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.
Our inclusive communities challenge people to think differently about disability
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The Haberdashers’ Company is one of the ancient Livery Companies of the City of London, with a history dating back to 1371. While custodians of a remarkable heritage, we are firmly focused on the present and future. Our enduring purpose is to empower young people from every background to fulfil their potential through our schools and by supporting their communities.
Today, the Company is a thriving membership organisation of more than 1,000 members from a wide range of professions, united by a shared commitment to service and social impact. We are a modern, values-led funder, committed to flexible, relational and transparent grant-making, working in partnership with our schools, churches, communities and charity partners to create lasting change.
Central to our approach is the Haberdashers’ Advantage, a distinctive funder-plus model that combines grant funding with member-led governance support, volunteering, mentoring and capacity building. Each year, the Company distributes over £5.6 million to support schools, young people, churches and charities across North London, Southeast London, South Wales and the West Midlands, with a primary focus on education and community resilience.
The Role
We are seeking a Director for Charities to lead and further develop the Company’s grant-making, philanthropy and fundraising. This senior leadership role is responsible for shaping and delivering charitable strategy and ensuring the Company’s resources create meaningful, long-term impact for young people and communities.
The Director for Charities will oversee our grant-making, steward key funding relationships and play a central role in developing fundraising with members, including growing individual giving, legacies and events-based income. The role is inherently relational, working closely with charity partners, schools, dioceses, Company members and colleagues. You will support and advise grant-making committees, convene learning and engagement events, and represent the Company within external funder networks to remain connected to best practice in modern philanthropy.
Who We Are Looking For
We are looking for a values-driven leader with strong experience of flexible and responsive grant-making and fundraising in the charitable sector, and a clear commitment to improving outcomes for young people and communities. You will have excellent communication skills, a warm, engaging and reflective leadership style, and will thrive in a small but highly collaborative organisation. You will be comfortable engaging with grassroots charities, senior stakeholders, Company members and robust governance structures, combining an appreciation for heritage and service with a commitment to modern, progressive philanthropy.
To read more about the opportunity and our work, please download the full appointment brief.
Closing Date: 3 March 2026
People Beyond Profit Screening Conversations: 9-18 March 2026
The Haberdashers’ Company Panel Interviews:
- First Stage: 27 March 2026
- Second Stage: 13 April 2026