Independent living advisor jobs in home based

Are you passionate about upholding the rights of other Disabled people? Would you like to bring your whole self to work? 

Inclusion Barnet is Barnet’s Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisation (DDPO), led by a board and senior management team of disabled people, and we’re passionate about using our lived experience of disability to work towards inclusive communities and greater social justice for all.

This role involves working with people across all of Barnet’s diverse communities. Therefore, we’re looking for people with a demonstrable commitment to the social model of disability and equality, with their own direct lived experience of disability, and an ambition to contribute to a fairer society for all.

The successful candidate will spend their time delivering a frontline welfare benefits triaging service with the support of a senior caseworker. 

To succeed, you will need experience of advice work which includes using a benefits calculator and signposting. The role also involves managing our telephone and email inbox into the advice service and obtaining feedback about the service from clients alongside initial advice giving. The role will include some casework including concessionary travel claims when capacity allows and with relevant training. 

You will need excellent communication skills and be unphased by people presenting with multiple issues, often in emotional distress. You’ll be excited by the challenge of learning new things and have a good knowledge of the services used by disabled people. 

In return, we offer a supportive and friendly workplace, with a focused but flexible culture, where you can bring your whole self to work. 

This is a home-based role, with some travel around Barnet needed, approx. 2 days a month. Most of the triaging work can be completed online or over the telephone, but there may be a need for some face-to-face client work from time to time. You will therefore need to live within a reasonable travelling distance of Barnet. Some travel to other venues in London may also be required, for example for staff away days or other meetings.

We encourage flexible working to suit your work/life balance preferences where possible; however, some working days might be determined by appointments. We also operate a Time Off In Lieu (TOIL) system.

To apply, please submit your CV with a brief covering letter clearly stating how you meet the person specification, and how you would use your lived experience of disability to inform your delivery of the role.

The successful candidate must be willing to undergo an enhanced DBS check and have the right to work in the UK. 

Interviews will be held remotely w/c 8th December and will include a pre-prepared scenario question which you will need to submit before the time of your interview.

Role: Healthcare Partnerships Lead

Hours: 22.5hr hrs per week, (3 days, Tuesday and Friday core days)

Location: Homebased within the UK with a requirement to travel independently and support in person events, conferences and meetings

Reporting to: Director of Programmes and Partnerships

Benefits: Flexible working arrangements, 28 days of annual leave (FTE) + 1 day for your birthday, pension scheme

Key relationships: Managing external relationships with key healthcare professionals and partners and working closely with our Medical Advisor and Information and Research Manager

Salary: £35,000 per annum (FTE)

About the role

Do you have a proven track record of building impactful partnerships in the healthcare sector? Do you want to make a meaningful difference at the world’s leading multiple sclerosis healthy lifestyle charity?

We are seeking a dynamic Healthcare Partnerships Lead, to drive forward our Healthcare Engagement Strategy, ensuring that more people understand the importance of healthy lifestyle in managing MS symptoms and progression. You will lead the development and delivery of initiatives that align with our strategic vision—ensuring that everyone affected by MS knows that hope and possibility exist beyond diagnosis.

Healthcare professionals play a pivotal role in the lives of people with MS. As the first point of contact, they are the primary source of trusted information and support. Given the lifelong nature of MS, these relationships can span decades, making it essential that we engage meaningfully with the healthcare community. By fostering strong partnerships, we can ensure that more professionals are equipped to share evidence-based lifestyle interventions and offer hope from the very beginning.

Why this role matters

Since 2012, Overcoming MS has been at the forefront of promoting an evidence-based approach to the self-management of MS using healthy lifestyle choices alongside medication. Although there is no cure for MS, we help people with MS to live well by making informed lifestyle choices.

Over the past 18 months, we have laid a strong foundation for this work:

· Identifying key barriers to supported self-management in MS.

· Co-developing educational resources to support healthcare professionals

· Piloting projects with healthcare professionals.

· Refining and presenting data to demonstrate the value of our approach.

Now, we are ready to build on that momentum—and we need you to take it further.

Key responsibilities

· Lead the successful delivery of the Healthcare Engagement strategy, identifying and promoting engagement with our key audiences and stakeholders, in accordance with the NHS 10-year plan.

· Raise awareness with healthcare professionals of the importance of healthy lifestyle in managing MS symptoms and disease progression, resulting in expanded access to supported self-management for people with MS.

· Lead the development and delivery of strategic projects that engage healthcare professionals.

· Raise the profile and credibility of Overcoming MS, our information, events and courses, positioning us as the go-to charity for lifestyle and living well with MS.

· Increase the impact of our HCP education module, through our existing partnership with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine, marketing the education widely, evaluating its benefit to HCPs and strategically reviewing the format, vehicle and content as appropriate.

· Work closely with our internal Evidence Gathering Group, our Medical Advisor, and Information and Research Manager to facilitate the development of the relationship, profile and reach between the charity and the health and social care sectors.

· Develop a wide network of key healthcare professionals to inform our strategy, provide expertise, expert review of materials, and content (podcasts, webinars, blogs)

· Co-produce posters, abstracts and academic articles to present at key conferences.

· Identify and attend key healthcare events and conferences, building networks, partnerships and other resources to increase knowledge and awareness.

Other responsibilities

· Create meaningful engagement with the MS community and healthcare professional partners, widening our reach to support more people with MS.

· Empower people affected by MS and their healthcare professionals to discuss lifestyle modification and the Overcoming MS Program with confidence, improving self-management and health outcomes.

· Identify opportunities for accessing funding streams, working with Fundraising colleagues to diversify our income base.

· Raise our profile within the healthcare environment so that they recommend the charity and will advocate on our behalf.

· As we are a small, busy charity, all staff help with the general running of the organisation in addition to their specific role activities.

What you will bring

· Proven experience in healthcare partnership development and stakeholder engagement.

·Strong understanding of the challenges facing people living with a lifelong condition such as MS, including the emotional, physical, and social impacts along with a strong understanding of the NHS, Public Health and the UK health care policy landscape.

· A proactive, independent professionalism with the ability to problem solve.

· Strategic thinking with a collaborative, hands-on approach

· Strong understanding of health inequalities and community-based health initiatives.

· Excellent communication, presentation and influencing skills.

· Confidence to attend meetings as sole representative of the charity and ability to get oneself there independently.

· Intellectual flexibility, with the ability to embrace and deal with complexity.

· Passion for improving lives through lifestyle and wellness interventions.

· Comfortable working remotely, attending events during evenings and weekends.

· Experience as a senior healthcare lead or similar role (Desirable).

· Experience and knowledge of neurological conditions (Desirable).

First stage interviews to be held online: Wednesday 3rd December and Thursday 4th December

Second stage interviews to be held online: Friday 12th December