Director of Accessibility Services - Law Center

Georgetown University; Washington; Hybrid; USD 67,000 - 127,000; Full time

Job summary

Georgetown University seeks a Director of Accessibility Services to supervise the Office of Accessibility Services within the Office of the Dean of Students. You will ensure JD/LLM students receive reasonable accommodations under applicable laws and support staff in implementing these accommodations.

You will lead a team, manage budgets, and collaborate with law school leadership to advance universal design and accessibility initiatives across the university.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree and 5+ years directly-related experience required.
• Five+ years’ experience working with disabled persons; substitutions possible.
• Two+ years’ experience managing projects, budgets and people in higher education.
• Subject matter expertise in ADA/504 and related civil rights laws.
• Expertise in assisting disabled students and accommodations in complex environments.
• Excellent judgment, discretion and confidentiality.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work with diverse individuals and adapt to conversations.
• Highly organized with attention to detail and time management.
• Strong compassion, resilience and emotional intelligence.
• Proficiency with Macintosh or Windows and standard software.

Responsibilities

• Supervise OAS staff and review accommodation requests.
• Directly handle a small student caseload and complex accommodations.
• Oversee budget and resources for OAS and its activities.
• Collaborate with Dean of Students to set priorities for OAS.
• Represent the function to students, staff and faculty leadership.
• Manage adaptive technologies and case management software.
• Advocate universal design in curriculum, programs and facilities.
• Train faculty and staff on accessibility best practices.
• Oversee accessibility services website and communications.

Skills

Project management

Budget management

People management

ADA/504 compliance knowledge

Accessibility services knowledge

Law student support experience

Assistive technology familiarity

Case management software proficiency

Education

Master’s degree and 5+ years directly-related experience required

Master’s or doctorate degree and/or JD degree strongly preferred

Tools

Case management software

MS Excel

Database software

Presentation software

Job description

Georgetown University comprises two unique campuses in the nation’s capital. With the Hilltop Campus located in the heart of the historic Georgetown neighborhood, and the Capitol Campus, just minutes from the U.S. Capitol and U.S. Supreme Court, Georgetown University offers rigorous academic programs, a global perspective, and unparalleled opportunities to engage with Washington, D.C. Our community is a close-knit group of remarkable individuals driven by intellectual inquiry, a commitment to social justice, and a shared dedication to making a difference in the world.

Requirements

Job Overview

This position supervises the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) within the Office of the Dean of Students (ODOS). It is responsible for ensuring that the many hundreds of JD and LLM students with physical, learning, mental health, attention and/or other disabilities are granted reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable local and federal law, as well as for providing accommodations for students with temporary illnesses or injuries and or who are pregnant or have pregnancy-related conditions. To facilitate this objective, the Director of Accessibility Services (DAS) and their staff work with admitted and enrolled students to determine and facilitate reasonable and appropriate accommodations based on supporting clinical and other documentation.

Key roles include: supervising the OAS staff in their review of requests for accommodations and implementation of reasonable accommodations; directly handling a small student caseload, including review and implementation of complicated accommodations; overseeing and sometimes directly providing support for students seeking MPRE and bar exam accommodations; overseeing the OAS budget; collaborating with the Dean of Students and other colleagues to set operational and strategic priorities for OAS; representing the function across and outside the university, including with student, staff and faculty leadership; managing the acquisition, implementation and obsolescence of various adaptive technologies and case management software; and resolving problems and concerns, especially in challenging student cases.

This position also advocates for universal design approaches to curriculum/programs/facilities, trains faculty and staff on best practices in supporting disabled students, and oversees the accessibility services website and other communications.

Work Interactions

The DAS reports to the Associate Vice President/Dean of Students at the law school. The DAS supervises one Associate Director and two Assistant Directors, as well as dozens of temporary employees (e.g. student workers and exam proctors) throughout the year and most extensively during the Fall and Spring semester exam periods. The DAS collaborates closely with the Student Life and Residence Life teams on ODOS departmental goals development and fulfillment, and has regular contact with the entire Law Center community, including students, deans, hundreds of full-time and adjunct faculty, senior administrators, and staff. Collaborations with the academic deans, Registrar and staff, Facilities staff, and UIS staff are especially important.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Master’s degree and 5-plus years directly-related experience required. Master’s or doctorate degree and/or JD degree in accessibility services, rehabilitation counseling, special education, counselor education, community counseling, human services, social work, psychological counseling, higher education management, law or other related discipline strongly preferred.

• Five+ years’ experience working with disabled persons required; relevant work experience may substitute for direct disability services experience and/or relevant professional degree(s).

• Two+ years’ experience managing projects, budgets and people in a higher education setting, preferably in accessibility services. Relevant management experience in other settings may substitute.

• Subject matter expertise in ADA, Section 504 and related civil rights laws, as related to best practices and compliance in the higher education setting.

• Expertise in best practices for assisting disabled students and facilitating accommodations in complex academic environments. Experience supporting law students and working with law faculty strongly preferred.

• Excellent judgment and discretion, with the ability to manage highly confidential information in individual cases and at scale.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

• Ability to communicate and interact with people of diverse ages, backgrounds and experiences; ability to collaborate with a range of personality types and navigate difficult conversations.

• Highly organized; exceptional attention to detail; ability to manage and prioritize multiple responsibilities, sometimes under time pressure; ability to successfully adapt to unpredictable events and people.

• Strong compassion, resilience and emotional intelligence.

• Computer skills in either Macintosh or Windows platforms; ability to use spreadsheet, database, and presentation software.

Preferred requirements and qualifications:

• Experience executing contracts for assistive or other technologies.

• Familiarity with common and cutting-edge assistive technologies for persons with disabilities.

Work Mode Designation

This position has been designated as Hybrid. Please note that work mode designations are regularly reviewed in order to meet the evolving needs of the University. Such review may necessitate a change to a position’s mode of work designation. Complete details about Georgetown University’s mode of work designations for staff positions can be found on the Department of Human Resources website: https://hr.georgetown.edu/mode-of-work-designation.

Pay Range:

The projectedsalary or hourly pay range for this position which represents the full range of anticipated compensation is:

$66,783.00 - $126,720.23

Compensation is determined by a number of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s individual qualifications, experience, education, skills, and certifications, as well as the University’s business needs and external factors.

EEO Statement:

GU is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, and will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, citizenship, color, disability, family responsibilities, gender identity and expression, genetic information, marital status, matriculation, national origin, race, religion, personal appearance, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Benefits:

Georgetown University offers a comprehensive and competitive benefit package that includes medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance, retirement savings, tuition assistance, work-life balance benefits, employee discounts and an array of voluntary insurance options. You can learn more about benefits and eligibility on the Department of Human Resources website.