Job Posting: Denver Public Schools

DPS, the large urban public school district in Colorado with more than 90,000 students across nearly 200 schools, is hiring an Associate Ombudsperson. The full-time position will report to and support the District Ombudsperson, Antoinette Hudson, CO-OP, and provide services for employees, including coaching, mediation, and facilitation. The role also contributes to training, identifies systemic concerns. 

Society for Cinema and Media Studies Names Conference Ombuds

Bathabile K. S. Mthombeni will serve as the on-site Ombuds for the Society for Cinema and Media Studies' conference on March 26-29, 2026, in Chicago. Mthombeni will serve as a resource for conference participants who have questions about the professional association's Code of Conduct. She will be available up to a year after the event. Mthombeni has been the Ombuds for Binghamton University since 2015, and has also served as conference Ombuds for Root & Shoot and the American Anthropological Association. (SCMS Ombuds.)

University of Amsterdam Formalizes Ombuds Framework

In November 2025, Universiteit van Amsterdam adopted new regulations for its Ombuds, which affirm core principles of independence, impartiality, and confidentiality. Under the framework, the Ombuds has a legal right to information, requiring cooperation from university bodies and access to relevant records, and is empowered to investigate allegations of unjust treatment and systemic social safety issues. The framework aligns with broader European higher education practices, emphasizing a more formal, high-authority Ombuds role focused on institutional accountability and administrative fairness. 

Cal Poly Pomona Quietly Shutters Ombuds Office

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, has paused operations of its Office of Conflict Resolution and Ombuds just over a year after relaunching the program. A university spokesperson said the office is closed pending review. The closure came to light after the student newspaper inquired about a door sign indicating the office was not operating. The university has not issued a campus-wide announcement explaining the decision.

Job Posting: University of California San Diego

UCSD, the large public research university in La Jolla, is seeking a full-time Associate Ombudsperson (Ombudsperson 3) for a one-year appointment. The office serves faculty, staff, students (about 40,000), and members of the UCSD health system. The position is part of an established office led by Director/Campus Ombudsperson John Armijo, with Associate Ombuds Nicholas Raichart and Ombuds Sue Presley. The role includes managing cases of moderate complexity, conducting intake and assessment, and leading outreach and training. 

Society for Research in Child Development Renews with MWI for Ombuds Services

SRCD has again retained MWI to provide Conference Ombuds services for its 2027 Biennial Meeting, which will take place April 8–10, 2027, in Atlanta, Georgia. The large, international conference is expected to draw more than 6,500 attendees from research, practice, and policy communities. 

Job Posting: Kennestone Hospital

Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center is hiring its first Graduate Medical Education Ombudsman. The full-time position will serve residents, fellows, faculty, and program leadership across all GME programs within Wellstar Health System in and around Marietta, Georgia. The Ombuds is expected to report to the Office of Academic Affairs. 

ENOHE Opens Registration for Annual Conference in Krakow

The European Network of Ombuds in Higher Education has announced details for its 21st annual conference at AGH University of Kraków on June 10-12, 2026. This year's theme is "New Developments in a Maturing Profession: Ombuds Skills and AI." Speakers will connect emerging issues in artificial intelligence with Ombuds work in higher education. The agenda is expected soon. Conference fees are €420 for members and €470 for non-members. Grants are available for Ombuds who are new to the field. (ENOHE Conf Info.) 

Mystery Job Posting at the Census Bureau

On March 18, 2026, the U.S. Commerce Department posted an opening for an Associate Ombuds. The full-time, GS-15 position was based in the Washington, D.C. metro area and was consistent with past job openings. Mysteriously, the announcement was canceled the very next day. This would have been the first Ombuds hire in the Census Bureau in two and a half years. (USA Jobs.)

Georgetown University Student Ombuds Releases 2024-25 Annual Report

Georgetown's Student Ombuds, Daniela Brancaforte, reports that she served 377 student visitors in the 2024-25 academic year and logged 427.25 hours in consultations, group visits, and informal mediations. She conducted 26 outreach events, reflecting continued efforts to raise awareness of services across the campus community. The report highlights a wide range of student concerns, including wellbeing, evaluative relationships, and communication challenges, as well as questions arising in a rapidly changing academic and social environment. (Georgetown Student Ombuds 2024-25 Report.)

Job Posting: Davidson College

The private liberal arts college north of Charlotte, North Carolina, is seeking its first Ombuds. This temporary, part-time consultant will lead the program's initial setup. Key responsibilities include creating the Ombuds website, formal policies, and various outreach materials, and requires regular on-campus presence. The Ombuds will report to the College President and will serve faculty and staff, but not the 2,000 undergraduates. 

Job Posting (RFP): Connecticut Energy Efficiency Board

The Connecticut Energy Efficiency Board (EEB), working with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, has issued a Request for Proposals for an independent Contractor Ombudsperson to support residential energy efficiency program contractors statewide. The engagement will cover an initial three-year term beginning January 2027, with the first year as a pilot period. Responsibilities include establishing a Charter, developing communication frameworks, tracking and synthesizing contractor concerns, and providing regular updates to the EEB on trends and systemic issues. The role is expected to require approximately 25–40 hours per month. 

University of Pennsylvania Ombuds Releases 2024-25 Annual Report

UPenns’s Deputy Ombuds Waged Jafer and University Ombuds Jennifer A. Pinto-Martin have released their 2024-25 annual report. The office reported 229 visitors, a 6% increase from the prior year, with staff comprising the largest share (38%), followed by faculty (21%) and graduate/professional students (17%). Employment-related concerns remained the most common (39%), followed by academic issues (33%). 

Zetu Makamandela-Mguqulwa Appointed Cape Town City Ombuds

Earlier this month, Zetu Makamandela-Mguqulwa became the Ombud for South Africa's second largest city. Her first public event celebrated World Consumer Rights Day. Several organizations supported the engagement of the new City Ombud, including the Western Cape Police Ombudsman, the Public Protector South Africa, Community Schemes Ombud Service, and the National Financial Ombud. Makamandela-Mguqulwa, the former inaugural Ombuds for the University of Cape Town, is wide recognized as a leading Ombuds in the region. In 2025, she was honored with the IOA President's Award for her work. (Nova News.) 

ABA Dispute Resolution Section 2026 Skills Summit Includes Joint IOA Programming

The American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section will host its inaugural Skills Summit on April 15-16, 2026. The first day of the virtual event will overlap with the third day of the IOA annual conference, with Day 1 designed as a concurrent program bringing together Ombuds and other dispute resolution professionals. (Participants will need to register for only one or the other event, not both.) In addition, the Skills Summit has been pre-approved for Certified Organizational Ombuds Professional Development Hours.