Assistant Director, Disability Access & Retention

California State University, Long Beach • Long Beach, CA

2d • $6,320 - $9,014 • Onsite

About The Position

Under the general direction of the Associate Director, the Assistant Director leads the Bob Murphy Access Center (BMAC) Accommodation and Retention Specialist (ARS) program. The role requires extensive expertise in disability services and accommodations and coordinates complex disability-management support for students, faculty, and staff across CSULB academic colleges through the BMAC Disability College Model (DCM). The Assistant Director oversees ARS programming and retention services, including disability-focused training and campus programming.

The position represents ARS across BMAC programs, including within the Case Conference Management legal framework, and serves as the liaison to colleges and departments for ongoing college-specific disability-management support. Responsibilities include training and consultation; assessing sensitive and complex disability documentation; supporting complex interactive-process intakes, particularly for experiential learning accommodations in fieldwork, clinical placements, and internships; and supporting legal compliance in processes and case notes. The Assistant Director evaluates whether accommodations conflict with University, college, or accrediting-agency technical and academic standards; develops training and evaluation tools; and maintains written accommodation materials and information about BMAC’s legal obligations under the ADA and Title IX across the BMAC website, MyBMAC database, and other communications. The role collaborates with other BMAC programs and services and may provide general supervision to program staff in the absence of BMAC leadership, guiding staff in responding to inquiries and resolving matters through the interactive process.

The position provides equitable, inclusive, culturally sensitive services using a student-centered and equity-minded approach. It is a temporary, one-year appointment with no permanent status granted; temporary assignments may end earlier. The position is classified as Student Services Professional IV and has a 1.0 time base of 40 hours per week. Employees must reside in California upon hire.

Requirements

• Equivalent to a bachelor's degree with upper- or graduate-level 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 on provisions and accommodations for students with disabilities.
• Disability-related experience and detailed knowledge of accommodation practices and problem-solving strategies for working with 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 carry out complex assignments independently, exercise sound judgment, make decisions, analyze problems, and plan and coordinate actions.
• Effective leadership experience working with individuals and groups; ability to support a complex department with professional and paraprofessional staff.
• Ability to work collaboratively and maintain effective relationships, including when requests must be denied or others persuaded to accept a different perspective.
• Ability to provide public speaking, training, and presentations to groups of varying sizes.
• Excellent organizational, administrative, time-management, oral and written communication, interpersonal, research, reporting, and presentation skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office software, PowerPoint, Publisher, and electronic calendaring; ability to prepare correspondence, reports, forms, promotional materials, and web content.
• Ability to manage multiple large assignments, set priorities, work independently with minimal direction, and adapt to changing demands.
• Ability to apply and help ensure compliance with University policies and procedures and maintain confidentiality with tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to provide excellent, timely customer service and communicate effectively with people from diverse ages, socioeconomic, cultural, and educational backgrounds.
• Experience working with special populations in diverse environments; ability to communicate with an ethnically and culturally diverse campus community.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion, equity-mindedness, and respectful interactions.
• Ability to provide basic mental-health triage and connect students in distress with appropriate referrals.
• Ability to follow University policies and guidelines, including safety, civility, information security, and nondiscrimination requirements.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment and apply standard safe work practices.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends, including extended weekday hours, as operational needs require.
• Ability to report to work on time and prepared to perform the position's duties.

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.
• Thorough knowledge of University policies, procedures, and practices, or the ability to acquire it.
• 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.
• 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.
• Valid California Driver’s License for driving a University vehicle.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Accommodation and Retention Specialist (ARS) team and its work, including the Interactive Process, BMAC Disability College Model, disability-management coaching, Title IX accommodations, training and programming, and retention efforts.
• Coordinate complex disability-management support for students, faculty, and staff across academic colleges, and serve as liaison to colleges and departments through the Disability College Model.
• Represent the ARS program across BMAC programs, including in the Case Conference Management legal framework.
• Provide training and consultation; assess complex and sensitive disability documentation; and 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, and assess whether proposed accommodations conflict with University, college, or accrediting-agency technical and academic standards.
• Research and develop training and evaluation tools related to the Interactive Process; prepare and update accommodation information and materials reflecting higher-education disability-services best practices and BMAC obligations under the ADA and Title IX.
• Assist with BMAC administrative and essential services, including coding BMAC students and supporting data collection.
• Collaborate with other BMAC programs and services as needed.
• Provide general supervision to BMAC program staff in the absence of BMAC leadership and guide staff in responding to student and faculty inquiries and achieving timely resolution through the interactive process.
• Provide equitable, inclusive, culturally sensitive, student-centered, and equity-minded services.

Benefits

• Paid time off, including up to 24 vacation days per year, 14 paid holidays, and 12 sick days annually with unlimited accrual.
• Medical, dental, and vision plans.
• CalPERS defined benefit retirement plan and voluntary 403(b), 401(k), and 457 savings plans.
• Tuition fee waiver programs for eligible employees; dependent eligibility varies by employee group and bargaining unit.
• Employee Assistance Program with confidential counseling and support for employees and their families.
• Wellness programs and professional development opportunities.
• Insurance options including life, disability, and pet insurance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level