Accessibility Specialist

**Accessibility Specialist**
----------------------------

Office of Student Accessibility Services (OSAS)

**About OSAS**

The Office of Student Accessibility Services (OSAS) is the unit on campus responsible for ensuring equitable access to the University setting for a diverse population of students with disabilities. With a focus on accessibility, inclusivity and creating environments free of discrimination, OSAS team members assess and approve reasonable accommodations and services for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, both on campus and on-line.

**About the opportunity**

Under the supervision of the Associate Director, Policy, Programming and Evaluation, the **Accessibility Specialist** is primarily responsible for supporting an assigned caseload of several hundred students and providing day-to-day student service on behalf of OSAS. This individual is a key team member and contributor in a fast-paced environment that fosters the full and meaningful inclusion of students with disabilities at the University.

This role requires the ability to work efficiently under deadlines, manage details, and address multiple tasks with rapid response. This individual must possess demonstrated effective interpersonal skills and be able to maintain appropriate professionalism in the face of challenging communications that arise from a variety of sources. The Specialist should be adept with basic Microsoft Office software and be able to learn and make effective use of the department’s student records management database. Additionally, the Specialist role involves guiding the work of graduate and undergraduate student staff.

The Office of Student Accessibility Services is a highly collaborative, highly functional team, with a culture of achievement, supportiveness, and inclusiveness.The OSAS team has defined and committed to core values of: Accountability, Care, Collaboration, Integrity, Leadership and Skilled Communication.It is important that the successful candidate demonstrates an ability to contribute positively to the team dynamic.

**Key Responsibilities**

The general responsibilities/duties aligned with the Accessibility Specialist are as follows.

* Direct student service.
* Faculty and Campus Partner support.
* Documentation review and caseload management in a manner that is legally compliant, student-centered and reflective of best practices in the field.
* The individual in this role must exhibit effectiveness in understanding and applying disability-related laws to accommodation and service delivery, as well as to issue identification and problem-solving.
* All OSAS staff are expected to maintain student records in accordance with FERPA guidelines.
* This role will also cross-train to be additional support in one or more primary services or programs provided by OSAS and will be a significant contributor to strategic departmental projects.

**Essential Skills**

* **Disability-related laws:**Knowledge of, or ability to quickly learn, understand,and apply disability-related laws (i.e.ADAAA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act) to routine accommodation and service delivery, as well as to basic issue-identification and problem-solving.Maintain student records in accordance with FERPA guidelines.
* **Technology:**Knowledge of operating systems (PC, Mac). Adeptness with basic office software (Microsoft Office Suite), email (Outlook), and internet. Ability to format in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Knowledge of Google Drive, SharePoint and/or OneDrive. Comfort and ability to learn department database to access, update and edit student records.
* **Teamwork:**Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a team, as well as independently.Commitment to ensuring the on-going, successful functioning of the unit via day-to-day and longer-term operations. Willingness to assist staff as needed.
* **Communication**: Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills demonstrated across a wide range of populations (e.g.students, faculty, academic department contacts, University and Division staff, as well as the OSAS staff). The ability to adapt to various communication styles and maintain professionalism in the face of challenging communications. Exhibit discretion with private and/or confidential student, staff,or other departmental information.
* **Judgment:**Sound professional judgment, exhibited in areas including, but not limited to raising issues to the appropriate team member(s), effective prioritization, responsiveness, proactivity, assisting students in distress, safety measures on behalf of the office, etc.

* **Time and Project Management**: Proven ability to successfully manage and shift between multiple competing priorities, complete necessary work by established deadlines, and provide quality assurance to all deliverables. This individual will demonstrate attention to detail, effective issue identification, excellent organizational skills, trouble-shooting and problem-solving skills and proactivity in work and communication. It is essential that the successful candidate can deliver high quality, time-sensitive work and operate effectively in varying levels of intensity within the department.
* In addition, the successful candidate must demonstrate, through ideas, words and actions, a strong commitment to[USC’s Unifying Values](https://culturejourney.usc.edu/explore/unifying-values/).

**Minimum Qualifications**

* Bachelor's degree
* 2 years’ experience in student personnel administration
* Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education

**Preferred Qualifications**

* Master’s Degree in relevant field (i. e. Education/Special Education; Counseling Psychology; Higher Ed Administration/Student Affairs; etc)
* 2+ years working with students with disabilities in a non-profit, higher education setting.

The annual base salary range for this position is $68,640-75,580. When determining an offer, the University of Southern California considers factors such as the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate’s experience, education, training, key skills, internal peer alignment**,**applicable laws, contractual requirements, grant funding, and market conditions.

#LI-MN1

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree, Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education

Minimum Experience: 2 years

Minimum Field of Expertise: Student personnel administration

Preferred Education: Master's degree, Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education

Preferred Experience: 3 years

**USC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the****[Background Screening Policy Appendix D](https://policy.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Background-Screening-Policy-Appendix-D-1.pdf)****[](https://policy.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Background-Screening-Policy-Appendix-D-1.pdf)for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying.**

**We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100, or by email at[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.**

* [Notice of Non-discrimination](https://eeotix.usc.edu/notice-of-non-discrimination/)
* [Employment Equity](https://eeotix.usc.edu/equal-employment-opportunity/)
* _[Read USC’s Clery Act Annual Security Report](https://dps.usc.edu/alerts/annual-report/)_
* _[USC is a smoke-free environment](http://policy.usc.edu/smoke-free/)_
* [Digital Accessibility](https://accessibility.usc.edu/accessibility-at-usc/digital-accessibility)

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