Senior Accessibility Specialist
Reference: APR20257021
Location: Flexible in UK
Salary: £44,315.00 - £47,312.00 Per Annum
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full Time, 37.5 hours a week – Flexible working pattens to be discussed
Benefits: Pension Scheme, Life Assurance Scheme, 26 days' Annual Leave
Whilst we have a huge presence and influence in the conservation sector we recognise that our work is not reaching everyone. We need to enable more, and more diverse people to engage with and act for nature.
Recognising that people are at the heart of delivering our ambitions, we have an exciting opportunity for a talented person to join as Senior Accessibility Specialist.
What’s the job about?
Our 2030 strategy commits the RSPB to becoming more relevant to the communities and supporters we work with by involving a more diverse range of people. Recognising that people are at the heart of delivering our ambitions, we have an exciting opportunity for a talented person to join as Senior Accessibility Specialist. Reporting to the Head of EDI, and as part of the EDI leadership team, you’ll hold close relationships with a wide range of stakeholders across the organisation. You’ll work collaboratively to support the transformation in behaviours and skills needed to make the RSPB a more accessible and equitable place for all.
The role does have flexibility to shape and innovate but will be focused on the continuation and delivery of two main priorities:
- Working with our nature reserve teams to implement accessibility improvements that make our spaces more inclusive for Staff, Volunteers and Visitors
- Working with Communications and Learning and Development teams, internal networks and other stakeholders, to deliver better experiences for our disabled workforce from the point they apply for a role.
Essentials:
- Experienced in delivering strategic accessibility interventions and influencing positive change at all levels of a large and complex organisation and the wider sector
- Personal commitment to making a tangible difference to accessibility with a focus on physical disability, sensory disabilities and neurodiverse people and communities.
- An advocate and practitioner of accessible design and clear communication
- Background and confidence in working with people with lived experience of access barriers and providing support and advice to organisations around accessibility.
- Comfortable to proactively challenge internal policy, practices and communications to better include marginalised groups.
- Expertise on accessible communications, with experience working to improve standards of internal communications and co-designing engaging content for external communication
- Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills to role model and drive behaviour change across all areas of accessibility
- In depth knowledge of accessibility standards and best practise within the UK. Including: WCAG, social model of disability, universal design principles, access to work, reasonable adjustments and working application of the Equality Act 2010
- Significant experience of designing and delivering resources and training around accessibility in a range of formats to meet learner needs
- Strong internal and external stakeholder management skills, ability to recognise a build key relationships and influence at a sector level
- Sound understanding of intersectionality of disability and other protected characteristics and a good generalist EDI knowledge to inform specialist advice and guidance
- Strong and effective communication skills, with ability to influence leaders and mobilise other teams to act
- Strong written communication and digital presentations skills to communicate accessibility and disability inclusion to a wide range of audiences
- Analytical evaluation to inform and report on areas of focus and impact
- Awareness of project and process management to enable work to be planned and delivered to a high quality, on time and within resource capacity
Desirable:
- Experience or interest in accessibility in the Conservation section, nature or climate emergency
- Understanding of the intersectional context of race and gender equity within accessibility
- Practical experience supporting accessibility changes at visitor attractions
- Experience working in the Voluntary sector or in volunteering
- Experience of movement building or membership organisations
Additional Information
This role is available full time and permanently for 37.5 hours a week, but we welcome applications for those looking for different working patterns and are happy to discuss further with interested candidates.
We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application.
Closing date: 23:59, Wednesday 21st May 2025
Interviews will take place around the 18th and 19th of June.
Please note: We reserve the right to close this advert at any time.
Open briefings
If this sounds like the role for you and you'd like more information on what the day-to-day responsibilities are, or a chance to ask questions, please get un touch with EDI at RSPB to enquire about one of our open briefings.
Interested?
If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.
As part of this application process you will be asked to complete an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.
This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.
No agencies please.
Registered Charity
More than 1000
The RSPB brings people together – people like you – to protect the things that matter to us all.
Thank you!
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This is an exceptional opportunity to be at the heart of a truly exciting heritage restoration project to restore, renew and open up to new audiences, a nationally-important building in a thriving but economically and socially challenged central London neighbourhood.
In November 2024, St Peter’s Walworth submitted a First-Round application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) for Development Phase funding for the “Building Beyond: Soane Reimagined” project. The request was for a First Round Pass of £3.1m and a Development Grant of £438,000. A decision was received by NLHF on 13th March 2025 and pending Permission to Start, the Development Phase is set to run for 18 months, at which point a Delivery Round application will be submitted to activate a Delivery Phase. Staff, a Design Team, a QS and specialist consultants will need to be competitively appointed to complete a list of required documents/studies for the Delivery application. Design development needs to be completed to RIBA Stage 3, planning, Faculty and consents need to be in place and all partnership funding raised or pledged.
Capital works are proposed to the exterior of the Church, respecting its heritage integrity, making it more sustainable and putting it in good order throughout. Similarly inside, where improvements will make the Church more welcoming, improving infrastructure and circulation and accommodating planned activities. Works will take place over the three floors: Crypt Basement, the Ground Floor and the Gallery/First Floor.
A full time Heritage Manager will need to be appointed at the beginning of the 18-month Development Phase. The successful candidate will provide leadership for the Project reporting to Claire Maugham (Chair of the Steering Group Committee) involved in strategic planning, management, execution, and coordination with internal and external stakeholders. In order to achieve the goals of St Peter’s Walworth, they will oversee design development to RIBA Stage 3 of “Building Beyond: Soane Reimagined” and oversee the preparation of key NLHF checklist documents, supporting on the roll out of a successful fundraising campaign - with a target to raise just over £1m working with a Fundraising Appeal Board, and a F/T Trusts and Foundations Manager.
The Heritage Manager will be a strategic thinker with an understanding of the planning and delivery of major projects funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF). We are also looking for a candidate that will successfully integrate partnerships that are being forged in the local area. They should have a strong background in project management and possess the ability to move adeptly between big picture thinking and day-to-day operations, where it will be necessary, for example, to process their own admin.
The Heritage Manager will have some experience of fundraising, networking and financial management and be comfortable working in a start-up environment, being able to demonstrate experience of extensive community engagement, as well as an understanding of and empathy with the ambitions and vision of the St Peter’s Walworth PCC (Parochial Church Council) and the needs of a Grade 1 listed building.
They will bring an inclusive approach to their work, able to centre and involve the church and local community in the project while integrating the experience of a wide range of volunteer professionals
Their task will be ensure that the project is delivered within time and to budget in accordance with an agreed programme, budget and checklist of deliverables, as well as working closely with all project stakeholders and partners.
St Peter’s Walworth is an inclusive and welcoming Church. We seek candidates with the skills and experience required, irrespective of any protected characteristics, and encourage applications from all regardless of background. We are especially keen to receive applications from people who are members of communities minoritised and under-represented in the heritage sector. We are a Christian church but this role may be filled by someone of any faith or of none.
Please apply with a CV and cover letter outlining your experience and motivation for this role.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.