Digital Accessibility Architect

Digital Accessibility Architect

Job no: 528789
Work type: Officer of Administration
Location: Eugene, OR
Categories: Administrative/Professional, Information Technology, Computer and Information Science, Planning/Project Management, Data Science

Department: Information Services
Appointment Type and Duration: Regular, Ongoing
Salary: Commensurate with education and experience
Compensation Band: OS-OA08-Fiscal Year 2021-2022
FTE: 1.0
Application Review Begins
February 16, 2022; position open until filled.
Special Instructions to Applicants
To ensure consideration, please provide a resume, cover letter, and contact information for three professional references.

Department Summary
Information Services (IS) is the central information technology unit at the University of Oregon and provides wide-ranging services to campus. Information Services consists of four major functional areas: Customer Experience, which serves as the key contact point for interactions with campus clients and customers; Applications & Middleware, which manages and supports applications, integration services, identity management and data management; Information Security, which helps protect virtual or physical information; and Technology Infrastructure, which provides administration and support for the software, hardware, and services needed to support the campus IT environment. Information Services also includes the Advanced Network Technology Center. IS works closely with the Network for Education and Research in Oregon.

Established in 1876, the University of Oregon offers a breadth and depth of curricula with more than 270 academic programs and provides the opportunity to work at a respected research university with a strong holistic, liberal arts foundation. The UO also has a history of political and social involvement that embraces diverse beliefs, cultures, and values, and it is committed to environmental responsibility.

The university is also proud of the newly-announced Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, an initiative specifically designed to fast-track scientific discoveries and the process of turning those discoveries into innovations that improve the quality of life for people in Oregon, the nation, and beyond. Information Services collaborates with Research and Innovation and our schools and colleges to support the research, teaching, and learning mission of the university.

Eugene is the home of the University of Oregon. Located in the lush Willamette Valley, Eugene is well-known for outdoor pursuits like running, cycling, rafting, and fishing, as well as arts, music, crafts, brewing, wine-making, and community-supported agriculture. With branches in Portland and on the Oregon coast, the UO is deeply connected to Oregon's natural and cultural treasures.
Position Summary
Reporting to the Director of Enterprise Architecture & Solution Performance, the Digital Accessibility Architect will be the primary accessibility technology leader for campus with responsibility for the support, technical direction, assessment, and implementation of new and existing technologies at the University of Oregon.

This position will take the lead in developing standards of practice and uniform business processes that create repeatable and meaningful impacts on the level of compliance of technology to accessibility laws and national standards. The Digital Accessibility Architect will establish a schedule for assessment and evaluation of UO websites for compliance, organize largescale audit and remediation projects towards these goals, and present outcomes and strategies for continual improvements towards campus accessibility goals. This position will be expected to chair the ICT Access Committee and work collaboratively with other members of the committee to implement, maintain, and enforce procedures, processes, and guidelines covering the UO digital environment.

The Digital Accessibility Architect will build and maintain working relationships with all campus constituents, leading towards the goal of a fully accessible public web presence and other accessible technology initiatives. This position will continually develop an understanding of accessible technologies, related laws, and best practices through the development of a diverse professional network and engagement in development opportunities to stay abreast of major trends in the field.

This position will provide web and technology accessibility training for the campus community, ranging from academic and administrative executives to faculty and students, and work closely with the Accessible Education Center to coordinate the development and delivery of training. In addition, this position will be expected to build and maintain extensive resources for the campus community to reference in support of accessibility-compliant universal design standards. To do this, the incumbent will work closely with partners and advocates to enhance University-wide initiatives with accessible technology expertise and recommendations.

The Digital Accessibility Architect will initiate and improve processes for evaluating technology assets, platforms, and services for their ability to comply with accessibility policies and standards. Processes in the incumbent's portfolio of responsibilities will ensure the collection and prioritization of accessibility requirements appropriate accessibility-related communication with vendors, content owners, application owners, and stakeholders to implement improvements based on impact vs. resources required.

The Digital Accessibility Architect possesses the authority to formulate and carry out management decisions, represent management's interests, and take discretionary actions as appropriate. This position carries out and makes decisions at a high level, which could affect varying levels of the University.

Candidates who promote and enhance diversity are strongly desired.

This position is eligible for in-person, hybrid, or remote work.
Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree, or an equivalent combination of skills and experience.
  
• Five (5) years of progressively responsible work experience in web accessibility.
  
• Three (3) years of experience designing and creating accessible content in accordance with accessibility standards for websites, documents, or other digital assets.
  
• Three (3) years of experience coordinating and leading complex accessibility initiatives and engagements with executive leadership, business leaders, technology vendors, and technical resources.
  
• Experience with W3C WCAG 2.0 web content accessibility standards and level distinctions.
  
• Experience developing and delivering accessibility-related presentations and trainings to diverse audiences.
  Professional Competencies
  
• Ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, and students from a variety of diverse backgrounds.
  
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills.
  
• Ability to adapt within a rapidly-changing technical environment.
  
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts to audiences with a wide range of technical skills.
  
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team-oriented, collaborative environment with a team of diverse IT professionals, clients, partners.
  
• Excellent organizational skills and demonstrated attention to detail.
  
• Ability to synthesize complex concepts or criteria and develop them into concise written form (such as best-practice guidelines, support articles, project plans, and status reports).
  Preferred Qualifications
  
• A postgraduate degree.
  
• Experience working in higher education, preferably as a leader in the digital accessibility domain.
  
• Experience with universal design principles and accessibility principles related to emerging web technologies, multimedia, and learning environments.
  
• Experience assisting individuals in the application of accessibility standards and principles.
  
• Experience with industry-leading assistive technologies such as JAWS, WindowEyes, ZoomText, and Dragon Naturally Speaking.
  
• Experience utilizing automated accessibility audit and quality assurance tools and processes.
  
• Experience leveraging data collection tools such as surveys, questionnaires, and interviews and process into compelling narratives in both written, verbal, and statistical forms.
  
• Experience providing exceptional customer service that creates a welcoming and supportive environment.
  
• Experience working with technology vendors and service providers (procurement, implementation, modification/customization, incident remediation, etc.).
  
  FLSA Exempt: Yes
  
  All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a background inquiry.
  
  University of Oregon students and employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. For additional information see: https://coronavirus.uoregon.edu/vaccine.
  
  The University of Oregon is proud to offer a robust benefits package to eligible employees, including health insurance, retirement plans and paid time off. For more information about benefits, visit http://hr.uoregon.edu/careers/about-benefits.
  
  The University of Oregon is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the ADA. The University encourages all qualified individuals to apply, and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status. The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation in connection with the application process, please contact us at uocareers@uoregon.edu or 541-346-5112.
  
  UO prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by UO policy. Questions may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, Office of Civil Rights Compliance, or to the Office for Civil Rights. Contact information, related policies, and complaint procedures are listed on the statement of non-discrimination.
  
  In compliance with federal law, the University of Oregon prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and services. The Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://clery.uoregon.edu/annual-campus-security-and-fire-safety-report.
  
  
  
  To apply, visit https://careers.uoregon.edu/en-us/job/528789/digital-accessibility-architect jeid-738c86b71b3352439121c2a0c95054dd