Head of Digital Accessibility Development

Creating an inclusive digital world

Join the team that’s transforming the digital accessibility industry! We support global Enterprise hallmark brands such as Merck, Estée Lauder, Samsung, Macy’s, Marriott & Hootsuite to deliver inclusive and accessible web, mobile, and product experiences through accessibility testing, evaluation and remediation — allowing organizations to enhance the digital experience for people with disabilities, ensuring each digital asset they create complies with accessibility standards, and projects an inclusive and disability-friendly presence.  

We’re very proud to be recognized as a Great Place to Work® (GPTW) and we’re growing! We’ve recently announced $55 million in funding to accelerate our mission to make the digital world accessible.   Learn more about eSSENTIAL Accessibility.   Our Values are Unity, Accountability and Resolve. We look for candidates who exemplify these values and will contribute to our culture of inclusivity with their unique perspectives 

There’s never been a better time to be a part of the accessibility industry, and we’re on a mission to be the primary engine that fuels innovation in this space.

Head of Accessibility Development

Location: We embrace a remote work environment, in North and South America and Europe today.

Your Work History

As a leader with vision in the accessibility space, you will have proven your accessibility knowledge and expertise, what feels like, a million times over. You can authoritatively apply WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) to the development of accessible and usable digital experiences, not just to the remediation of accessibility bugs - although there isn’t a digital accessibility issue you haven’t seen and subsequently fixed, again what feels like a million times over. You are engaged, passionately about the intersection of front-end code, user experience, accessibility, and diversity in technology. You will have led many teams over the years, in developing accessible and usable digital experiences, through which you have learned efficiencies and applied them to subsequent development initiatives. To accomplish this aim, you’ve had to influence, guide, and educate peripheral stakeholders about the importance of digital accessibility. You are keen to empower the next generation of developers to do “it” right the first time. You’ve pushed your organization to adopt and truly support an inclusive mentality, which has resulted in a new way of thinking in everything your organization does. You’ve also learned how to work iteratively and collaboratively with the design team, prior to development kicking off, as well as all the way through QA (Quality Assurance) and post-launch. The iteration and collaboration will have contributed to a unified vision of accessible and usable products. You have built extensive connections with the accessibility and developer communities through meetups, community events, conferences, writing articles, and crafting examples, in order to spread the good word to get others passionate about harnessing your thought leadership, and applying it to their work. You are dedicated to accessibility in your personal and professional life - you lead with credibility, living an inclusive lifestyle, fully aware of and humbled by your own diversity, equity, and inclusion failings. You make everyone around you more aware of, thoughtful of, and respectful of disability.

Your Work at eSSENTIAL Accessibility

You will join a small team of digital accessibility subject matter experts. The team’s focus is understanding how accessibility fits into every nuance of the Software and Product Development Lifecycles, as well as the broader organizational Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts. The team collaborates in applying their accessibility domain expertise to identify gaps, from the program level to the individual level, and they seek ways to fill these gaps through research and experimentation. Your role centers on enabling others in crafting accessible digital experiences. You wake up every day asking yourself, “Have I done enough to enable our customers, my communities, and my colleagues?” To all these partners, you are eSSENTIAL Accessibility’s (eA) go-to person for the “why” and “how”, regarding developer centric questions, concerns, and content.

For our products and services, you will:

Directly participate in the creation of and have influence over the product strategy and bear responsible for the accessibility outcomes. Recommend and communicate, on product features and drive the strategy associated with getting internal and external users to adopt these features in order to build accessibility outcomes. Drive the discovery and research roadmap, constantly seeking what are the next areas we should research.

For our customers and eA community you:

Provide strategic accessibility strategy and advice when needed. Regularly perform learning workshops / presentations. Ensure the accuracy, depth, and breadth of learning content. Build collateral to support day to day work, including frameworks, working examples, templates, checklists, and articles. Drive confidence that we are a team of experts through mentoring and coaching.

For our communities you:

Provide mentorship on how we can strive to maximize the reach of our content. Regularly participate in speaking engagements / events as an industry authority. Regularly build thought leadership content regarding standard methodologies and applying accessibility in practice with tools and processes. Stay up to date with current and new trends in accessibility; disability; diversity, equity and inclusion; technology; the legal landscape; guidelines and standards; industries; and more.

eSSENTIALS You Bring To The Table

Extensive knowledge of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and related techniques for web and mobile. Practical experience as a developer using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and coding techniques related to WCAG, with a focus on web. Experienced in appropriately applying WAI-ARIA, including best practices and patterns. Proficiency with multiple assistive technologies, including desktop and mobile screen readers. Proven ability to propose technical solutions for accessibility issues, including code samples. Proven ability to summarize and explain digital accessibility topics to non-specialists. Proven ability to coach and train developers.

Desired But Not eSSENTIAL

Minimum 5 years as a developer, engineer, full-time mentor, or Subject Matter Authority passionate about the development of digital accessibility. Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Product Management, Disability Studies, or a related field. IAAP CPWA, CPACC or WAS certifications. Experience coaching teams in creating iOS, Android, and hybrid native apps.

Interview Process

We respect your schedule and don’t want to drag out the hiring process. We’re moving and growing quickly, and reflect that in our general approach to hiring. • Phone call/Zoom call with our Talent Team to assess mutual fit • Phone call/Zoom call with hiring manager • Phone call/Zoom call with team • Phone call/Zoom call to go over offer and further questions *Please note that we may ask you to prepare a presentation or complete an assignment for some positions.

eSSENTIAL Accessibility’s Offerings

Along with joining a tight-knit community of passionate, purpose-driven professionals advancing inclusivity and digital accessibility, you are eligible for the following: • Remote-work culture - You can work anywhere from the comfort of your home! We’re proud to say we’re a digital-first tech outfit, and have no intention of ‘forcing’ our eA teAm back to an office. • Flexible working hours to accommodate work-life balance. • Interesting and purposeful mission and challenging work. • Competitive Salary Package, including Employee Grant Options. • Generous Healthcare, Dental and EAP Benefits • Fun and inclusive culture to be proud of  • Friendly and highly skilled team that support each other • Professional development and accessibility learning • One-time stipend for at-home IT setup • Paid parental leave programs • eA Company swag! • Growth opportunity as the company scales for Series C • The best team working the accessibility space!

Accommodation Notice

Accommodations, including alternative formats and communications support for persons with disabilities, are available upon request. 

Interview Process

We respect your schedule and don’t want to drag out the hiring process. We’re moving and growing quickly, and reflect that in our general approach to hiring. • Phone call/Zoom call with our Talent Team to assess mutual fit • Phone call/Zoom call with hiring manager • Phone call/Zoom call with team • Phone call/Zoom call to go over offer and further questions *Please note that we may ask you to prepare a presentation or complete an assignment for some positions.

eSSENTIAL Accessibility’s Offerings

Along with joining a tight-knit community of passionate, purpose-driven professionals advancing inclusivity and digital accessibility, you are eligible for the following: • Remote-work culture - You can work anywhere from the comfort of your home! We’re proud to say we’re a digital-first tech outfit, and have no intention of ‘forcing’ our eA teAm back to an office. • Flexible working hours to accommodate work-life balance. • Interesting and purposeful mission and challenging work. • Competitive Salary Package, including Employee Grant Options. • Generous Healthcare, Dental and EAP Benefits • Fun and inclusive culture to be proud of  • Friendly and highly skilled team that support each other • Professional development and accessibility learning • One-time stipend for at-home IT setup • Paid parental leave programs • eA Company swag! • Growth opportunity as the company scales for Series C • The best team working the accessibility space!

Accommodation Notice

Accommodations, including alternative formats and communications support for persons with disabilities, are available upon request.

Location

Toronto, ON