Assistant Director, Disability Services

This position is 100% on campus

Salary Range: $58,809/year or higher, commensurate with experience and/or education

JOB SUMMARY 

The Assistant Director, Disability Services is responsible for developing, implementing, and assessing disability services for students.

DUTIES 

• Oversees the daily operations of the Office of Disability Services (ODS) initial intake of applicants for academic accommodations
• Maintains a caseload of students and develops individual academic accommodations for students each semester of academic enrollment
• Meets with students to review appropriate documentation; conducts screening/intake interviews; determines appropriate accommodations; produces accommodation letters for students; works with students on an ongoing basis to develop appropriate and life-long learning strategies; makes referrals for further testing and/or intervention
• Collaborates with and trains faculty and staff to provide individual accommodations to students
• Recruits, hires, trains, and supervises departmental staff student professionals and assists the Director with the supervision of external contracting service providers (i.e., CART and Interpreter Services)
• Manages and oversees the ODS process for proctoring exams for students according to their accommodations, including scheduling and coordination of exam materials and needed testing accommodations through direct contact with faculty
• Oversees the process of finding/converting texts in alternative formats; renews accounts with alternative format agencies; creates online accounts for students to access certain alternative text vendors
• Assists the Director with monthly staff meetings, strategic planning, current and long-range forecasting, program/policy procedure development, and developing the operating budget and plan for upcoming fiscal year expenditures
• In the absence of the Director, oversees the daily operations of the ODS

MARGINAL DUTIES 

• Performs all other duties as assigned

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Direct Reports:

• Full-Time Employees

Delegation of Work:

• Regularly assigns work to subordinate(s)

Supervision Given:

• Has primary responsibility for conducting performance evaluations and making recommendations for hiring and dismissing employees

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES 

Knowledge:

• Demonstrated mastery of all relevant legislation

Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills

Abilities:

• Ability to build a rapport with students
• Ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individuals and constituencies in a diverse community

WORK LOCATION AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

Primary Work Location:

• Works in an office environment

Physical Demands:

• Work is performed in a typical, comfortable interior work environment that does not subject the employee to any unpleasant elements
• The Individual has discretion in relation to walking, standing, etc., and has minimal exposure to physical risks

EEO/AA

Required Education:

• Master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, Clinical Psychology, Higher Education, Special Education, or a related field with emphasis on supporting students with disabilities in postsecondary education settings.

Required Experience:

• Minimum of three (3) years of related job experience

License/Certification:

• None Required

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Experience with JAWS, Magic, and Kurzweil
• Comprehensive knowledge of assistive technology, alternative text production, and accessibility solutions
• Progressive experience working with individuals with disabilities

About University of Houston Downtown

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024, the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is the second-largest university in Houston and has served the educational needs of the nation’s fourth-largest city since 1974. As one of four distinct public universities in the University of Houston System, UHD is a comprehensive, four-year university led by President Loren J. Blanchard. Annually, UHD educates approximately 14,000 students, boasts more than 66,000 alumni, and offers 45 bachelor’s degrees, 12 master’s degrees, and 19 online programs within four colleges: Marilyn Davies College of Business, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Public Service, and College of Sciences and Technology. UHD has one of the lowest tuition rates in Texas.

U.S. News and World Report ranked UHD among the nation’s Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Applied Administration and Best Online Master’s Programs in Criminal Justice, as well as a Top Performer in Social Mobility. The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranked UHD one of the best colleges in the U.S. for its 2024 rankings, with notable distinctions:  No. 1 for diversity (tied) and No. 3 for student experience. TheStockWatcher.com called UHD a “notable institution providing high-quality online MBA programs. … UHD ensures that its graduates are well-prepared to succeed in their chosen career paths.”

UHD is one of the four distinct and separate components of the University of Houston System, which also includes the University of Houston, University of Houston-Clear Lake, and University of Houston-Victoria. Instructional Sites operated by UHD are University of Houston-Downtown Northwest, University of Houston-Downtown at Lone Star College Kingwood, and University of Houston-Downtown at Lone Star College CyFair.

The University is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, a Minority-Serving Institution, and a Military Friendly School. For more information on the University of Houston-Downtown, visit uhd.edu.

The University of Houston - Downtown is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution and recognizes protected classes of race, color, sex (including pregnancy), genetic information, religion, age (40 and above), national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or status, and gender expression as required by federal law. Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.