Associate Director of Accessibility

Located in Bostons historic Fenway area Simmons University has a strong tradition of empowering women and challenging traditional gender roles. Simmons was founded for equality 125 years ago as one of the first higher education institutions dedicated to helping women become leaders. Today our university continues to grow and evolve and now offers Bostons only womens undergraduate program and graduate programs open to all.

Youre joining our community at an especially exciting time as we continue to innovate for the future. Simmons recently launched a six-school academic structure that leverages our expert faculty and longstanding expertise in professions that make our communities addition we continue to highlight our high-value education proposition that is delivering greater ROI to students and putting them on the fast track to career growth and success. Youll find that people who work here truly believe in our mission of preparing students to become social justice-oriented leaders who excel in their professions and their communities. This commitment and pride make for a dynamic workplace.

As a university that values diversity equity and inclusion Simmons encourages applications from all under-represented groups. Simmons is committed to creating developing promoting and enhancing inclusive hiring practicesat all levels for all positionsensuring diverse talent pools and the delivery of a consistent positive candidate experience. Simmons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to continuing to develop a more diverse faculty staff student body and curriculum.

JOB SUMMARY

The Associate Director of Accessibility plays a critical leadership role in ensuring equitable access for students with disabilities at Simmons University. This position oversees the daily operations of the Office of Accessibility Services manages the accommodation intake and determination process for all Simmons students and ensures institutional compliance with federal and state disability laws.

The Associate Director supervises the Coordinator of Accessibility serves as the primary institutional expert on accommodation implementation and acts as a key liaison with faculty staff legal counsel vendors and external partners. This role requires a high level of professional judgment collaboration and operational oversight to support undergraduate graduate online and on-campus students across the University.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Accessibility Services Leadership & Operations

• Provide leadership for the daily operations of the Office of Accessibility Services ensuring timely consistent and legally compliant delivery of accommodations.
  Supervise and support the Coordinator of Accessibility including training case consultation and workload management.

• Serve as the primary administrator and institutional point person for Accommodate (Symplicity) including system configuration workflows troubleshooting and communication with Symplicity operations representatives.

• Develop maintain and revise internal processes documentation standards and accommodation workflows.

Intake Determination and Case Management

• Collaborate with the Coordinator of Accessibility to conduct intake meetings and determine reasonable accommodations for all Simmons students requesting services.

• Exercise professional judgment in evaluating documentation and determining appropriate accommodations in accordance with ADA Section 504 and institutional policy.

• Ensure equitable and consistent application of accommodations across academic programs modalities and student populations.

• Maintain accurate records and documentation within Accommodate and other institutional systems.

Faculty Staff and Campus Collaboration

• Serve as a primary resource for faculty regarding accommodation implementation responding to questions and resolving concerns.

• Consult with faculty and academic leadership when accommodations raise pedagogical logistical or implementation challenges.

• Coordinate with Residence Life leadership to facilitate residential accommodations.

• Partner with Facilities to address physical access needs across campus.

• Collaborate with but do not directly supervise the Assistant Director of Exams to ensure effective implementation of exam-related accommodations.

Legal Compliance & Grievance Coordination

• Serve as a liaison with Simmons University legal counsel on disability-related concerns grievances and appeals.

• Participate in the resolution of student grievances related to accessibility and accommodations.

• Ensure institutional practices align with current legal standards and risk management considerations.

Assistive Technology Vendors and Financial Processes

• Coordinate the evaluation procurement and implementation of assistive technologies and services including but not limited to screen readers CART services and note-taking technologies.

• Manage relationships with external vendors and service providers.

• Submit and track invoices receipts and purchasing documentation in accordance with university financial policies.

Notetaking and Academic Support Accommodations

• Oversee the coordination of notetakers as an accommodation including recruitment assignment and troubleshooting.

• Monitor the effectiveness and consistency of notetaking accommodations across courses.

• Track and analyze data related to accommodation requests service utilization and exam center usage.

• Prepare reports for institutional leadership related to trends capacity and student needs.

• Use data to inform planning staffing and process improvements as demand for services continues to grow.

Data Reporting and Assessment

• Track and analyze data related to accommodation requests service utilization and exam center usage.

• Prepare reports for institutional leadership related to trends capacity and student needs.

• Use data to inform planning staffing and process improvements as demand for services continues to grow.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelors degree in related field such as rehabilitation counseling special education disability studies higher education counseling or psychology.

• At least 3 years of relevant experience.

• Demonstrated knowledge of ADA Section 504 and best practices in postsecondary accessibility.
  Experience with accommodation determination case management and faculty consultation.
  Strong interpersonal organizational and written communication skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Masters or doctorate in higher education counseling or a related field.

• Supervisory experience.

• Experience using Accommodate (Symplicity) or similar accessibility management systems.

• Experience coordinating exam accommodations and/or assistive technology services.

• Experience working with graduate and online student populations.

COMPETENCIES

• Problem Solving

• Analytical and Strategic Thinking

• Customer Service Oriented

• Communication (Written Verbal Presentation)

• Judgment and Decision-Making

• Commitment to Inclusive Excellence and Disability Justice

• Teamwork and Collaboration

• Leadership

WORK ENVIRONMENT & CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• On campus with two days remote per week some variations due to program events

• 12 months

• 37.5 hours per week

• Office environment

• Physical requirements include sitting for prolonged periods typing

In accordance with applicable pay transparency laws effective October 29 2025 Simmons University is committed to pay equity transparency and clear communication throughout the hiring process. The hourly or annual salary range for this position is:

This is benefits eligible position.

Actual compensation will be based on factors such as experience education skills equity and external market benchmarks that help guide compensation decisions. Our compensation philosophy is centered around a comprehensive package that includes pay health benefits and retirement savings offerings that can be seen here as well as work-life balance initiatives such as flexible hours and remote work opportunities. We are committed to offering a package that empowers individuals to thrive in their roles contribute meaningfully and lead with confidence.

Instructions to Applicants: Please upload all applicable application materials (e.g. resume/cv cover letter writing sample teaching philosophy etc.) in the Application Materials box on page 2 (My Experience) of this application. Documents can be uploaded individually or as a combined document (e.g. PDF).

Simmons University is committed to inclusive excellence in all aspects of an individuals community experience. As a university committed to diversity equity and inclusion Simmons encourages applications from all under-represented groups. Simmons is committed to creating developing promoting and enhancing inclusive hiring practicesat all levels for all positionsensuring diverse talent pools and the delivery of a consistent positive candidate experience. Simmons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to continuing to develop a more diverse faculty staff student body and curriculum.