SENIOR ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, Dean of Students, Student Affairs, Disability Services

The Senior Associate Director serves as a senior leader within Disability & Access Services (DAS), providing strategic, operational, and supervisory leadership to ensure equitable access for students with disabilities across Boston University. Reporting to and partnering closely with the Director, this role exercises broad authority over strategic planning, resource allocation, policy implementation, and cross-campus coalition building, and serves as the chief designee in the Directors absence. The position advances the Universitys accessibility mission, ensures compliance with federal and state disability laws, fosters a campus culture of inclusion and belonging, and manages a complex caseload The Senior Associate Director oversees direct service delivery, staff supervision, adaptive technology, web accessibility, data management, and communication access services for students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. This role drives institution-wide, student-centered accessibility practices across academic, residential, and digital environments, ensuring sustained compliance, operational excellence and continuous improvement The successful Senior Associate Director brings significant, progressive experience in disability services, higher education, or a closely related access, inclusion, or compliance-focused field, with a demonstrated record of senior-level department leadership and decision-making.

• Essential skills include experience with complex problem solving, strategic planning, and the ability to lead through influence in highly collaborative environments. The role requires exceptional judgement, discretion, and emotional intelligence, as well as the ability to navigate sensitive situations with grace and professionalism. Experience with data-informed decision making and the capacity to translate policy into student-center practice is critical.

Essential Functions:

• 35% - Leadership & Strategic Oversight
  • Provide day-to-day leadership for DAS operations, ensuring high-quality, student-centered service delivery aligned with university priorities.
  • Supervise, coach, and develop professional and student staff, fostering a culture of collaboration and accountability.
  • Partner with the Director to advance the departments strategic plan, including accessibility initiatives, policy development, and compliance programs.
  • Develop, manage, and maintain data dashboards to monitor service utilization, response/wait times, case volume, and other key indicators of student success.
• 25% - Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services
  • Oversee Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services within DAS, supervising staff and ensuring effective, efficient communication access across academic and co-curricular settings. Manage vendor partnerships and service delivery to maintain quality, consistency, and fiscal accountability in interpreting and captioning.
• 25% - Accessibility & Technology
  • Oversee planning and implementation of adaptive technology and digital accessibility initiatives to support diverse student needs.
  • Lead web accessibility efforts in collaboration with Information Services & Technology (IS&T) and other campus partners.
  • Stay current with emerging trends in assistive technology, captioning, and universal design to inform campus-wide practice.
• 10% - Campus Engagement/Commencement
• 5% - Other duties as assigned

Required Skills

• Master's degree in Higher Education Administration, Disability Studies, Rehabilitation Counseling, Social Work, Public Administration, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in higher education or a related environment, with significant leadership experience in Disability & Access Services or a comparable access-focused unit.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex teams, managing sensitive cases, and overseeing compliance-driven operations. Extensive knowledge of ADA, Section 504/508, and related federal and state accessibility regulations.
• Proven ability to lead through influence in highly collaborative, matrixed environments.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with experience using data to inform decision-making.
• Exceptional communication, judgment, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to navigate sensitive matters with professionalism and discretion.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.