Director, Office of Accessible Education (OAE)

Santa Clara University • Santa Clara, CA

1d • Remote

About The Position

Santa Clara University (SCU) seeks a transformational leader to serve as Director of the Office of Accessible Education (OAE). The Director provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for the University’s student disability access and accommodation services. This is a mission-critical role responsible for ensuring that students with disabilities have equitable access to academic and co-curricular programs in alignment with federal and state law, institutional policy, and best practices in higher education. The Director also serves as the Deputy ADA/504 Coordinator for Student Disability Services. The Director leads all aspects of accommodation management—from information sessions through implementation and appeals, evaluating documentation for admissions and program eligibility, maintaining electronic records and reporting, and developing strong partnerships with faculty and campus leaders to uphold approved accommodations and resolve complex concerns. The Director oversees the effective operations of the OAE and Testing Center. This includes collaborating with faculty to ensure the validity and security of any testing materials and proctoring in the center, maintaining a secure environment for all testing materials, and helping students, staff, and faculty understand how to access the Center. The Director will supervise the Assistant Director, Testing Coordinator, Executive Functioning Coach, Deputy ADA/504 Coordinator for Digital Accessibility, and the Administrative Services Specialist. The Director also collaborates with campus partners—including faculty, staff, administrators—to promote accessibility, inclusion, and equitable practices. This includes providing training and professional development on disability-related issues, Additionally, the Director supports co-curricular programs, such as the Engage Program, by developing curriculum and facilitating social skills sessions, ensuring students with disabilities have the guidance, resources, and support necessary to fully participate in all aspects of campus life. With a keen focus on continuous improvement, the Director will guide organizational development, transform systems and workflows, and lead continuous improvement of services that promote student success.

Requirements

• Masters Degree in higher education or relevant disability and accessibility services field.
• 8–10 years of progressively responsible experience in disability and accessibility services
• Demonstrated experience leading student accommodation programs.
• Strong working knowledge of ADA, Section 504 & 508, and related federal and state regulations.
• Experience working directly with faculty and academic leadership.
• Supervisory and team leadership experience.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex, high-stakes situations with sound judgment.

Nice To Haves

• Ph.D or Ed.D in higher education administration, counseling, special education, social work, psychology, or related fields.
• Experience leading organizational change or rebuilding initiatives.
• Experience overseeing testing center operations.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership and administration of all functions of the Office of Accessible Education.
• Establish and assess departmental policies, procedures, and service standards.
• Develop and implement annual and multi-year strategic goals aligned with divisional and University priorities.
• Guide the department through assessment planning, outcome evaluation, and data-informed improvement.
• Provide regular reports and briefings to divisional leadership.
• Manage departmental budget and ensure responsible stewardship of resources.
• Lead the department through change, stabilization, and long-term transformation.
• Collaborate with University Relations on department development and advancement strategy.
• Lead the development, coordination, and implementation of comprehensive accessibility and accommodations services.
• Engage in an individualized, interactive process with students to identify barriers and determine appropriate accommodations.
• Review and interpret confidential documentation, including psychoeducational, medical, and neuropsychological evaluations.
• Exercise sound judgment in complex, novel, or disputed accommodation cases.
• Recommend and oversee implementation of academic, housing, dining, testing, mobility, and campus-life accommodations.
• Ensure fair, consistent, and legally sound decision-making practices.
• Maintain FERPA-compliant documentation and electronic record-keeping systems.
• Monitor aggregate data to identify service trends and inform planning.
• Serve as the University’s primary faculty-facing leader regarding student accommodation implementation.
• Develop educational and consultation resources to support faculty understanding of their responsibilities in upholding approved accommodations.
• Intervene in complex or disputed implementation matters.
• Facilitate resolution between faculty and students when concerns arise regarding course integrity or academic standards.
• Partner with deans and academic leadership to ensure institutional alignment.
• Promote inclusive pedagogy, universal design principles, and accessible course planning.
• Collaborate with Faculty Development and the Center for Teaching & Learning to integrate accessibility into faculty development programming.
• Collaborate with key functional partners and stakeholders on student accommodation and access issues, including but not limited to: Dean of Students, Housing, Academic Advising, Registrar, Facilities, Institutional Research, Athletics, and General Counsel.
• Formalize referral pathways with key student services offices to support holistic student success.
• Serve as part of institutional critical incident response teams as appropriate.
• Coordinate campus-wide implementation of accommodations and access planning.
• Support equitable access to co-curricular and extracurricular programs.
• Oversee the effective operations of the Testing Center.
• Partner with the Santa Clara Law’s Office of Assessment to develop coordinated workflows, processes, and practices that account for the unique licensure and accreditation requirements for professional programs.
• Ensure testing validity, security, and integrity of materials.
• Collaborate with faculty to maintain appropriate academic standards in testing accommodations.
• Maintain secure testing protocols and physical environments.
• Ensure students, staff, and faculty understand processes for accessing testing services.
• Serve as the primary interpreter of disability law related to student accommodations (Deputy ADA/504 Coordinator for Student Disability Services) (ADA, Section 504 & 508 ADAAA, relevant regulations and guidance).
• Lead regular review and revision of OAE policies and procedures.
• Monitor legal developments and emerging trends in higher education disability services.
• Consult with University legal counsel and the University’s ADA/504 Coordinator on complex or high-risk matters.
• Mitigate compliance risk through proactive training, policy development, and cross-campus coordination.
• Develop and deliver training for faculty and student-facing staff on accommodation implementation and disability access.
• Develop mandatory ADA and Universal Design for Learning modules as appropriate.
• Provide ongoing professional development opportunities for campus stakeholders.
• Promote understanding of disability justice, equity, and access across the University.
• Encourage student self-advocacy and understanding of rights and responsibilities.
• Supervise and develop OAE professional and administrative staff.
• Provide performance management, coaching, and professional development.
• Establish clear case management standards and quality assurance practices.
• Foster a culture of accountability, responsiveness, and student-centered service.
• Support staff development in legal updates, disability knowledge, and emerging best practices.

Benefits

• comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees with programs and resources designed to promote and sustain personal health care, well-being, and the financial objectives of our employees and families.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees