Web Accessibility Specialist - University of Maryland

The Web Accessibility Specialist works with the IT Accessibility office of the Division of Information Technology (DIT) to lead the campus web accessibility efforts. This position will work closely with representatives of UMD academic and administrative units to evaluate the web accessibility of their websites and develop remediation plans to resolve discovered issues. This position will conduct automated and manual accessibility audits to ensure that UMD web-based platforms comply with WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). This position will produce metrics and dashboards to demonstrate the current state and progress of web accessibility. This position will perform accessibility evaluations for websites, eTools, and applications under consideration for purchase and deployment. This position will provide support for the management of IT Accessibility services and projects and will contribute to the development of materials and training of various teams across the organization. This position will provide web accessibility expertise and guidance to the campus community, including web developers, editors, and communicators, to promote Web accessibility services and implement the UMD Web Accessibility Policy. This position will work under the general supervision of the Senior IT accessibility & UX specialist and will be a member of the Office of Academic Technology & Innovation at the Division of Information Technology.

This position is considered an essential position and may be required to work at the normal work location or an alternative location during a major catastrophic event, weather emergency, or other operational emergencies to help maintain continuity of University services.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of education, technical certifications, training, or work experience.

Experience: A minimum of three years of experience working with digital accessibility, primarily focused on web accessibility.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

* Experience with web development and different CMS (e.g., Drupal, WordPress, others)

* Knowledge and experience with web technologies (HTML/CSS, JavaScript, XML, and Web content management systems).

* Knowledge and experience with WCAG accessibility standards and guidelines.

* Experience with digital accessibility testing and evaluation (automated and manual testing)

* Knowledge and experience testing web-based information with assistive technologies (JAWS, VoiceOver, Dragon NaturallySpeaking, others).

* Experience with reporting web accessibility and producing metrics and dashboards.

* Strong organizational and project management skills to lead multiple projects simultaneously and meet tight deadlines.

* Demonstrated ability to effectively and independently lead projects to completion. Able to work within deadlines, ensuring timely, cost-effective delivery and customer satisfaction.

* Effective written and oral communication skills.

* Effective meeting facilitation and presentation skills

* Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact with all levels of employees and campus stakeholders.

* Enthusiasm and flexibility in acquiring new or emerging technology skills.

Preferences:

* Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Telecommunications, Human-Computer Interaction or related field, Education, Special Education, or Bachelor’s degree in another related field.

* A minimum of six years of broad experience in the field of IT or Web Development.

* Certifications in web accessibility (e.g., IAAP Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies; Trusted Tester)

* Knowledge of disability law including but not limited to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504).

* Experience working with digital accessibility in Higher Education.

* Experience designing and delivering training in person and online.

* Experience with accessibility remediation of documents (e.g., PDFs, complex images, others)

* Knowledge of professional captioning strategies and best practices.

* Knowledge of accessibility evaluation of eTools, mobile accessibility testing, LMS, and LTIs accessibility.

* Experience with ServiceNow or other ticketing systems.