Contingent Project Manager - Digital Accessibility

Harper College•Palatine, IL

1d•$40 - $50•Hybrid

About The Position

The Project Manager, Digital Accessibility will coordinate and facilitate institution‑wide initiatives that enable respective departments to achieve and sustain compliance with ADA Title II, WCAG 2.1 AA, and related standards. This role is designed as a collaboration-first, enablement-focused project manager who ensures that areas responsible for the work maintain ownership while the PM guides planning, alignment, timelines, accountability, and cross-functional communication. Characteristic Duties: The Project Manager will not perform most of the technical or remediation tasks directly. Instead, they will: Partner with functional areas to clarify roles and responsibilities Ensure progress, alignment, and follow-through Facilitate planning, prioritization, and governance Coordinate with external consultants doing document or instructional content remediation Maintain project visibility, reporting, risk management, and executive updates Key Responsibilities: 1) Program & Project Leadership Manage the overall accessibility program plan, with an emphasis on supporting and coordinating work performed by functional owners (e.g., IT, HR, Marketing, Academy for Teaching Excellence, Access & Disability Services). Maintain timelines, dependencies, risks, and status reporting without assuming direct ownership of remediation or technical tasks. Facilitate taskforce meetings and ensure decisions, roles, and commitments are documented. 2) Web & Intranet Accessibility (Coordinating Role) Coordinate with Information Technology and Marketing to schedule, track, and report on accessibility audits, defect remediation, and monitoring. Ensure website “page” owners remain accountable for corrective actions within their areas (e.g., program pages, departmental pages). Support IT in updating Accessibility Statements and governance assets, rather than completing these directly. 3) HR Onboarding & Enterprise Training Collaborate with Human Resources and Information Technology to integrate accessibility expectations into onboarding. Support departments that create training materials by defining standards, timelines, and review cycles. Coordinate the rollout of trainings while HR, IT, and Academy maintain content ownership. 4) Document Remediation, Content Standards & Procurement Accessibility Partner with IT, Procurement, and departments producing high‑impact content to ensure standards, templates, and workflows are implemented. Collaborate with the Procurement department, Digital and Adaptive Technology Coordinator, and IT to help develop and support a process that ensures all newly purchased software and technology tools meet current WCAG accessibility standards. Coordinate with internal and external remediation teams; the PM does not perform remediation work. Track progress and ensure departments, including Procurement, remain accountable for the documents and technology tools they own and implement. 5) Faculty Materials & LMS Support Collaborate with the Academy for Teaching Excellence, Digital Accessibility Coordinator (faculty), Digital and Adaptive Technology Coordinator, and external vendors supporting instructional materials. Ensure faculty-support areas lead and complete remediation, training, and process integration, in collaboration with academic deans as needed. Monitor milestones and provide structured communication and alignment. 6) Sustainability & Governance Lead development of a long‑term ownership model where divisions retain responsibility for maintaining accessibility in their respective domains. Facilitate RACI definitions, governance rhythms, and KPIs—without assuming operational ownership. Consolidate inputs from IT, HR, Marketing, and academic units to produce sustainability documentation. 7) Communications & Change Management Coordinate with Marketing & Communications to create and deliver communication plans. Ensure units develop necessary change content while the PM supports timelines and alignment. 8) Reporting & Executive Updates Provide visibility to the Taskforce and Executive Cabinet by synthesizing updates from responsible areas. Maintain decision logs, risk registers, and overall program status. Reporting & Collaboration: Reports to the Digital Accessibility Taskforce Lead or Provost’s Office designee. Works closely with IT, Human Resources, Marketing & Communications, the Academy for Teaching Excellence, Access & Disability Services, and external remediation partners. Working Conditions/Physical Requirements: Work is primarily indoor and sedentary in nature. Occasional travel may be required. Equipment/Tools Used: Utilizes standard office equipment, including computers, in order to perform the duties of the job. Supervision: Works under the supervision of the Digital Accessibility Taskforce Lead or Provost’s Office designee. Receives oral and written instructions as necessary. Schedule Information: This is a temporary, contingent (part-time) position. The term of employment begins Spring 2026; ends no later than May 31, 2027. Hours Per Week: Part-time (up to 20 hours/week), hours may vary weekly with hybrid/on-campus presence based on project needs (workshops, trainings, audits). Contingent employee hours may not exceed 1,040 per year. Occasional early/late meetings to accommodate faculty and staff. Hourly Rate: $40-$50 per hour based on academic and professional experience. About the Team: The Project Manager will work primarily with the Digital Accessibility Taskforce, a cross-functional team led by the Interim Manager of Access and Disability Services.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in project management, information systems, communications, instructional design, or a related field—or equivalent experience.
2+ years of experience leading cross-functional projects in complex organizations.
Knowledge of ADA Title II, Section 504/508, and WCAG 2.1 AA.
Strong skills in stakeholder alignment, facilitation, and change management.

Nice To Haves

Experience in higher education or public-sector environments.
Experience coordinating (not necessarily performing) accessibility testing, training programs, or document remediation initiatives.
Familiarity with LMS platforms (e.g., Canvas, Blackboard) and accessibility-review tools.
Certification, such as PMP/CAPM, CSM, or IAAP CPACC/WAS.

Responsibilities

Manage the overall accessibility program plan, with an emphasis on supporting and coordinating work performed by functional owners (e.g., IT, HR, Marketing, Academy for Teaching Excellence, Access & Disability Services).
Maintain timelines, dependencies, risks, and status reporting without assuming direct ownership of remediation or technical tasks.
Facilitate taskforce meetings and ensure decisions, roles, and commitments are documented.
Coordinate with Information Technology and Marketing to schedule, track, and report on accessibility audits, defect remediation, and monitoring.
Ensure website “page” owners remain accountable for corrective actions within their areas (e.g., program pages, departmental pages).
Support IT in updating Accessibility Statements and governance assets, rather than completing these directly.
Collaborate with Human Resources and Information Technology to integrate accessibility expectations into onboarding.
Support departments that create training materials by defining standards, timelines, and review cycles.
Coordinate the rollout of trainings while HR, IT, and Academy maintain content ownership.
Partner with IT, Procurement, and departments producing high‑impact content to ensure standards, templates, and workflows are implemented.
Collaborate with the Procurement department, Digital and Adaptive Technology Coordinator, and IT to help develop and support a process that ensures all newly purchased software and technology tools meet current WCAG accessibility standards.
Coordinate with internal and external remediation teams; the PM does not perform remediation work.
Track progress and ensure departments, including Procurement, remain accountable for the documents and technology tools they own and implement.
Collaborate with the Academy for Teaching Excellence, Digital Accessibility Coordinator (faculty), Digital and Adaptive Technology Coordinator, and external vendors supporting instructional materials.
Ensure faculty-support areas lead and complete remediation, training, and process integration, in collaboration with academic deans as needed.
Monitor milestones and provide structured communication and alignment.
Lead development of a long‑term ownership model where divisions retain responsibility for maintaining accessibility in their respective domains.
Facilitate RACI definitions, governance rhythms, and KPIs—without assuming operational ownership.
Consolidate inputs from IT, HR, Marketing, and academic units to produce sustainability documentation.
Coordinate with Marketing & Communications to create and deliver communication plans.
Ensure units develop necessary change content while the PM supports timelines and alignment.
Provide visibility to the Taskforce and Executive Cabinet by synthesizing updates from responsible areas.
Maintain decision logs, risk registers, and overall program status.