Accessibility Documents and Communication Specialist

About EOTSS and Massachusetts Digital Service:

The Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS) is the state’s lead office for information technology. We provide enterprise level information technology services including network management and security; computer operations; application hosting; desktop provisioning and management; and modern and responsive digital services to 40,000 internal stakeholders plus the residents, business owners and visitors to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

This role will sit within the Massachusetts Digital Service (Mass Digital) Team within EOTSS and report to the Chief IT Accessibility Officer. Mass Digital helps organizations across state government use the best technology, design, and data to make people’s interactions with state services simpler, faster, and more meaningful.

About Our Work:

EOTSS and Mass Digital have a vital mission to ensure that the state’s digital services and information are accessible, reliable, and available to everyone we serve. Massachusetts is a diverse state, and people that access our services have diverse needs. Approximately 26.5% of adults in the state have a disability, which can make it difficult to use state websites, digital content, and other information technologies. Factors such as cultural and linguistic diversity and technology access and literacy also affect people’s ability to meaningfully access state services. 

Today, many people interact with state services online. However, state web properties are managed by many different state organizations. The accessibility of these digital tools varies, as does the capacity of each organization to make them more accessible. To address these challenges, we are developing a statewide Digital Accessibility and Equity Program, under the leadership of the state’s first Chief IT Accessibility Officer and building a team to support the program.

About This Role:

We are seeking a highly collaborative and passionate Accessibility Documents & Communications Specialist to join us on the ground floor of bringing this important program to life. As a Specialist, you will partner within EOTSS and across state government developing and refining accessibility requirements.

This position is a contract opportunity. The work schedule for this position is Monday through Friday, 9:00AM to 5:00PM EST, in a hybrid remote arrangement with 2 to 4 days per month spent at the primary work location: One Ashburton Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02108. Applicants should be located within reasonable commuting distance from the primary work location. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

Develop and refine accessibility testing processes for documents, emails, newsletters, videos, social media posts, presentations, press releases and additional forms of communication.

Develop and provide accessibility training related to the creation of various communication document formats using the Microsoft Office product suite and Adobe.

Collaborate with EOTSS internal and external executive offices, agencies, and vendors to resolve stakeholder reported accessibility issues.

Work with ADA Coordinators to come up with alternative workaround solutions for inaccessible documents for employees with disabilities.

Work with the central accessibility team and accessibility partners external to EOTSS to create how-to documents and checklists related to accessibility and the document creation process.

Assist with testing vendor documents and additional communication formats for accessibility compliance in accordance with the Commonwealth’s accessibility procurement policies and enterprise IT accessibility policy.

Analyze and provide accessibility metrics to identify trends and gaps involving the creation of accessible communication formats for reporting and training purposes.

Collaborate with the Chief IT Accessibility Officer to work on additional projects as assigned.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Deep understanding of accessible document creation using Microsoft Office product suite.

Deep understanding of how to create accessible simple and complex PDFs using Adobe.

Deep understanding of the accessibility requirements for videos and additional communication formats

Deep understanding of how to test accessibility for various document formats.

Deep understanding of the various social media platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube and how to imbed accessibility into postings.

Knowledge of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, Section 508 Standards, 21st Century Video Communications and Accessibility Act, and Americans with Disabilities Act.

Knowledge of assistive technologies such as screen readers, magnification software, dictation software, read aloud tools and how these technologies and tools interact with documents and additional communication formats.

Knowledge of video captioning and audio description processes.

Qualifications:

Minimum of one (1) to three (3) years of experience imbedding accessibility requirements into documents and additional communication format processes.

Minimum of two (2) years of experience creating accessible videos, emails, social media posts and additional forms of communication for internal and external stakeholders.

Minimum of two (2) years of experience testing accessibility of Microsoft, Adobe, social media platform posts, videos and additional document formats.

Minimum of two (2) years of experience remediating documents for accessibility.

A passion for creating accessible documents and internal and external communications.

Enthusiastic about solving problems facing public-sector agencies and promoting equitable access to public digital services.

Certification(s):

Relevant IAAP certification(s) such as Accessible Document Specialist (ADS) are desired, but not required.