Associate Director – Accessibility

Job Description: We are seeking an experienced and strategic Associate Director – Accessibility to lead our enterprise accessibility initiatives across digital products, educational content, and publishing workflows. This leadership role will be responsible for defining the accessibility vision, ensuring compliance with global accessibility standards, driving innovation, and building a high-performing accessibility team. The ideal candidate combines deep technical accessibility expertise with strong people leadership and stakeholder management skills. Key Responsibilities - Accessibility Strategy & Leadership Develop and execute the organisation's accessibility roadmap aligned with business objectives. Establish accessibility governance, standards, policies, and best practices. Champion accessibility as a core business function across departments. Build a culture of accessibility awareness through training and advocacy. Compliance & Standards Ensure compliance with: WCAG 2.2 AA Section 508 ADA EN 301 549 EPUB Accessibility 1.1 PDF/UA ARIA Authoring Practices Monitor changes in accessibility regulations and industry standards. Lead internal and external accessibility audits. Digital Product & Content Accessibility Oversee accessibility for: Websites Mobile applications HTML content eBooks (EPUB) PDFs Interactive learning products Multimedia content Review product accessibility during design, development, QA, and production phases. Technical Leadership Define accessibility requirements for engineering and content teams. Guide implementation of accessible UI components and design systems. Evaluate accessibility testing tools and automation frameworks. Drive accessibility integration into CI/CD pipelines where applicable. Team Leadership Lead and mentor Accessibility Managers, Leads, Specialists, QA Engineers, and Consultants. Establish career development plans and competency frameworks. Recruit and develop accessibility talent. Stakeholder Management Partner with Product, Engineering, UX, QA, Editorial, and Customer Success teams. Engage with customers regarding accessibility requirements and compliance. Present accessibility metrics and strategic updates to executive leadership. Quality Assurance Define accessibility quality metrics and KPIs. Establish accessibility review checkpoints across project lifecycles. Oversee remediation planning and verification. Innovation Explore AI-assisted accessibility solutions. Evaluate emerging assistive technologies. Drive continuous process improvements and automation. Required Qualifications 12–18+ years of overall experience. 10+ years in accessibility leadership or management roles. Experience leading enterprise accessibility programs. Strong knowledge of digital publishing and educational content accessibility is highly desirable. Technical Expertise WCAG 2.2 AA WAI-ARIA HTML5 CSS JavaScript Accessible UX/UI principles EPUB Accessibility PDF Accessibility (PDF/UA) XML workflows Accessibility testing methodologies Accessibility Testing Tools Experience with tools such as: Axe DevTools WAVE ARC Toolkit Accessibility Insights JAWS NVDA VoiceOver TalkBack PAC Common PDF accessibility tools Preferred Experience Educational publishing Digital publishing eLearning platforms Learning Management Systems (LMS) EPUB production workflows Interactive digital learning products Content remediation programs Accessibility consulting Leadership Competencies Strategic thinking Executive communication Cross-functional leadership Program management Change management Stakeholder influence Decision-making Team building and mentoring Customer engagement Budget and resource planning Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) WCAG compliance score Accessibility audit pass rate Remediation turnaround time Customer satisfaction Accessibility defect leakage Team utilization and productivity Training completion rate Process automation adoption On-time delivery Accessibility maturity improvement Preferred Certifications IAAP Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) IAAP Web Accessibility Specialist (WAS) IAAP Certified Professional in Web Accessibility (CPWA) Trusted Tester Certification Section 508 Trusted Tester (preferred) Our Offerings for Employee Benefits · Health Insurance for Employee+Spouse+Two Children+Parents · Term Life Insurance · GPA – For Employee · Hybrid working · Compliance – PF and Gratuity About Academian Website: www.academian.com Academian is a carve-out of an existing 22-year IT company – Intraedge Inc ( www.intraedge.com ) Academian is a service, product, and learning development company in the education domain with a current headcount of 500+ team members. We are rapidly becoming a leading force in the education technology space. We specialize in delivering innovative services, products, and learning development solutions tailored for the education sector. Our expertise spans across K-12, higher education, professional institutions, publishers, online program managers (OPMs), and corporate learning environments. At Academian, we combine deep industry knowledge with a product-oriented design approach , enabling us to craft high-impact learning experiences and technology solutions. From content development and media production to strategic staffing and custom software development, we support every phase of the educational lifecycle. Our Specialties Include: EdTech Solutions : LMS, CMS, Custom Software, Cloud Architecture Digital Learning : Content Design, Learning Experience Design, Accessibility, Media Development Education Services : K-12, Higher Education, Workforce Development, Publishing & Prepress Strategic Services : Product Management, Strategic Consulting, Technology & Digital Transformation, Staffing. We’re passionate about shaping the future of learning—and we’re looking for talented, mission-driven individuals to grow with us. Join our team and be part of building meaningful solutions that make a real impact in education. EdTech with Academian | Your Digital Transformation Partner We deliver innovative EdTech solutions and craft custom eLearning experiences. Drive digital transformation with our advanced technology & DEIB commitment.