Director of Disability Cultural Center

University of Texas at Austin

12d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of the Disability Cultural Center (DCC) provides visionary leadership and runs the day-to-day operations of the University of Texas at Austin's Disability Cultural Center. The Director is responsible for shaping the strategic direction of the center, building programmatic infrastructure, engaging faculty, staff and students, growing disability culture on campus, and cultivating a campus community that supports, celebrates, and engages people with and without disabilities. This role partners broadly across the Division of Student Affairs and the wider university to design programs, build and establish collaborations, and elevate disability as a vital dimension of the campus community.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
Significant professional experience in higher education, disability services, student affairs, or a closely related field.
Demonstrated experience with strategic planning, program development, and organizational leadership.
Experience supervising staff, which may include student employees.
Demonstrated experience with budget management and financial oversight.
Strong and demonstrated knowledge of disability culture, disability identity, and the disability community in higher education contexts.
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively and collaborate with various stakeholders across the university.
Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in higher education administration, disability studies, counseling, social work, public administration, or a related field.
Demonstrated success in fundraising, donor cultivation, and grant writing.
Experience designing and delivering educational programs related to all aspects of disability culture.
Established network within the national community of Disability Cultural Centers and disability-focused higher education professionals.
Experience working collaboratively with student organizations, advisory groups, and cross-functional university partners.

Responsibilities

Facilitate and implement programs and activities that advance knowledge and build communities that share and support disability culture.
In collaboration with relevant students, faculty, staff, and campus departments, develop and maintain mission-aligned programs and services that meet the needs of students with and without disabilities at UT Austin.
Develop a strategic approach to engaging faculty, staff, and students in building and maintaining a sense of community for individuals with disabilities.
Utilize the physical DCC space in creative and innovative ways to support community building.
Maintain best practices for engaging students, faculty, and staff with and without disabilities in a higher education environment.
Collaborate with other campus partners and student organizations, including, but not limited to, the DCC Advisory Committee, Disability and Access department, the Office of the ADA Coordinator, Longhorn TIES, and the Texas Center for Disability Studies to leverage resources, expand impact, gain insights, and increase awareness of the various experiences, needs, and assets of people with disabilities.
Develop strategic engagement opportunities for members of the campus community to be a part of the mission of the DCC.
Serve as expert on campus related to disability culture and provide consultation as requested.
Be a resource for the campus community to develop more disability-friendly policies, procedures, and/or practices throughout campus.
Develop training opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to learn about disability culture and allyship.
Oversee the operations of the DCC, including administration, budget management, and recruitment and supervision of staff, graduate student staff, and interns as indicated.
Responsible for hiring student workers, mentoring and training student staff, and maintaining routine operating hours.
In collaboration with communication professionals, develop marketing and outreach strategies for the DCC's programs and resources to expand engagement with students, faculty, and staff.
Responsible for fiscal management of the center that includes coordinating the overall budget structure and aligning vision with resources.
Seek out other funding opportunities to expand the impact of DCC including development, grants, scholarships, collaborations with other entities, etc.
Responsible for maintaining a calendar of events that is mission-aligned, organized, and developed with stakeholder input.
Under the leadership of the Executive Director for Student Disability and Accessibility Services, establish strategic directions and priorities, and implement needs assessments, strategic planning, and outcome assessments.
Benchmark and collaborate with other Disability Cultural Centers nationwide.
Analyze the effectiveness of the DCC's programs and resources to determine necessary modifications.
Utilize a variety of methods to understand the DCC’s effectiveness such as focus groups and surveys.
Make data-informed adjustments to programs and center operations.