13 Jobs for the Disability sector

About the Role

Everyone deserves the opportunity to feel they belong…

A child who wants to join a youth movement.  A family who wants to feel part of their synagogue.  An autistic adult who wants the same opportunities to take part in Jewish community life as anyone else.

These are ordinary parts of Jewish life, yet for many neurodivergent people, people with learning disabilities and their families, taking part is not always straightforward.

Across the Jewish community, we are working together to change that.

Through ‘Belonging Matters’, Norwood has brought together 29 community organisations, creating a partnership committed to making Jewish community life more accessible and inclusive.

Together, we have developed a shared Community Action Plan, bringing different perspectives, experiences and expertise together around a common ambition.

Now comes the opportunity to turn those commitments into meaningful, lasting change.

As our Community Innovation Lead, you'll play a central role in making that happen.

This is a new role with considerable scope to influence what comes next.  You'll work alongside synagogues, schools, youth movements, charities and other community organisations, helping them explore what needs to change, build on what already works and develop practical approaches that make inclusion part of everyday community life.

One day, you might be working with a youth movement to explore how its activities could become more accessible.  Another, you could be bringing community leaders together to tackle a shared challenge, working with families to understand their experiences or exploring an innovative approach from elsewhere that could make a difference here.

You'll lead the delivery of the Community Action Plan, shape the development of our Community Kitemark and help organisations translate shared ambitions into practical improvements.

You'll also look beyond our community for fresh thinking, drawing on research, innovation and successful approaches nationally and internationally, and working with partners to test what could work locally.

There is already excellent work happening across the Jewish community.  This role isn't about starting again or expecting Norwood to have all the answers.  It's engaging and connecting with people, building on existing expertise and helping organisations achieve more together than they could individually.

Your opportunity is to help turn a shared ambition for belonging into a reality that people can experience in their everyday lives.

Who We Are Looking For

We're looking for someone who sees possibilities where others might see barriers.

Someone who is creative, curious and determined; who enjoys bringing people together, asking thoughtful questions and finding practical ways to make things better.

You'll understand that meaningful community change doesn't happen simply by developing a strategy or bringing people into a room.  It happens by building trust, listening to different perspectives, challenging established approaches when needed and helping people take action.

You'll be confident working with senior leaders and community organisations, but equally comfortable sitting alongside families, practitioners and people with lived experience to understand what matters to them.

You'll bring experience of turning ideas, strategies or programmes into practical delivery. You'll know how to bring structure to an ambitious programme without losing the creativity, flexibility and collaboration needed to make it successful.

You'll also recognise that every organisation starts from a different place.  You'll be able to encourage progress, challenge constructively and help partners find approaches that are both ambitious and achievable.

You don't need to have worked in exactly this type of role before.  Your experience might come from community development, organisational change, education, disability, social care or another environment where you've brought people together to achieve meaningful outcomes.

What matters is that you can combine big-picture thinking with hands-on delivery, influence without relying on authority and keep people focused on the difference you're collectively trying to make.

Above all, you'll understand that genuine inclusion starts with listening to the people whose lives we want to improve and ensuring they have a meaningful voice in shaping what happens next.

Your Day to Day

You'll move between developing ideas, building partnerships and making sure the work translates into meaningful change.

You'll:

• Turn ambition into action.  Drive the Community Action Plan, bringing structure, priorities and momentum to a programme involving multiple organisations and shared responsibilities.
• Shape the Community Kitemark.  Lead its development, testing and rollout, working with organisations to create a practical framework that helps them understand where they are and how they can improve.
• Bring organisations together.  Build trusted relationships across synagogues, schools, youth movements, charities and community groups, helping partners tackle shared challenges and develop collaborative solutions.
• Explore and test new ideas.  Look nationally and internationally for innovative approaches to inclusion, participation and belonging, adapting and testing ideas with community partners.
• Put lived experience at the centre.  Work alongside neurodivergent people, people with learning disabilities and families, ensuring their experiences influence decisions, priorities and practical solutions.
• Help organisations make meaningful changes.  Support improvements to communication, activities, environments, policies, leadership and everyday practice.
• Create opportunities to learn together.  Develop and deliver workshops, community events, conferences, leadership sessions and peer-learning opportunities that build knowledge and confidence.
• Connect expertise and share learning.  Help organisations learn from one another, build on successful approaches and avoid duplicating work already happening elsewhere.
• Understand what difference we're making.  Use feedback, evidence and lived experience to identify progress, understand what isn't working and shape what happens next.
• Build something that lasts.  Help partners develop the confidence, resources and capability to sustain improvements beyond the initial programme.

Success won't simply be about delivering a programme.  It will be seeing organisations work differently, more opportunities opening up and people experiencing a greater sense of belonging across Jewish community life.

Qualifications, Training & Experience

Essential

You'll bring:

• A relevant degree, professional qualification or substantial equivalent experience in community development, organisational change, programme development, disability, education, social care or a related field.
• Significant experience turning ideas, strategies or programmes into practical delivery.
• Strong experience building relationships and influencing people across different organisations and levels of seniority.
• Experience working within the Jewish community, another faith community or a comparable values-led community environment.
• A good understanding of neurodiversity, learning disability and the barriers people can experience when participating in community life.
• Experience involving people with lived experience in developing or improving programmes, services or practice.
• Excellent communication, facilitation and relationship-building skills.
• Experience developing and delivering events, workshops, conferences or learning opportunities.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, deadlines and budgets.
• Confidence using evidence, feedback and outcomes to understand progress and inform decisions.
• The creativity, resilience and professional judgement to navigate challenges, work independently and keep things moving.

Desirable

It would be advantageous if you also have:

• Experience leading collaborative programmes involving multiple organisations.
• Experience developing new approaches where there isn't an established model.
• Good knowledge of the UK Jewish community, its diversity, structures and organisations.
• Specialist experience in neurodiversity, learning disability or accessible participation.
• Experience delivering large-scale community events, leadership programmes or peer-learning networks.
• Experience in evaluation, grant reporting, funding applications or organisational development.

Flexibility will be needed to work outside standard working hours when required, with TOIL provided in line with organisational policy.

Reward and Benefits

• 21 days annual leave + 8 Bank Holidays (FTE) + Jewish Festival Days
• Enhanced parental pay
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Health cash plan covering dental, optical, and therapy treatments, with virtual GP access, private consultations, and wellbeing tools via the My Medicash App
• Blue Light Card scheme access
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Free on-site parking
• A supportive, and experienced leadership team.

A bit more information: Our Children and Family Services support neurodivergent children and young people, those with learning disabilities, and their families to live fulfilling lives and participate fully in their communities.

We work alongside families to provide practical guidance, emotional support, advocacy and opportunities to build skills, confidence and connection. Through workshops, courses, peer support and individual family support, we help families navigate challenges, celebrate strengths and access the support they need.

Our approach is centred on the whole family. We recognise that when parents, carers, siblings and grandparents feel informed, connected and supported, children and young people are better able to thrive.

We also create opportunities for children and young people to develop friendships, build independence, try new experiences and enjoy meaningful activities through our Unity clubs and programmes.

Based at our fully accessible North London Hub, we support children and young people with a wide range of needs, including those with complex physical disabilities and medical requirements.  With specialist facilities including a sensory room, soft play area and accessible outdoor space, we create environments where children and young people can feel safe, valued and included.

Safe Recruitment:  Norwood is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children, and young people we support.  This role is subject to safer recruitment checks in line with OFSTED, and appointment is conditional upon satisfactory pre-employment checks, including Right to Work in the UK and a DBS check appropriate to the role.