Accessibility Auditor

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Governance & Policy Stewardship:

• Act as the primary owner and champion of the Furever Pawridise Internal Accessibility Policy.

• Chair the cross-departmental Accessibility Working Group to foster innovation and ensure accountability.

• Advise senior leadership on accessibility best practices, compliance requirements, and budget allocation for accessibility initiatives.

• Develop and manage the Community Accessibility Advisory Council, ensuring the voice of the disability community is central to our planning.

2. Event Lifecycle Integration & Auditing:

• Pre-Event:

  • Lead comprehensive accessibility audits of potential venues against the AODA Design of Public Spaces standard and universal design principles.

  • Audit all digital assets, including the main website, registration pages, and promotional materials, for WCAG 2.1 AA/AAA conformance.

  • Review and approve vendor contracts (ticketing, A/V, security) to ensure their services and platforms are fully accessible.

  • Collaborate with the programming team to ensure presentations, staging, and content delivery are designed inclusively from the start.

• During Event:

  • Serve as the on-site accessibility lead and the final point of escalation for any accessibility-related issues.

  • Conduct real-time audits of the event environment, from signage clarity to the proper functioning of assistive listening devices.

  • Oversee the on-site Accessibility Desk, ensuring staff are empowered and equipped to provide exceptional support.

• Post-Event:

  • Lead the accessibility-focused portion of all post-event debriefs.

  • Analyze attendee feedback from surveys and direct communication to identify systemic barriers and areas for improvement.

  • Prepare detailed post-event accessibility reports with actionable recommendations for future events.

3. Training & Organizational Development:

• Design and deliver mandatory, role-specific accessibility training for all staff and volunteers, covering topics from disability etiquette to our specific on-site services.

• Create and maintain a library of accessibility resources, guidelines, and best practices for all departments.

4. Compliance & Reporting:

• Ensure Furever Pawridise is fully compliant with all requirements under the AODA and other relevant legislation.

• Maintain all required public-facing documentation, including the multi-year accessibility plan and accessibility statement.

Qualifications & Experience

Required:

• 3+ years of professional experience in a role primarily focused on accessibility and inclusion.

• Expert-level knowledge of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), its standards (IASR), and the Canadian Human Rights Act.

• Deep technical understanding of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, with proven experience conducting digital accessibility audits.

• Demonstrated experience performing physical accessibility audits of buildings and public spaces.

• Proven ability to design and deliver effective training programs to a diverse audience.

• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and advocacy skills with the ability to influence change across an organization.

• Strong project management skills and the ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

Assets (Preferred Qualifications):

• Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) and/or Web Accessibility Specialist (WAS) designation from the IAAP.

• Direct experience in the event management or hospitality industry.

• Lived experience as a person with a disability is highly valued.

• Experience using assistive technologies (e.g., JAWS, NVDA, Dragon NaturallySpeaking).

• Experience establishing and facilitating community advisory panels.