Learning Disability Community Leader

L’arche

Learning Disability Community Leader, L’Arche Manchester

ABOUT THE ROLE

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

Salary: £47,946 per annum

Reports to: L Arche UK Regional Leader

Place of work: L Arche Manchester Community, Manchester M20 4AW. Some travel and overnight stays will be required within the UK

Contract type: Temporary 12-month appointment to cover maternity leave

Closing date: Monday, 2nd March at 12 pm.

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 local and national teams, individual circles of support, and external partners.
• Ensure the Community s financial sustainability through robust financial planning and management. This includes setting budgets and controlling spending, maximising housing occupancy, supporting the negotiation of care contracts, growing our day services and spotting fundraising opportunities.
• Foster a culture that maximises the voice and power for people with learning disabilities, and builds listening and collaboration between Community members. This will include working with an active Community Support Group, Community Gatherings, listening groups, and other forums.
• Lead and manage a committed and engaged leadership team to achieve objectives, set a positive culture, and support the personal and professional growth of our teams.
• Cultivate an open, creative, and inclusive 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. Plan and lead 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 world wide.

Key essential criteria

• Senior leadership experience in support to adults with learning disabilities (or transferable skills and experience in a closely-related field).
• Experience leading and managing an organisation or large teams to deliver results, maintain compliance and quality, and to respond to risks and opportunities.
• Experience leading and developing diverse teams to flourish, individually and together.
• Good financial planning skills and experience successfully managing a substantial budget.
• Evidence of the 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

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

You may have held these job titles in the past: Registered Manager, Service Manager, Head of Care, Senior Operations Lead, Community Director, Head of Community Services, Country or Regional Lead, Learning Disability Services Manager, Head of Mission and Community Life, Health & Social Care Manager, Local Authority Commissioning Lead;

You can find more details about L’Arche and the Manchester community on our website.

Why join L’Arche?

As well as joining a friendly Community, where you will be well supervised and supported, and benefit from L Arche s mentorship programme, these are some other benefits you get by working for us:

• Joining shared meals since cooking and having a meal together is what we are all about
• Enhanced Maternity, Adoption/Surrogacy, Paternity Pay (depending on length of service, details available on request)
• Enhanced sick pay
• Interest free loans and salary advances available
• Free DBS / PVG checks
• Free Employee Assistance Programme available to everyone
• Up to 5 days paid compassionate leave
• Up to 6 days paid (pro rata) for time off for emergency dependents leave
• Specialist bereavement counselling for employees and their family members
• Life Assurance
• Access to the Bike to Work scheme

Discover what makes L Arche a rewarding place to work explore more of our employee benefits on our website.

A full job description and person specification can be found in the Recruitment Pack.

To apply, please submit your CV and answer the questions from our online application form.

The closing date is: Monday, 2nd of March at 12 pm.

First interviews (online via Microsoft Teams) are expected to take place during the week beginning the 9th March 2026.

Second round interviews will take on the place week beginning 16th March 2026 and will take place within the 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.

Please also read our privacy notice for job applicants.