Assistant Director, DSS - The George Washington University

I. JOB OVERVIEW

Job Description Summary:

Disability Support Services (DSS) at The George Washington University facilitates the educational experience of those with disabilities working within the context of diversity. We work collaboratively with students, faculty and staff across the campus to foster a climate of universal academic excellence, while also promoting disability culture and GW’s broader accessibility and inclusion initiatives.

Reporting to the Director of Disability Support Services, the Assistant Director, DSS is responsible for the following:

Administration: Acts as a Deputy for the Director, able to assume responsibility for decisions regarding GW’s ADA/Section 504, 508 compliance and to compose the DSS response to legal inquiries, addresses parent and faculty communications, and resolves student matters related to accommodations and accessibility concerns, etc. during the Director’s absence.

Accommodation Eligibility: Manages the interactive process for housing, dining, and academic requests, leading to the provision of equal access in consultation with students, faculty, staff, and relevant individuals. Employs knowledge of the post-secondary compliance requirements in the ADA and Section 504, and incorporates the principles of social justice and disability advocacy. Consults with the Director, as may be needed, to complete the eligibility determination and plan for reasonable and appropriate accommodations for students with more complex disability-related requirements, and for those students enrolled in GW’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Oversees the review of disability documentation and determination of reasonable and appropriate accommodations as completed by the Accessibility Associates.

Student Accessibility and Inclusion: Coordinates DSS participation in university-wide new student orientations at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Prepares marketing for, and meets directly with, prospective students and families. Collaborates with and advises university faculty and program administrators in regards to the general as well as more customized course-related needs of students with disabilities. Other student-focused assistance as would be in line with GW’s retention initiatives, with an emphasis on those students struggling to sustain satisfactory academic progress due to psychological and/or chronic health disabilities.

Management: Manages four full-time employees. Plans and facilitates the student case review and Reasonable Housing Committee team meetings to discuss student needs and response strategies, ensuring continuity and consistency of services and supports across team members. Supervises the development and implementation of student skills development workshops. Promotes opportunities for DSS staff professional development.

Special Projects: Actively participates in strategic initiatives for and within Disability Support Services and ODECE. Provides leadership with DSS programmatic initiatives in keeping with the mission of education and awareness. Responsibilities include but are not limited to serving as the DSS representative meeting with colleagues University-wide, and collaborating on other related faculty/staff development programs. An interest in promoting a campus culture more responsive to a social justice model perspective advocating for full inclusion and accessibility.

Institutional/Office Communication: Contributes to efforts to maintain the consistency of language imparting the DSS vision. Guides content management for web, print, and digital materials.

The position is based at GW’s Foggy Bottom Campus in Washington, DC. The incumbent may perform other related duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position.

Minimum Qualifications:

Qualified candidates will hold a Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate area of specialization plus 6 years of relevant professional experience, or, a Master’s degree or higher in a relevant area of study plus 4 years of relevant professional experience. Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position. Degree requirements may be substituted with an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Additional Required Licenses/Certifications/Posting Specific Minimum Qualifications:

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of the compliance mandates that guide the provision of accommodations for students at a post-secondary, along with on-the-job experience working in the field of disability support at the post-secondary level is desired.
• Excellent communication (oral and written), interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Experience in using disability services case management software–specifically Accessible Information Management (AIM), Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, etc.) as well as Google Suite (sheets, slides, docs, etc.) is desired.
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills, including, but not limited to, sensitivity to other people and the ability to work with others on a cooperative basis.
• Strong organizational skills and keen attention to detail.
• Able to work independently and efficiently to meet deadlines.
• A Master’s degree in Social Work, Higher Education, Disability Studies, Counseling, Special Education, Rehabilitation Counseling, or related field along with at least two years of experience working with students at post-secondary level accommodations, ADA, Section 504, and Section 508 is preferred. This may also include experience in administering services for people with disabilities to include identifying and implementing academic accommodations.

Hiring Range

$63,661.38 - $92,203.30

GW Staff Approach to Pay

Healthcare Benefits

GW offers a comprehensive benefit package that includes medical, dental, vision, life & disability insurance, time off & leave, retirement savings, tuition, well-being and various voluntary benefits. For program details and eligibility, please visit

II. JOB DETAILS

Campus Location:

Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C.

College/School/Department:

Diversity and Inclusion

Family

Diversity and Inclusion

Sub-Family

Disability Services

Stream

Management

Level

Level 2

Full-Time/Part-Time:

Full-Time

Hours Per Week:

40

Work Schedule:

Monday through Friday, with occasional nights and weekends

Will this job require the employee to work on site?

Yes

Employee Onsite Status

Hybrid

Telework:

Yes

Required Background Check:

Criminal History Screening, Education/Degree/Certifications Verification, Social Security Number Trace, and Sex Offender Registry Search

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Employer will not sponsor for employment Visa status

Internal Applicants Only?

No

Posting Number:

S013320

Job Open Date:

09/20/2024

Job Close Date:

If temporary, grant funded or limited term appointment, position funded until:

Background Screening

Successful Completion of a Background Screening will be required as a condition of hire.

EEO Statement:

The university is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer that does not unlawfully discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.