Digital Accessibility Specialist (HYBRID)

About the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)

We’re here to help. When an injury or illness happens on the job, we move quickly to provide wage-loss benefits, medical coverage and support to help people get back to work. Funded by businesses, we also provide no-fault collective liability insurance and access to industry-specific health and safety information. We are one of the largest insurance organizations in North America covering over five million people in more than 300,000 workplaces across Ontario. For more information, visit wsib.ca.

At the WSIB, you’ll have the opportunity to:

• explore many career paths and follow your passion
• continuously learn and grow professionally
• be recognized for the great work you do
• participate in programs that support your health and wellbeing

You’ll also receive a competitive salary and may be eligible to participate in our health and dental plan.

We are establishing our new head office in London and looking to grow our team! Candidates located in this region will be given preference.

Our people have different ways of working and lifestyles. We’re committed to a mix of working in the office, in the field and from home. You have some flexibility in terms of where and how work gets done to help you balance your personal life and career goals.

This job may require travel to Toronto, or in other locations across Ontario for in office days, training, or events.  In office days are typically held monthly.  Travel reimbursement will be provided in accordance with WSIB policies. 

Salary Grade:  N06        From:  $77,627.00  

1 Temporary Opportunity up to 24 months.

Job Summary:

As part of the WSIB Claim Journey to the Cloud program, this role will focus on ensuring that the transition to a cloud-based Guidewire solution aligns with accessibility standards, regulations, and inclusivity principles. The Digital Accessibility Specialist will contribute expertise in accessibility and claims management processes to workshops and process design sessions.

This position will work closely with Operations Transformation Analysis Leads, process designers, user experience designers, developers, and other internal stakeholders to identify accessibility considerations in claims workflows and advocate for compliance with Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) requirements in the early stages of the project lifecycle.

This includes a clear understanding of legislative obligations and policy commitments under: AODA, Ontario Human Rights Code, Occupational Health and Safety Act, Code of Business Ethics, and Workplace Safety and Insurance Act. The incumbent will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure compliance with applicable legislation as well as alignment with Inclusive Design principles (IASR).

Major Responsibilities:

1. Accessibility Advocacy in Design and Planning:

• Lead the accessibility and inclusive design, inform the integration of accessibility considerations in all project workshops and planning sessions.
• Provide subject-matter expertise on accessibility requirements, guiding the development of claims workflows, user interfaces, and system design.
• Collaborate with business analysts/SME to incorporate accessibility into user stories, use cases, and process documentation.
• Review and provide recommendations on project deliverables, such as wireframes, process flows, and functional specifications, to proactively identify and mitigate
• accessibility barriers.
• Ensuring accessibility remains a core principle throughout the design phase, promoting user-centered approaches that meet the needs of diverse audiences.
• Work with UX designers to integrate accessibility into prototypes, design systems, and usability testing with users with disabilities.
• Leverage accessibility testing tools (e.g., Axe, WAVE, Accessibility Insights, JAWS, NVDA, Dragon Naturally Speaking (DNS)) to provide actionable insights for developers.
• Engage directly with senior leadership, including executives, transformation program leads to inform them about usability issues for people with disabilities’.
• Educate and empower decision makers to align transformation goals with real-world challenges experienced by people with disabilities.

2. Accessibility Assessments and Gap Analysis

• Conduct accessibility assessments of current claims workflows and systems, identifying gaps and opportunities for improvement in the cloud-based solution.
• Ensure decision makers understand the need to be in compliance with AODA, WCAG 2.1, and the Ontario Human Rights Code throughout the project lifecycle.
• Document accessibility-related risks and co-develop mitigation strategies to address compliance gaps in system design and workflows.
• Analyze accessibility compliance data and co-create actionable reports or dashboards using tools like Power BI or Tableau.
• Collaborate with AO management, legal, compliance, and procurement teams to ensure accessibility requirements are integrated into contracts, RFPs, and project documentation.
• Develop clear and concise communications, such as presentations, reports, or briefing materials, to share accessibility findings and recommendations with stakeholders at all levels, including executives, project teams, and vendors.
• Provide input to change management plans and activities, ensuring accessibility considerations are included in the transition to the new system and in stakeholder engagement strategies.
• Facilitate regular knowledge-sharing sessions or workshops to educate project teams on accessibility standards, compliance requirements, and best practices.
• Engage in role-specific learning, such as staying up to date with changes in accessibility legislation, attending relevant industry webinars, or obtaining certifications in accessibility tools or methodologies.

3. Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration

• Build and maintain strong relationships with claims management experts, project managers, compliance and IT teams to align accessibility objectives with broader project goals.
• Serve as the primary accessibility liaison between the Accessibility Office and project stakeholders, ensuring consistent communication and alignment on priorities.
• Collaborate with external vendors to ensure deliverables meet WSIB’s accessibility requirements and standards, incorporating accessibility into cloud-based SaaS solutions.
• Facilitate discussions with internal and external invested parties , informing them of best practices and fostering a culture of inclusivity and collaboration
• Ensuring the representation of people with disabilities is as diverse as the disability communities WSIB serves. And are incorporated into program design and implementation.

4. Proactive Communication and Leadership

• Provide recommendations to project teams, translating accessibility considerations into actionable insights.
• Participate in decision-making processes to ensure accessibility is prioritized in both technical and operational aspects of the claim’s transformation initiative.
• Stay informed of industry trends and emerging best practices to continuously improve the project’s accessibility approach.
• Act as an advisor for accessibility in cloud environments, leveraging knowledge of AWS or Microsoft Azure accessibility standards.

Job Requirements:

1. Education requirements:

Minimum Level Required

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field (e.g., Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Accessibility, or related area) or equivalent practical experience.
• Strong knowledge of AODA, WCAG standards (2.1, 2.2), and their application in business processes and systems.
• Proficiency with accessibility testing tools (e.g., Axe, WAVE, JAWS, NVDA, Dragon Naturally Speaking, Accessibility Insights) and automated frameworks (e.g., Pa11y, Lighthouse).
• Demonstrated experience influencing design and process decisions to promote accessibility.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to articulate accessibility considerations to non-technical audiences.

Preferred Level

• A graduate degree in a related field such as User Experience, Business Process Management, or Accessibility Leadership.
• Advanced knowledge of accessibility legislation, inclusive design principles, and their integration into business workflows.
• Certifications in accessibility (e.g., CPACC, WAS) or business analysis (e.g., CBAO) or Certification in Human Centered Design (HCD).
• Familiarity with front-end technologies such as HTML, CSS, and ARIA.
• Agile certification (e.g., PMI-ACP) or equivalent experience incorporating accessibility into Agile workflows.

2. Experience:

Minimum Level Required

• 3-5 years of experience in digital accessibility, or AODA Compliance in a corporate or public sector environment.
   

Preferred Level

• Familiarity with cloud migration projects and enterprise software implementation in claims or insurance environments.
• Direct experience with the WSIB claim management process.
• Experience with claims transformation projects or Guidewire software implementations.

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

We respect and value the diversity of our people. We strive to create an environment where employees can be themselves and where our differences are celebrated.

We value and celebrate diversity and are committed to creating inclusive experiences for both our employees and prospective employees. We invite all interested individuals to apply. If you require accommodations in order to apply to this position please contact talentacquisitioncentre@wsib.on.ca.  If you are invited to participate in the interview or assessment process, you can advise our Recruiter of your accommodation needs at that time.  

Please visit our EDI Vision to learn more about what actions WSIB are taking to advance our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and to support all employees participating and contributing to their full potential

Disclosing conflicts of interest

As public servants, employees at the WSIB have a responsibility to act in an ethical way at all times to create a respectful workplace and maintain public trust. Job applicants are required to disclose any circumstance that could result in a real, potential or perceived conflict of interest. A conflict of interest is any situation where your private interests may impair or be perceived to impair the decisions you make in your official capacity. This may include: political activity, directorship, other outside employment and certain personal relationships (e.g. with current WSIB employees, customers and/or stakeholders). If you have any questions about conflict of interest obligations and/or how to make a disclosure, please contact the Talent Acquisition Centre at talentacquisitioncentre@wsib.on.ca.

Privacy information

We collect personal information from your resume, application, cover letter and references under the authority of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997. The Talent Acquisition Centre and WSIB hiring parties will used this information to assess/validate your qualifications, determine if you meet the requirements of vacant positions and/or gather information relevant for recruitment purposes. If you have questions or concerns regarding the collection and use of your personal information, please contact the WSIB’s Privacy Office at privacy_office@wsib.on.ca. The Privacy Office cannot provide information about the status of your application.

As a precondition of employment, the WSIB requires that prospective candidates undergo a criminal records name check any time before or after they are hired.

To apply for this position, please submit your application by the closing date.