,486 annually, commensurate with experience.

Grade of Position: 23-07E

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 36.25

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.

About Us
Emerson College is the nations only four-year institution dedicated exclusively to majors in communication and the arts in a liberal arts context. Its main campus is located in the center of the dynamic multicultural city of Boston, in close proximity to major publishing houses, arts institutions, and research centers. The college also has campuses in Los Angeles and the Netherlands. Emerson College enrolls over 4,300 graduate and undergraduate students from more than 70 countries and all 50 states.

Diversity Statement
Emerson College believes diversity enriches the educational experience by providing students with the opportunity to learn from individuals who may have different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Engagement with diversity in the curriculum, in our co-curricular offerings, and all other aspects of the College enhances the personal and intellectual growth of all members of our campus community. Emerson is committed to strengthening communities, including our workplace, by fostering the development of the intercultural competencies necessary for meaningful citizenship in an increasingly complex, pluralistic society. Emerson College does not discriminate on the basis of sex/gender in its educational programs or activities. Emerson has designated the Associate Vice President, Title IX, and Clery Coordinator to respond to inquiries regarding the College Sexual Misconduct Policy. The Title IX Coordinator may be reached at 8 Park Plaza, Transportation Bldg, Room 230 Boston, MA 02116; Telephone: 617-824-8999; email: titleix@emerson.edu

Annual Clery Report
In accordance with the federal Clery and Campus SaVE Acts, Emerson College commits to providing all current and prospective students and employees with access to the annual campus security reports for each of our campuses. This report may be accessed from the Emerson College Police Department website.

Grade Ranges
Information on Emerson College staff grade rangejeid-dcff4990810e464aabb521e12c361875