Learning Disability Community Leader

ABOUT THE ROLE

Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week (including some evening and weekend working, and regular on-call)

Salary: £55,000 (including London weighting)

Reports to: L’Arche UK Director of Care and Communities

Place of work: L’Arche London Community, West Norwood, SE27. Some travel and overnight stays will be required within the UK.

Contract type: Permanent

Closing date: Midnight on Wednesday 11 February 2026.

Main purpose of the role

The Community Leader is responsible for ensuring that the Community is living the mission of L’Arche, by providing excellent and sustainable care and support services, support for spirituality, and engaging with our neighbours and the wider community around us.

The Community Leader will:

• Lead the Community by responding to the needs, choices and context of our members while being faithful to the L'Arche UK Vision and Values, the L'Arche International Identity and Mission Statement, and to a co-created Community Mandate and plan;
• Maintain and enhance high-quality, person-centred care, support, and housing for people with learning disabilities, both at home and in our day services in partnership with the Registered Manager, the Team in London, the National Leadership Team, individual circles of support, and external partners;
• Ensure the Community's financial sustainability through robust financial planning and management, including setting budgets, controlling spending, maximising occupancy, negotiating care contracts, growing day services, and spotting fundraising opportunities;
• Foster a culture that maximises the voice and power for people with learning disabilities, building listening and collaboration between Community members with and without learning disabilities;
• Lead and manage a diverse, committed, and engaged leadership team to achieve objectives, set a positive culture, and support the personal and professional growth of our leaders;
• Cultivate an open, creative, and spiritual life, inviting everyone in the Community to deepen their connections;
• Model, advocate for, and embrace the L'Arche ethos of deep, long-term, and mutually transforming relationships between people with and without learning disabilities, planning and leading a regular calendar of events that build community belonging and help keep people connected;
• Contribute to the national work programmes of L'Arche UK, as part of the National Council, collaborating with Community Leaders of other L'Arche Communities, to share skills, best practice, and resources;
• Be a visible representative of L'Arche locally in the wider community, with stakeholders like local authorities, professional organisations, schools, faith communities, and L'Arche worldwide.

Key essential criteria

• Senior leadership experience in support to adults with learning disabilities (or transferable skills and experience in a closely related field);
• Experience in leading, managing, and developing an organisation or large teams to deliver results, maintain compliance and quality, and to respond to risks and opportunities;
• Good financial planning skills and experiences of successfully managing a substantial budget;
• Ability to think strategically and work collaboratively to develop and implement community plans;
• Experience of living or working alongside people with learning disabilities and/or autistic individuals;
• Passionate about person-centred support and the values and mission of L'Arche;

This role is subject to an enhanced DBS criminal record check.

To apply, please submit your CV and answer the questions from our online application form. The closing date is: Wednesday 11 February 2026 at midnight. First round interviews are expected to take place on 23 and 24 February 2026, online via Microsoft Teams. Second round interviews will take place on 5 March 2026 and will take place within the L'Arche London Community. We encourage you not to wait until the closing date to submit your application, as we may begin interviewing strong candidates before then. We also reserve the right to close the advert early if we receive enough suitable applications.