Associate Director of Accessibility

Position Overview  

The Associate Director of Accessibility creates, implements and oversees the Aquarium’s essential efforts to be accessible to audiences, individuals, and groups who have physical, cognitive and/or developmental disabilities.  The Associate Director works to ensure that the Aquarium’s building, exhibits, guest services, educational programs, and interpretive activities are welcoming, inspiring and suited for all. This position is also responsible for reaching out to other organizations and institutions to create new alliances with the Aquarium that benefit audiences living with disabilities.  The Associate Director is a member of the Aquarium’s extended senior staff and serves as a resource for all departments, providing in-house expertise and training, and working collaboratively to realize the goals of the strategic plan, An Aquarium Without Walls. 

Major Responsibilities:  

Collaboration and Training 

• Provide guidance and leadership to Aquarium staff to deepen understanding of disability inclusion and best practices for serving guests and colleagues with disabilities. 

• Partner with departments to develop accessibility priorities that support the Aquarium’s Strategic Plan. 

• Train staff in guest-facing, guest-serving, and other relevant roles to make them more knowledgeable, sensitive, and confident in serving guests with disabilities. 

• Collaborate with People and Culture to ensure that staff and volunteers with disabilities receive appropriate accommodations and accessibility support throughout their employment or volunteer experience. 

• Be an effective peer and partner, working with leadership of other departments to ensure seamless cooperation and synergy. 
• Serve as an outstanding representative of the Aquarium, building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with disability-serving organizations, advocates, and community stakeholders. 

Community Engagement and Partnership/Accessibility for All Program 

• Serve as an outstanding representative of the Aquarium, engaging with and forming mutually beneficial partnerships with diverse community members, groups and stakeholders. 

• Lead the Accessibility for All program, a collaboration of 11 visitor-serving institutions in Fairfield County dedicated to building a culture of accessibility. Work with partner institutions and service providers to establish and implement priorities and programs. 

• Grow the network of participating institutions within and beyond Fairfield County. 
• Maintain the Accessibility for All website and shared calendar. 

Exhibit Design, Construction, DEAI and Safety 

• Participates in the planning and design of new exhibits and spaces ensuring universal design principles are incorporated. 

• Serve on internal committees to ensure safe, inclusive environments for guests, staff, and volunteers with disabilities. 

Education and Interpretive Programs 

• Collaborate with education staff to design and adapt programs that meet the needs of diverse learners and participants with disabilities.  Provide accessibility training to educators, curriculum developers, and counselors.  Review lesson plans as needed. 

• Work with interpretive staff to craft and adapt interpretive carts, narrations, animal encounters and other activities to ensure inclusive participation. 

Transition Program 

• Lead the Aquarium’s collaboration with local school systems in providing workplace training to young adults eligible for post-graduate services. 

• Mentor participants during their on-site work experience. 

• Train Aquarium staff and volunteers to better prepare them to effectively support and mentor program participants. 

• Work collaboratively with department leaders to identify work opportunities that can be fulfilled through the transition program. 

Job Qualifications: 

• Advanced degree in special education, accessibility studies, disability studies, human service or a related/relevant field. 

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across teams and build strong partnerships. 

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to engage diverse communities. 

• 5+ years experience developing accessibility-related programs, resources or services for diverse audiences.  

• 2+ years experience training others in accessibility practices, disability inclusion or universal design. 

• Proven success advancing initiatives that support equitable outcomes for people with disabilities. 

• Experience training others on accessibility-related approaches and issues. 

• Experience with data-informed decision making, assessment, and grant-funded initiatives.  

• Experience in a non-profit, museum, zoo or aquarium environment a plus.