Assistant Disability Rights Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Director of Disability Support Services (DSS)

Position Type: Full-time, 12-month Administration

Reports To: Provost and Dean of the Faculty

Job Description

The Director of Disability Support Services (DSS) provides strategic vision, leadership, and administrative oversight for all programs, services, and accommodations supporting students with disabilities. The Director ensures institutional compliance with federal and state mandates, including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as amended.

As the primary champion for campus accessibility, the Director leads a dedicated team, manages the department budget, sets divisional goals, and collaborates across academic and student life sectors to foster an inclusive, equitable, and universally designed campus environment. The Director serves as the final institutional authority on complex accommodation determinations and represents the college on key committees.

Leadership & Administrative Responsibilities

• Strategic Direction: Provide visionary leadership to set, implement, and evaluate the department's short- and long-term goals, aligning them with the institution’s retention and diversity missions.

• Compliance & Policy Authority: Serve as the primary institutional expert on legal mandates (ADA, Section 504/508); develop, review, and enforce university-wide operational procedures, documentation guidelines, and legal compliance workflows.

• Personnel Management: Supervise, mentor, and evaluate professional staff, including the Assistant Director. Oversee the recruitment and training of student workers and peer leaders.

• Fiscal Oversight: Develop and manage the annual DSS departmental budget, allocating resources efficiently for assistive technologies, alternative formats, and testing services.

• Assessment & Reporting: Oversee comprehensive data collection and student records management; analyze term-by-term engagement and retention metrics to draft institutional reports for executive leadership.

Institutional Collaboration & Advocacy

• Academic Liaison: Partner with Academic Deans, Department Chairs, and faculty to integrate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) into curricula and resolve complex instructional or program modification concerns.

• Campus Operations Alliance: Consult with Human Resources, Facilities, Dining Services, and Residential Life to ensure physical, digital, and structural campus environments are fully accessible.

• Committee Leadership: Represent DSS interests on campus committees related to student retention, risk management, diversity/inclusion, and emergency response.

• Community Education: Design and deliver campus-wide professional development, training workshops, and educational materials regarding neurodiversity, accessibility, and disability rights for faculty and staff.

Direct Student & Family Services

• High-Level Case Management: Oversee the student intake workflow; directly manage a select, complex portfolio of student cases, or step in to resolve high-priority or emergent student, family, or faculty crises.

• Appeals & Grievances: Review and issue final determinations on contested accommodation requests or student grievances regarding service delivery.

• Enrollment Partnership: Collaborate with Admissions to lead outreach efforts for prospective families, presenting at major recruitment and orientation events (e.g., Open Houses, Admitted Student Days).

---

Required Qualifications

• Education: Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration, Special Education, Rehabilitation Counseling, Social Work, Counseling Psychology, or a closely related field.

• Experience: Minimum of 5 years of progressive professional experience in disability services, vocational rehabilitation, or educational advocacy, with a clear focus on higher education settings.

• Supervision: Minimum of 3 years of demonstrated experience directly supervising professional, full-time staff.

• Expertise: Comprehensive, nuance-level knowledge of legal frameworks governing higher education accessibility (ADA, Section 504), adaptive technologies, and standard clinical documentation evaluation.

• Commitment: A proven track record of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, with demonstrated success supporting students from diverse intersecting backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: Doctorate (Ph.D. or Ed.D.) in Higher Education Leadership, Special Education, Counseling, or a related discipline.

• Experience: 5+ years of administrative leadership in a higher education DSS office, including full budget ownership and systemic policy development.

• Skills: Active engagement with national professional organizations (e.g., AHEAD) and advanced knowledge of digital/web accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1).

---

Application Procedure

To apply, please submit the following materials:

1. Letter of Interest: A comprehensive cover letter outlining your leadership philosophy, administrative experience, and qualifications as they relate to the responsibilities described above.

2. Resume/CV: An up-to-date professional curriculum vitae or resume detailing relevant employment history.

3. References: Names, titles, and contact information for three confidential professional references (including at least one supervisor and one direct report, if applicable).