Assistant Director for Accessibility and Advising

Job Description

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

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR: Assistant Dean of Student Affairs

OTHERS WHO MAY ASSIGN WORK: Dean of Student Affairs

Position Summary

The Assistant Director for Accessibility and Advising plays a pivotal role in supporting students by coordinating and supporting access to classes, programs, and facilities. This position serves three interconnected areas within the Student Affairs and Resources (StAR) office: Disability Services at Olin (DSO), Academic Advising, and Academic Support. Reporting to the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, the Assistant Director works closely with students to support their academic and personal development, fostering a transformative and empowering educational experience.

Central to this role is building strong relationships founded on trust, rapport, and meaningful engagement. The Assistant Director will bring thoughtful communication, authenticity, creativity, and intellectual curiosity—values that shape Olin’s approach to collaborating with students, staff, and faculty. Through these efforts, the Assistant Director helps cultivate a vibrant and inclusive learning environment where all students can thrive.

This is an in-person/on-campus position based in Needham, MA, with possible flexible work options. Any approved remote work arrangement must be performed in the state of Massachusetts where Olin is registered to do business.

Responsibilities

Accessibility Responsibilities:

• Serve as primary contact for students who are interested in registering with DSO, or who have a need for temporary accommodation; advise students of their rights and responsibilities.
• Work in collaboration with Assistant Dean of Student Affairs to ensure an interactive process, which incorporates a social model of disability, and ongoing learning about best practices in disability services.
• Review, evaluate, and interpret disability documentation to determine appropriate accommodations, in collaboration with the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, as needed.
• Draft and send academic letters of accessibility to course faculty and student advisors; coordinate housing accommodations, emotional support animals, and other residential life needs in collaboration with Residence Life; assist with communication relating to dietary accommodations in collaboration with Dining Services; provide timely delivery of accommodation letters and notifications.
• Serve as primary resource for assistive technology options and alternate format materials consultations. Coordinate notetaking accommodations, assistive technology services and lending library, alternate format texts, and other coordinated accommodations provided through DSO.
• Maintain timely, confidential, and detailed files for all DSO students.
• Engage with parents, visitors, and prospective students who have questions about accessibility at Olin as needed.
• Update DSO policies as needed; engage in ongoing assessment and improvement of services for students with disabilities; keep current on Office of Civil Rights guidance and Disability Law in Higher Education.
• Collaborate with various stakeholders on campus to create programming and resources that relate to disability and accessibility, such as student programming and training of student workers.
  
  

Advising Responsibilities

• Developmentally advise students on topics relating to academic success and progress, teaming and communication in courses and activities, and self-exploration. Provide initial support for students facing personal challenges of mental and physical health, including difficult conversations, and connect students with support resources.
• Collaborate with Assistant Dean of Student Affairs to support and train Academic Advisors. Modify, create, and maintain written and web-based resources to educate the community about curricular- and advising-related information.
• Support students and Academic Advisors in use of Jenzabar One system through creation of resources, in collaboration with Assistant Dean of Student Affairs.
• Communicate with campus administrative offices as needed regarding action on student cases.
  
  

Academic Support Responsibilities

• Collaborate across units in StAR and Academic Affairs to further the mission of the College and support academic success and well-being for students.
• Oversee the tutoring program and coordinate tutor hiring, trainings, and other tutor professional development, with the assistance of the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs.
• Oversee StAR Administrative Assistant work to field student tutor requests, tutor employment, and student-tutor and matching.
  
  

Additional Responsibilities

• Member of the Concern, Assessment, Response, Evaluation (CARE) team.
• In coordination with Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, sit on relevant academic committees as needed.
• Perform other relevant duties as assigned by the Dean of Student Affairs.
  
  

Experience And Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Education, Counseling, or a related field.
• 2–3 years of experience supporting college students in advising, counseling, accessibility services, or program management.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a kind and empathetic approach to students and colleagues.
• Knowledge of best practices in academic advising, student development, retention strategies, and relevant trends.
• Familiarity with assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers, text-to-speech/speech-to-text software, Braille devices).
• Proficiency in Office Suite and experience with student information systems (e.g., Banner, Jenzabar).
• Ability to handle sensitive information confidentially and appropriately.
• Collaborative mindset with openness to working on student-led initiatives.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development, particularly around equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to values of equity, access, and belonging.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of disability rights laws (ADA, Section 504) and FERPA as it applies to advising and disability services.
• Experience working with students with disabilities, including those with mental health conditions and neurodivergence.
• Advising experience with students in STEM fields.
• Comfort with and adaptability to an experimental, evolving academic environment.
  
  

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 the leadership of our president, Dr. Gilda Barabino, we seek to become a more diverse 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 for 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)
• Health Care Management Program
• Pet Insurance
  
  

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

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

At Olin College we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace. 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 especially welcome applications from candidates belonging to groups that have been historically underrepresented in higher education, including women, 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 HR@olin.edu.