Director of Access and Academic Support

Job Description

DEPARTMENT: Student Affairs and Resources

NORMAL WORK HOURS: 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR: Assistant Dean of Student Affairs

OTHERS WHO MAY ASSIGN WORK: Dean of Students

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Director of Access and Academic Support provides strategic leadership in advancing equity, accessibility, and academic achievement across Olin College. Reporting to the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, the Director oversees Disability Services at Olin (DSO) and Academic Support, fostering an inclusive learning environment where all students can thrive.

This role provides vision and leadership for campus-wide accessibility initiatives, tutoring and academic support services, and training programs focused on disability awareness and universal design. Central to the Director’s work is building strong, trust-based relationships with students, faculty, and staff through authentic communication, creativity, and intellectual curiosity.

The Director partners broadly across the College to ensure that Olin’s academic and co-curricular environments not only meet the standards of disability law but also reflect the College’s deep commitment to innovation, inclusion, and student success. This is a hands-on leadership role, combining strategic direction with direct service to students, faculty, and staff in the delivery of accessibility and academic support programs.

This is an in-person/on-campus position based in Needham, MA.

RESPONSIBILITIES :

Accessibility Leadership

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for institutional accessibility, ensuring compliance with the ADA , Section 504, and other applicable regulations while proactively advancing inclusive practices.
• Serve as Olin’s subject-matter expert on student accessibility, maintaining current knowledge of legislation, Office for Civil Rights guidance, and emerging trends in higher education.
• Partner closely with faculty to promote inclusive pedagogy and universal design, ensuring the effective implementation of academic accommodations and equitable learning environments.
• Coordinate and lead the process for housing and dining accommodations in partnership with Residence Life and Dining Services, ensuring consistency, fairness, and timeliness in student support.
• Establish and chair the Accommodation Review Committee, guiding a collaborative, student-centered process for complex accommodation determinations.
• Champion the strategic adoption and campus-wide integration of assistive technologies that enhance accessibility and foster student success.
• Engage with prospective students and families to communicate Olin’s commitment to access, inclusion, and belonging throughout the admissions and onboarding process.
• Collaborate with campus partners to ensure all events and programs are accessible to students.

Student Success & Academic Support

• Provide vision and leadership for Olin’s academic support services, aligning tutoring, skill-building, and resilience initiatives with institutional goals and student needs.
• Design, implement, and continually strengthen the peer tutoring program, cultivating a culture of learning, collaboration, and academic excellence.
• Directly manage the Academic Resource Co-designers (ARC) program, guiding peer-led initiatives that strengthen students’ academic and executive function skills; directly supervise student staff supporting tutoring and ARC operations.
• Partner with Student Affairs and Academic Affairs to integrate academic support efforts into broader student success strategies.
• Lead ongoing assessment of academic support programs, using data and feedback to evaluate impact and drive improvement.

Education & Training

• Lead the development and delivery of campus-wide education, workshops, and training on accessibility, equity, and universal design for learning.
• Develop and share resources that normalize accessibility as a foundation of Olin’s academic culture and community values.
• Serve as a visible and trusted campus leader, advisor, and thought partner on issues of access, inclusion, and student success.

Campus Leadership & Collaboration

• Serve as an active member of the CARE Team and other institutional committees addressing student well-being, retention, and academic progress.
• Collaborate with senior leadership, faculty, and staff to implement institutional strategies that advance access, belonging, and academic achievement across the student experience.
• Represent Olin in professional networks and external organizations, positioning the College as a leader and innovator in accessibility, inclusion, and student success.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree in education, counseling, higher education administration, or a related field; Doctoral degree is preferred.
• At least seven years of progressive experience in accessibility services, disability resources, student success, or closely related areas, including a minimum of four years in leadership or management roles.
• Demonstrated ability to provide both strategic leadership and direct program delivery in accessibility and student support services
• Demonstrated expertise in the application of disability rights laws and FERPA within higher education contexts.
• Proven ability to lead institution-wide initiatives, partner effectively across academic and administrative divisions, and cultivate shared ownership of accessibility and student success priorities.
• Experience supervising and mentoring professional or student staff, with a collaborative, coaching-oriented leadership style that empowers others.
• Strong skills in data-informed decision-making, program assessment, and continuous improvement, particularly in relation to student learning and well-being.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with a demonstrated capacity for empathy, diplomacy, and influence across diverse constituencies.
• A creative and strategic problem-solver who brings curiosity, flexibility, and a commitment to innovation in both process and practice.
• Experience leading accessibility and student success initiatives within a STEM-focused or highly collaborative academic environment is preferred.
• Familiarity with assistive technologies, universal design for learning (UDL), and student information systems (e.g., Jenzabar, Banner) or related platforms is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in innovative, evolving, or experimental learning environments where creativity and adaptability are essential.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to values of equity, access, and belonging as integral components of student learning and success.

Company Description

Olin College of Engineering seeks employees who are passionate about working collaboratively within and outside of the Olin community to support the College’s mission and vision for the future. At Olin, we are educating the next generation of engineering innovators and shifting the definition of engineering. Not only do our students ask, “Who are we designing this for, and what are their values?” They also ask questions about the impact of their work on society.

As Olin evolves under new leadership, we seek to become a more representative and aware community, a place where everyone is a learner and where everyone is an educator. Olin will become a place where experimentation—including making and learning from mistakes—will be embraced across the institution, not just in the classroom. Collaboration is key to Olin’s curriculum and culture, and we will work intentionally to reinforce the values and culture to which we aspire. We are a community that thrives on being together; we value trust. The College supports teams to collaboratively decide how they can best do their work, and display a commitment to the community, all while providing individuals with overall work-life flexibility.

Olin College is situated on 75 acres in Needham, Massachusetts. We are approximately ten miles from Boston, one mile from the MBTA Commuter Rail train station, and approximately four miles from the Woodland Station from the MBTA Green Line. We have plenty of free parking on campus. You can find more details on our Visiting Campus page.

• Take a Virtual Campus Tour: From the moment you step on campus at Olin, you feel a buzz of energy and activity—and once you experience it, you want to be a part of it.

Olin College is committed to supporting an innovative, integrated learning and working environment. As a small campus, the in-person experience and cross-team collaboration is what helps build a strong, dynamic community for our students, faculty and staff. Typically, most roles at Olin College are intended to be in-person and on-campus. Certain paid positions may be eligible for flexible working arrangements, at the College’s sole discretion. Any approved remote work arrangement for pay must be performed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts where Olin is registered to do business. Individual flexible and remote work options can be discussed during the interview process.

Benefits

Olin College prides itself on offering to faculty and staff comprehensive benefits that provide both choice and value. These benefits are an important part of total compensation.

Full-time employees scheduled to work at least 30 hours per week may be eligible for the following benefits:

Core Benefits

• Medical (three different options)
• Dental
• Vision
• Basic Life and AD&D Insurance (company paid)
• Paid Family Medical Leave
• Long Term Disability (company paid)
• 403(b) Retirement Plan with company match
• Liberal sick and vacation time and paid holidays
• Free parking

Additional Benefits

• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Voluntary Life Insurance
• Business Travel Insurance
• Supplemental 403(b) Retirement Plan
• Travel Assistance Services (company paid)
• Pet Insurance

Please note that benefits are subject to change at any time.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

At Olin College we seek to become a more representative and aware community. If you’re excited about a role and have relevant experience, but your work history doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we'd nevertheless encourage you to apply.

Olin College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome applications from candidates belonging to groups that have historically been underrepresented in higher education, including racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQIA people, and people with disabilities. Employees of the College who have a disability are welcome to request reasonable accommodations by contacting Human Resources at [email protected].