Digital Accessibility Coordinator

Job no: 493501
Work type: Staff Full-time, Staff Full-Time (Hybrid)
Location: South Hadley, MA
Categories: Information Technology
Position Type: Staff Full-Time (Hybrid)

Hours per week: 37.5

Weeks per year: 52

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm; occasional nights and/or weekends as needed

Annual salary range: $70,000 - $75,000, commensurate with experience


Department Summary & Job Purpose:

An exciting opportunity is available to join a committed team of Higher Education professionals who are passionate about making Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) accessible to all. The Digital Accessibility Coordinator will support Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges in their requirement to ensure equal access to programs, services, and activities offered in digital environments for students, staff, faculty, and the public. A fundamental goal of the position is to promote equitable and inclusive access to campus technologies as mandated by federal and state laws.

The Digital Accessibility Coordinator will provide subject matter expertise, program management, and technology assessment at the individual colleges in response to their specific needs. This may include digital accessibility consultations or hands-on assessment work related to educational technology, administrative applications, or other relevant technologies used to support college programs, services, or activities. The role will also be responsible for maintaining currency/advising stakeholders on changes to applicable laws and legal outcomes, tracking and recording consultation or assessment outcomes and liaising between the different campuses, sharing information, and coordinating efforts where appropriate.

Reporting to the Director of Campus Technology and Media Support, the Digital Accessibility Coordinator will work closely with the Five College Technology Accessibility Committee and stakeholder college partners (Accessibility Directors, CIOs, IT Directors, etc.) and contribute to or lead individual campus Technology/IT Accessibility Committee efforts.


Core Job Duties and Responsibilities:

Deliver Digital Accessibility Services
Perform Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) accessibility testing and document testing outcomes; identify and recommend tools for developing and testing. Coordinate external testing services as needed.
Develop, execute, or maintain educational programs and training that clarify IT Accessibility requirements, priorities, and recommendations to raise the level of accessibility amongst the College partners (Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges) and at the campus level.
Track and report EIT accessibility status, progress, and other relevant information to the College IT stakeholders and other campus-specific administrators, such as campus 504/ ADA Coordinators.
Assess, evaluate, and advise the Colleges about assistive technologies. Support the Colleges in planning for the growth and scalability of assistive technologies. Maintain currency with industry developments.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Maintain Campus EIT Program & Reviews/Plans
Advise and support the College(s) in developing, maintaining, and/or monitoring campus-specific electronic and information technology (EIT) plans to ensure compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other applicable regulations as appropriate.
Advise and support Campus IT accessibility or testing plans and related communications. Execute testing plan elements or coordinate plan execution as appropriate. Document programs, plans, processes, and procedures as needed. See specific testing plans through completion.
Recommend best practices for EIT accessibility for new and existing technologies.
Provide guidance, subject matter expertise, and/or leadership to college departments where Electronic Information Technology (EIT) is developed, procured, or supported. Recommend and advise on EIT accessibility criteria for integration into college processes.
Collaborate with Campus Partners
Coordinate communities of practice across the Colleges and develop opportunities for system-wide collaboration on existing and emerging technologies to solve common campus problems effectively and efficiently.
Serve as a liaison to a range of departments, including Five College Risk Management and campus-specific departments, such as Disability/Accessibility Services, Office of General Counsel, Libraries, Procurement, Communications, and Campus Services.
Work closely and collaboratively with key vendors of EIT, ensuring coordination of efforts and/or communication related to advocating for product developments that improve function, services, or access.


Qualifications:

College degree or combination of education and relevant Digital/ EIT Accessibility experience.
Minimum of 3 to 5 years of work experience in a Higher Education setting providing solutions in a complex technology environment for persons with disabilities.
Demonstrated experience with W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and other applicable regulations and standards.
Working knowledge of contemporary assistive technologies, such as voice output (JAWS, Kurzweil 1000, Kurzweil 3000, Texthelp), voice recognition, text enlargement (preferably ZoomText), optical character recognition, Braille translation programs, electronic notetakers (e.g., BrailleNote, Pac Mate, Livescribe Pen, etc.), and other technology used in academic settings.
Working knowledge of current disability law and IT Accessibility best practices, applying State and Federal disability laws, and Universal Design (UD) principles. Demonstrated experience with accessibility standards, policies, regulatory requirements, industry best practices, and guidelines.
Working knowledge of current methods, materials, equipment, and technologies used to acquire and produce alternate formats to print for use by individuals with disabilities and proficiency with a range of accessible media file formats and programs, such as HTML and XML files, PDF, DAISY standards; digital recording software; word processing; file translation and conversion programs and procedures.
Excellent written, oral, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills; sound judgment, initiative, flexibility, and detail orientation.
Ability to work collaboratively and effectively with a diverse group of people; work independently and autonomously; prioritize among conflicting demands.

Preferred Qualifications:

One or more International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) Certifications
Certified Professional of Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC)
Web Accessibility Specialist (WAS)
Certified Professional of Web Accessibility (CPWA)
Project or program management experience, with organizational and facilitation skills, and a desire to untangle complex subtle problems.
Demonstrated commitment to professional development related to accessibility technologies and state/federal law and regulations.
Demonstrated commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in daily work and the workplace culture.

License/Certifications:

Compliance Requirements:


Physical Demands:

Sedentary work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.
The employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; and extensive reading.
Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discriminations in sound.
Sufficient clarity of speech required includes those which permit the employee to discern verbal instructions and communicate effectively in person and by telephone.
Working Conditions:

The position may be eligible for remote or hybrid work (eligible to perform a combination of remote work and on-site work). The remote/ hybrid work schedule will be subject to approval and periodic review in alignment with the College’s Flexible and Adaptive work processes.

Remote work opportunities are available in the following states:
Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Connecticut (CT), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Iowa (IA), Illinois (IL), Maine (ME), Massachusetts (MA), Minnesota (MN), North Carolina (NC), New Hampshire (NH), New York (NY), Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Rhode Island (RI), Tennessee (TN), Vermont (VT), and Virginia (VA).

For on-site work: Must be able to travel from campus to campus, as needed, and to be able to arrange for your own transportation.


Background Checks:

Mount Holyoke College is committed to providing a safe and secure environment, supported by qualified employees that will allow all of its students, faculty, staff, and those associated with them to successfully carry out the mission of the college. As a condition of employment, the College will conduct appropriate background checks for all new hires. Mount Holyoke has designated the Office of Human Resources as the office responsible for ensuring that background checks (CORI, SORI, Credit History, & Driver Credential) are completed and utilized in the hiring process and Five College Office of Compliance and Risk Management as the office responsible for facilitating background checks as articulated in this policy.

Special Instructions for Applicants:

Apply online; application materials must include:

A cover letter summarizing interests and qualifications
A complete resume or curriculum vitae
Contact information for 3 professional references


Mount Holyoke College is a women’s college that is gender diverse. The College is committed to providing equal access and opportunity in employment and education to all employees and students. In compliance with state and federal law, Mount Holyoke College does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, genetic information, sex, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, ancestry, veteran or military status, or any other legally protected status under federal, state or local law. The College does not discriminate on the basis of gender in the recruitment and admission of students to its graduate program.