Assistant Director, Disability Access & Retention

The Beach•Long Beach, CA

About The Position

The Assistant Director of Disability Access & Retention serves as a lead for the Bob Murphy Access Center (BMAC) Accommodation and Retention Specialist (ARS) program under the general direction of the Associate Director. The role provides expertise in disability services and accommodations for CSULB students, coordinates complex disability management support across academic colleges through the BMAC Disability College Model (DCM), and oversees ARS programming and retention services, including campus training and programming. The Assistant Director represents ARS across BMAC programs, including within the Case Conference Management legal framework, and serves as the liaison to colleges and departments for ongoing disability management support. The role leads training and consultation, assesses complex and sensitive disability documentation, supports complex interactive-process intakes related to experiential learning accommodations, and supports legal compliance in processes and case notes. The incumbent evaluates whether requested accommodations conflict with University, College, or accrediting-agency technical and academic standards; develops training and evaluation tools; and maintains written accommodation materials and communications reflecting disability-services best practices and BMAC's legal obligations under the ADA and Title IX. The role also assists other BMAC programs and services as needed, provides general supervision to BMAC program staff in the absence of BMAC leadership, and guides staff in responding to inquiries and resolving matters through the interactive process. Services are expected to be student-centered, equity-minded, inclusive, and culturally sensitive. This is a temporary, one-year appointment with a 1.0 time base (40 hours per week) and no permanent status granted. Temporary assignments may end before the stated appointment period. The position is classified as Student Services Professional IV. The hiring range is $6,320–$6,636 per month; the CSU classification salary range is $6,320–$9,014 per month. The position is based at California State University, Long Beach, and employees must reside in California upon hire.

Requirements

A bachelor's degree or equivalent, with upper-division or graduate coursework in a related field such as psychology, counseling and guidance, or human relations.
Four years of professional experience in one of the student-services program areas.
Knowledge of the ADA, Sections 504 and 508, and CSU policies concerning provisions and accommodations for students with disabilities.
Disability-related experience and detailed knowledge of accommodations and problem-solving strategies for students, professional staff, and faculty.
Ability to interpret and analyze complex disability documentation within the CSU disability eligibility model and assimilate complex information to resolve problems.
Knowledge of K–12 learning-disability criteria, the California Community College Assessment Model, DSM-5, and AHEAD guidelines for learning disabilities.
Ability to complete complex assignments independently, exercise sound judgment, analyze organizational or operational problems, and develop and implement practical solutions.
Ability to plan, coordinate, and initiate actions; analyze policies and procedures; evaluate data; draw conclusions; and assess the consequences of alternative actions.
Effective leadership experience working with individuals and groups, and ability to support a complex department with professional and paraprofessional staff.
Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues and coordinate work with others.
Ability to establish cooperative working relationships, including when denying requests or persuading others to accept a different point of view.
Ability to speak publicly, deliver training, and make presentations to groups of varying sizes.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, PowerPoint, Publisher, and electronic calendaring.
Excellent organizational, administrative, time-management, oral and written communication, interpersonal, grammar, writing, and editing skills.
Ability to manage multiple large assignments, set priorities, work independently with minimal direction, and take initiative amid changing demands.
Ability to learn, interpret, apply, and develop University policies and procedures and ensure compliance while maintaining effective working relationships.
Ability to handle confidential matters with tact and discretion and protect individual and University rights.
Ability to provide timely, polite customer service and communicate effectively with people of varied ages, socioeconomic circumstances, cultures, and educational backgrounds.
Experience working with special populations in diverse environments and ability to communicate with an ethnically and culturally diverse campus community.
Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion, equity-minded practices, respectful interactions, and a positive student experience.
Ability to follow University policies and guidelines, including safety, civility, information security, and nondiscrimination requirements.
Ability to report to work on time, prepared to perform assigned duties, and working knowledge of standard work and safe-work practices.
Ability to operate standard office equipment.
Ability to lift medium-weight objects of 10–20 pounds and to stand or walk for 10%–20% of the job.
Satisfactory completion of a required background check; compliance with mandated-reporter requirements under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act.
Must reside in California upon hire and perform CSU-related work within California.

Nice To Haves

Previous disability-related experience in higher education.
At least half of directly related experience in a college or university disability student-services office.
Knowledge of assistive technology and document and web accessibility.
Master’s degree in Educational Counseling or a related field, or graduate coursework in disability, accessibility, or counseling programs.
At least four years of professional experience and knowledge working with students with disabilities, training and programming, assistive technology, and disability accommodations, especially in a four-year university setting.
Four years of direct experience counseling or advising students individually and in groups and analyzing and resolving complex student-services problems.
Experience working in a BMAC program serving underrepresented, low-income, first-generation, traditionally disenfranchised, and other diverse student populations, with evidence of proactive programming for these populations.
Thorough knowledge of University policies, procedures, and practices.
Valid California driver's license to drive a University vehicle.

Responsibilities

Lead the Accommodation and Retention Specialist (ARS) team and its work on the Interactive Process, BMAC Disability College Model (DCM), disability-management coaching, Title IX accommodations, training and programming, and retention efforts.
Coordinate complex disability-management support for students, faculty, and staff across CSULB academic colleges through the DCM, serving as liaison to colleges and departments.
Provide training and consultation and assess complex, diverse, and sensitive disability documentation.
Support complex interactive-process intakes, including accommodations for fieldwork, clinical placements, internships, and other experiential learning.
Support legal compliance in BMAC processes and case notes, including work within the Case Conference Management legal framework.
Assess whether accommodations conflict with technical or academic standards established by the University, a College, or an accrediting agency.
Research and develop training and evaluation tools related to the Interactive Process.
Prepare and update written accommodation information and materials, including content for the BMAC website, MyBMAC database, and relevant written and oral communications.
Lead BMAC administrative and essential services, including coding BMAC students and assisting with data collection.
Provide general supervision to BMAC program staff when BMAC leadership is absent and guide staff in responding to student and faculty inquiries and resolving matters through the interactive process.
Collaborate with and assist other BMAC programs and services as needed.
Provide equitable, inclusive, culturally sensitive, student-centered, and equity-minded services.
Provide basic mental-health triage and link students in distress to appropriate referrals.
Work occasional evenings and weekends, including extended weekday hours, as operational needs require.

Benefits

Up to 24 vacation days per year, based on employee group and/or length of service.
14 paid holidays.
12 sick days annually with unlimited accrual.
Medical, dental, and vision plan options for eligible employees.
Participation in the CalPERS defined-benefit retirement plan, with voluntary 403(b), 401(k), and 457 savings options.
Tuition fee waiver programs for eligible employees; dependent eligibility varies by employee group and bargaining unit.
Employee Assistance Program counseling and support services for employees and their families.
Wellness programs.
Professional development opportunities.
Insurance options including life, disability, and pet insurance.