Digital Accessibility Administrator

Virginia Commonwealth University; Richmond (VA); Hybrid; USD 72,000 - 88,000; Full time

Job summary

Virginia Commonwealth University is seeking a Digital Accessibility Administrator to define and execute a university-wide accessibility vision across courses, websites, and enterprise systems.

You will lead governance and capacity-building efforts, partnering with Academic Affairs, Equity and Access Services, and IT to promote proactive, universally designed digital environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in IT, instructional design, CS, disability studies or related field.
• 5+ years of progressive experience managing digital accessibility initiatives in higher education or public sector.
• Proven experience leading, managing, or coordinating work of staff focused on content remediation or technical support.
• Deep knowledge of WCAG 2.2, Section 504/508, and the ADA.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and monitor a comprehensive, university-wide digital accessibility strategy aligned with WCAG 2.1, AA standards and evolving regulatory requirements.
• Establish, review, and update institutional policies for digital content ensuring alignment with federal, state, and university compliance mandates.
• Serve as trusted advisor regarding institutional risks, resources, and strategic investments for accessibility.
• Serve as primary technical consultant to Equity and Access Service, the MCV Disability Support Office, and SAEO on complex accessibility issues.

Skills

Leadership

Policy development

WCAG knowledge

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

JAWS/NVDA/VoiceOver

Axe/Wave/Siteimprove

Job description

Unit:

Office Of The Provost MBU

Department:

Academic Operations

Duties & Responsibilities:

Reporting to Academic Operations within the Office of the Provost and working closely with multiple campus partners, the Digital Accessibility Administrator is responsible for defining, championing, and executing the university’s digital accessibility vision, strategy, and plan. This role leads and coordinates institutional efforts around compliance with WCAG 2.2 standards, and other federal, state and university regulations across all digital touchpoints, including course materials, public-facing websites, and internal enterprise systems.

This position focuses on building institutional capacity, governance frameworks, and scalable support structures for digital accessibility. The Administrator provides leadership and oversight in supporting faculty in digital accessibility efforts, and serves as a technical and strategic advisor across the university. This role requires building robust, collaborative partnerships with Academic Affairs & Student Success, Faculty Affairs, Equity and Access Services, Student Affairs, VCU Technology Services, and other partners across VCU’s academic and administrative units to foster a proactive culture of accessibility.

Direct Report(s):

PT Digital Accessibility Assistants (10+)

Typical Responsibilities:

• Develop, implement, and monitor a comprehensive, university-wide digital accessibility strategy aligned with WCAG 2.1, AA standards and evolving regulatory requirements.
• Establish, review, and update institutional policies, guidelines, and standards for digital content, ensuring alignment with federal, state, and university compliance mandates.
• Serve as a trusted advisor regarding institutional risks, resource needs, and strategic investments required to sustain digital accessibility.
• Serve as the primary technical consultant to Equity and Access Service, the MCV Disability Support Office, and the Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity (SAEO) office when facing highly complex digital accessibility complaints or unique accommodation challenges.
• Conduct technical assessments of disputed digital materials, websites, or software platforms to determine the scope of accessibility barriers and recommend systemic or individual technical remedies to compliance partners.
• Analyze trends from employee and student complaints handled by Equity and Access Services to identify institutional gaps, adjusting the broader digital accessibility strategy accordingly to prevent future compliance issues.
• Provide direction, management, and oversight for staff dedicated to providing digital content and course remediation support for faculty.Partner directly with LEDStudio, Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, and instructional design teams to architect workflows, resource hubs, and training programs that empower faculty to create and maintain accessible course materials.
• Drive institutional awareness and professional development initiatives to move the university from a reactive accommodation model to a proactive, universally designed digital environment.
• Collaborate closely with Technology Services to ensure the university’s web infrastructure, design systems, and content management practices remain compliant with WCAG 2.2.
• Evaluate and recommend enterprise-level digital accessibility testing, monitoring, and remediation tools for the institution.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Instructional Design, Computer Science, Disability Studies, or a related field, or equivalent in experience.
• 5+ years of progressive experience managing digital accessibility initiatives, preferably within a complex higher education or public sector environment.
• Proven experience leading, managing, or coordinating the work of staff focused on content remediation or technical support.
• Deep, practical knowledge of WCAG 2.2 standards, Section 504/508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the ADA.
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with a population of faculty, staff and students from all backgrounds and experiences or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree preferred
• Professional certification in accessibility (e.g., IAAP Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies [CPACC], Web Accessibility Specialist [WAS]).
• Strong understanding of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and instructional design frameworks within higher education.
• Proven experience utilizing and evaluating digital accessibility technologies (e.g., screen readers like JAWS/NVDA/VoiceOver, automated testing tools like Axe, Wave, Siteimprove, and course accessibility checkers).
• Demonstrated experience advising executive leadership, writing institutional policies, and managing large-scale change management initiatives across academic and administrative divisions.

The Office of the Provost is committed to the growth and professional development of the Academic Operations team and will provide opportunities to foster a culture of learning and career development.

Salary Range:

Up to $80,000, commensurate with experience

Benefits:

All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status:

Exempt

Hours per Week:

40

Restricted Position:

No

ORP Eligible:

Yes

Flexible Work Arrangement:

Hybrid; requires recurring, on-site presence

University Job Title:

Administrator AA 1-3 (10911-10913)

Contact Name:

Rebekah Jewers, HR Business Partner, Office of the Provost

Contact Email:

[e-mail]

Priority Consideration Deadline:

Priority consideration will be given to applications submitted and completed by Friday, October 30, 2026.