Office Lead, Student Disability Services (Onsite)

Cornell University; Town of Ithaca (NY); On-site; USD 36,000 - 41,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Onsite role

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Education benefits

Paid holidays

Job summary

Cornell University’s Student Disability Services seeks an experienced Office Lead to act as the operational hub, ensuring accessible, compliant, and student-centered services for thousands of students. You will be the face of SDS for students, families, faculty, and staff, coordinating high-volume inquiries and driving process improvements.

You will design structured programs, create SOPs, and mentor student employees while collaborating with campus partners to uphold quality service and

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree and 2 to 4 years relevant experience or equivalent combination.
• Experience coordinating multiple priorities while maintaining accuracy, professionalism, and attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to build relationships with a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Ability to learn new software systems quickly; High level skill with Microsoft Office software such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Bookings.
• Superb organizational skills with the ability to prioritize work and manage numerous tasks at a time; adjusting to changing time demands while maintaining high productivity, accuracy, and tact.
• Strong sensitivity, judgment, independent decision-making and problem-solving, including a heightened appreciation for confidentiality.
• Ability to work with and represent the department professionally and ethically with tact, diplomacy, and advocacy, while creating a high quality and respectful work environment.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for students, families, faculty, staff, and external partners, maintaining a welcoming, professional, and student-focused office environment.
• Manage a high-volume communication environment: responding to inquiries regarding disability services, accommodation processes, and office procedures while ensuring compliance with established guidelines.
• Help students and campus partners navigate inquiries, ensuring we provide accurate and consistent information each time.
• Exercise sound judgment when determining appropriate escalation pathways for complex situations.
• Partner with SDS leadership to improve processes, reduce administrative burden, and increase operational efficiency.
• Create and manage tracking tools, calendars, templates, and documentation (SOPs) that support department-wide operations.
• Design and implement a structured student employee program, including the onboarding processes, expectations, procedures, student schedule and timecard management, and training materials.
• Recruit, train, supervise, and mentor student employees, delegating responsibilities effectively to students while providing ongoing coaching and support.
• Participate in professional development opportunities focused on accessibility, disability services, inclusion, and higher education best practices.

Skills

Coordination

Communication

Office software

Organization

Confidentiality

Education

Associate degree

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Outlook

Bookings

Job description

The Opportunity

Student Disability Services (SDS) is seeking an experienced and highly organized Office Lead to serve as the operational hub of our office. As the face of SDS and a trusted resource for students, families, faculty, and staff, you will play a critical role in ensuring our services are responsive, compliant, accessible, and student-centered.

SDS partners with students, faculty, and staff across Cornell to create an equitable and accessible educational experience for students with disabilities. This position supports a high-volume, fast-paced office that serves more than 6,000 students and collaborates with campus partners across the university.

If you are a process-minded administrator who excels at managing multiple priorities, building structure, supporting teams, and delivering exceptional customer service, we encourage you to apply.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for students, families, faculty, staff, and external partners, maintaining a welcoming, professional, and student-focused office environment
• Manage a high-volume communication environment: responding to inquiries regarding disability services, accommodation processes, and office procedures while ensuring compliance with established guidelines.
• Help students and campus partners navigate inquiries, ensuring we provide accurate and consistent information each time
• Exercise sound judgment when determining appropriate escalation pathways for complex situations
• Partner with SDS leadership to improve processes, reduce administrative burden, and increase operational efficiency
• Create and manage tracking tools, calendars, templates, and documentation (SOPs) that support department-wide operations.
• Design and implement a structured student employee program, including the onboarding processes, expectations, procedures, student schedule and timecard management, and training materials.
• Recruit, train, supervise, and mentor student employees, delegating responsibilities effectively to students while providing ongoing coaching and support.
• Participate in professional development opportunities focused on accessibility, disability services, inclusion, and higher education best practices.

Submission of both a cover letter and resume is required for consideration for this position.

About The Unit

Student Disability Services (SDS) works in partnership with Cornell faculty, staff, and students to ensure that all aspects of student life are accessible, equitable, and inclusive of individuals with disabilities. SDS establishes and disseminates criteria for disability services, meets with students to discuss access needs, receives and stores confidential disability documentation to support a student's eligibility for disability services and accommodations, collaborates with faculty and staff regarding essential course and/or program requirements and appropriate reasonable accommodations. SDS provides campus leadership of diversity efforts that promote disability equity and inclusion.

What We Need

• Associate’s degree and 2 to 4 years relevant experience or equivalent combination
• Experience coordinating multiple priorities while maintaining accuracy, professionalism, and attention to detail
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to build relationships with a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic backgrounds
• Ability to learn new software systems quickly; High level skill with Microsoft Office software such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Bookings
• Superb organizational skills with the ability to prioritize work and manage numerous tasks at a time; adjusting to changing time demands while maintaining high productivity, accuracy, and tact
• Strong sensitivity, judgment, independent decision-making and problem-solving, including a heightened appreciation for confidentiality
• Ability to work with and represent the department professionally and ethically with tact, diplomacy, and advocacy, while creating a high quality and respectful work environment

If you have all those things, great! We have a few more things that we would prefer you to have, but it’s ok if you don’t.

• Bachelor’s degree or other formal 4-year training in disability studies, or a related field.
• Experience working with a college-age population and in a university setting.
• Experience working with individuals with disabilities.
• Knowledge of Cornell systems and programs.
• Knowledge of requirements for retention and confidentiality of disability and educational records.

Rewards And Benefits

• Due to the student-facing nature of the position, regular onsite presence is required. The team works collaboratively to provide flexibility when possible, particularly during semester breaks and periods of reduced campus activity.

Cornell receives national recognition as an award‑winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability.

• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell.
• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition‑free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell
• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: Total Rewards | Working at Cornell.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

University Job Title

Administrative Asst IV

Job Family

Administration

Level

D

Pay Rate Type

Hourly

Pay Range

$26.41 - $30.69

Remote Option Availability

Onsite

Company

Endowed

Contact Name

Freddie Salley

Contact Email

[e-mail]

Non-Union Positions

Noted Pay Ranges Reflect The Potential Pay Opportunity For Each Job Profile. The Hiring Rate Of Pay For The Successful Candidate Will Be Determined Considering The Following Criteria

• Prior relevant work or industry experience
• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position
• Unique applicable skills
• Academic Discipline

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.

2026-09-09