Technical Accessibility Specialist II

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career. Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families. The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is: Grade: Technical 404 Pay Range: $79,300.00 - $118,900.00 Job Description The Technical Accessibility Specialist II is a step on the journey toward Senior Technical Accessibility Specialist and interfaces with UX, designers, product managers, business leaders, internal clients, developers, and students to deliver accessible experiences to our public, employee, and student-facing products. Innovation, design, and functionality are key components to the success of this role. The accessibility specialist is transitioning from a junior role of following direction from senior team members and starting to be given more leadership opportunities. The Specialist II’s role is also to partner to create solutions that solve problems while advancing accessibility and inclusion that fits into the university’s brand and ultimately leads to student success. Job Duties Runs audits and accessibility tests on the university’s platforms and products for conformance with the current version of WCAG. Has expertise in using screen readers and other assistive technologies such as JAWS, Dragon, & NVDA (Non-Visual Desktop Access). Creates and implements with guidance a remediation plan for university platforms and products. Prepares evaluation documentation for communication with university stakeholders and product teams. Provides expert accessibility guidance to designers, product managers, developers, and business partners to influence product development. Maintains strong knowledge of accessibility industry trends, innovations, and solutions, as well as accessibility-related standards, laws, and management strategies. Develops guidelines for architects, designers, and developers to aid in compliance with the current version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Trains/coaches colleagues in one-on-one and in small or large group environments on ADA awareness, implementing solutions, and to foster innovation through accessibility. Consults with colleagues to solve challenging accessibility barriers. Develops, documents, and assists in implementing team processes and procedures with regard to accessibility. Assists with the research, development, and maintenance of the accessibility evaluation methodology. Assists with the training and mentoring of new team members. Handles more complex and high-exposure accessibility projects and initiatives. Networks with accessibility industry professionals. Performs other job-related duties as assigned. KSAs Broad knowledge of WCAG, Section 508, and ADA. Ability to read and interpret HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and explain accessibility best practices. Working knowledge with accessibility best practices on mobile platforms, both IOS and Android. Ability to confidently navigate multiple environments in one screen reader and understand how a screen reader interacts with user agent elements. Understands how various types of disabilities experience digital environments and how to design accessible digital spaces. Ability to accurately collect data and analyze it to identify areas of process and performance improvement. Ability to understand and explain technical and user experience issues in simple and concise language. Ability to research complex topics and find answers to questions independently. Ability to work on team projects under the direction of senior team members. Ability to study and comprehend complex technical documentation (WCAG 2.x AA, Section 508). Self-initiative and self-motivation. Ability to self-manage daily tasks and meet deadlines. Ability to work independently without supervision, and as part of a team. Ability to multitask and manage multiple projects at a time. Minimum Qualifications Bachelor's Degree in Assistive Technology, User Experience, Visual Communication, Graphic Design, Information Technology, Information Design, or another related field. 5 years of experience in the accessibility field. Equivalent relevant experience performing the essential functions of this job may substitute for education degree requirements. Generally, equivalent relevant experience is defined as 1 year of experience for 1 year of education and is the discretion of the hiring manager. Preferred Qualifications Experience as an accessibility specialist, user experience designer, interaction designer, user interface designer, information architect, user experience researcher, or similar role. IAAP Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC). Intermediate knowledge of ADA standards (WCAG), Section 508, and VPATs. Experience using accessibility testing tools (Evinced, WAVE, Axe, Chrome DevTools) and assistive technologies, such as screen readers (JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver). Experience with ARIA markup, knowledge of JavaScript, semantic HTML. Job Description Disclaimer: This position description provides the major duties/responsibilities, requirements and working conditions for the position. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current position, however management reserves the right to revise or change as necessary to meet organizational needs. Other responsibilities may be assigned when circumstances require. This position requires occasional travel of up to 20%, including required attendance at designated company summits (typically one to two per year). Additional travel may include conferences, visits to company locations, and other business-related events as needed. Additional travel may be assigned as needed to support business requirements. Position & Application Details Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave. How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday. Additional Information Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive. Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at View email address on click.appcast.io. Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law. In 1997, a coalition of 19 U.S. governors founded Western Governors University with a singular vision: to make higher education more accessible by offering full degree programs online. Starting small, we quickly expanded. Today, we’re one of the largest accredited online universities in the U.S. Click on the links below to learn more: Enrollment Counselor Evaluator Field Experience Roles (Part-time & Intermittent) Program Mentor Service Desk Technician Mexico Team