Director of Disability Services and Student Success

Description

Recruitment Period: 06/18/2026 - Until Filled

Status: Full-Time, 40 hours/week

Salary Information: Annual Minimum Salary-$77,200-Annual Maximum Salary-$123,500

Hiring Rate: $37.12-$48.27

On Campus Position

Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU) does not sponsor employment visas. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and for the duration of their employment with PNWU. Employment eligibility will be verified in accordance with federal law.

Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU) was founded as a 501(c) (3) non-profit medical institution in 2005 aimed at increasing access to health care in medically underserved areas of the Pacific Northwest.

The University currently offers the degrees of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Doctor of Dental Medicine, Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences, and Master of Science in Occupational Therapy enrolling over 550 students annually. Interprofessional education partnerships with other universities adds another 100 students to the population. The campus includes 300 employees with academic programming spread over a five-state region.

PNWU is located in Yakima, WA, a city of approximately 95,000 located in the south-central part of the state near the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains in a major agricultural and outdoor recreation region. It is approximately 140 miles from Seattle, 170 miles from Portland, and 200 miles from Spokane. The Yakima Valley is a wonderful place to live, work and play. For more information, visit https://www.visityakima.com/.

General Summary:

Reporting to the Dean of Students, the Director of Disability Services and Student Success provide strategic leadership, administration, and oversight for student accessibility, accommodation, and academic support initiatives that advance equitable access, persistence, retention, and academic achievement within rigorous graduate health sciences programs. 

The Director develops and administers comprehensive student support initiatives including academic coaching, learning support, tutoring, board examination preparation support, and early intervention programming. The position also supervises professional staff and student employees, manages unit operations and budgets, conducts assessment and reporting activities, and contributes to institutional planning and accreditation efforts related to student success and accessibility. 

The Director supervises the Learning Skill Specialists (LSS), providing guidance, training, and support in planning, setting goals, implementing student support efforts, and assessing effectiveness of those efforts. The Director will oversee the work of the Learning Skills Specialist team, including recruitment, training of student tutors and recitation leaders, and meticulous reconciliation of student timecards at the end of pay periods.

Essential Job Functions:

Duties an employee must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation.

1. Accessibility And Disability Services Leadership

· Leads and administers university disability and accessibility services in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, FERPA, and related federal and state regulations

· Reviews and evaluates disability documentation and determines eligibility for accommodations in academic, testing, clinical, and experiential learning environments 

· Conducts intake and access meetings with students and engages in the interactive process to determine reasonable accommodation and support services

· Develops, maintains, and periodically revises policies, procedures, and operational practices related to accessibility and student accommodations

· Maintain confidential student records and documentation in accordance with institutional and legal requirements

2. Student Success and Academic Support

· Provides leadership for comprehensive student success initiatives designed to support academic achievement, persistence, progression, graduation, and licensure readiness for all students

· Develops essential policies around tutoring services/ recitation, academic coaching, learning strategy instruction, and study skills development

· Oversee academic support services including peer tutoring and recitation, academic coaching, learning strategy instruction, and study skills development

· Supports students experiencing academic difficulty through individualized intervention planning and referral coordination

3. Supervision and Program Administration 

· Supervises Learning Skills Specialists, including hiring, onboarding, training, evaluation, coaching, and professional development

· Develops and manages unit budgets related to accessibility services, academic support programming, assistive technologies, and student employees

· Coordinates unit operations to ensure effective, equitable, and responsive service delivery

· Utilizes assessment data, utilization metrics, retention outcomes, and student feedback to evaluate program effectiveness and guide continuous improvement efforts

4. Institutional Collaboration and Strategic Initiatives

· Serves on institutional committees related to student progress, retention, accessibility, wellness, and accreditation

· Collaborates with institutional partners to support accessible and inclusive educational environments

· Assist with institutional strategic planning, accreditation reporting, and compliance initiatives related to student support and accessibility

· Advocate for systemic improvements that enhance accessibility, student experience, and educational equity

· Performs other related duties as assigned and based on departmental need

Standard Institutional Requirements:

· Performs job duties in accordance with safety, legal, and regulatory requirements; University policy and procedures; and accepted business practices

· Acts with the highest level of professional ethical standards in all aspects of job performance, in accordance with the mission and values of PNWU

· Understands and adheres to accreditation standards and expectations specific to the department

Requirements

Education:

• Required: Master’s Degree in Education, Higher Education, Rehabilitation Counseling, Psychology, Counseling, Social Work or Related Field 

• Preferred: Doctoral Degree in Education, Higher Education, Rehabilitation Counseling, Psychology, Counseling, Social Work, or related field

Experience:

• Required:  4-5 years of experience with a minimum of 3 years of experience interpreting and implementing accommodation under ADA and Section 504 within a postsecondary environment 

• Preferred: Demonstrated experience with non-traditional student populations; prior experience advising students in graduate healthcare professions education programs; and familiarity with accommodation and accessibility considerations related to licensure and board examinations 

Desired Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:

Advanced knowledge of ADA, ADAAA, Section 504, FERPA, and higher education accessibility standard; knowledge of disability accommodation practices within academic and clinical learning environments; knowledge of student development, adult learning theory, and academic coaching strategies; skilled in strong leadership, organization, project management, and strategic planning; skills in written, verbal, interpersonal, and presentation communication; ability to exercise independent judgment and maintain confidentiality in sensitive and complex situations; ability to collaborate effectively across academic and administrative units; ability to analyze data, prepare reports, assess outcomes, and implement continuous improvement initiatives; demonstrated supervisory and program management experience; demonstrated experience managing sensitive high risk student situations with professionalism and discretion; knowledge of assistive technologies, digital accessibility standards, and universal design for learning principles

To ensure full consideration submit:

• A letter of introduction outlining background and qualifications for the position

• Detailed resume

• Contact information for three professional references

The job announcement above is not the full job description but represents the job responsibilities and requirements. A full job description can be provided upon request.

PNWU offers a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees first of the month following date of hire and competitive salary.

Benefit Package (benefit eligible is at least .5 FTE):

• Health Benefits - Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• 403b with Roth Option
• Paid Holidays

For information about life in Yakima visit our PNWU page.

PNWU is a drug-free workplace, equal opportunity employer and educational institution. To request this publication in an alternative format, or to apply in an alternative format, please call Human Resources, 509.452.5100.