Accessibility Principal Consultant

Position: Accessibility Principal Consultant

Location: UK-wide

Workplace: Home-based

Salary: Up to £55,000.00 (Full-Time Equivalent)

Working pattern: 9-5 Monday to Friday

Contract type: Permanent | Full-time (35 hours per week)

Closing date: End-of-day 5 January 2026

Interviews: Week commencing 19 January 2026

The role

As Accessibility Principal Consultant, you’ll set the standard for excellence within our consultancy team. You’ll act as a strategic partner to key clients, guiding them beyond compliance and helping embed accessibility at the heart of their digital strategy. You’ll oversee complex accessibility programmes, mentor consultants, and drive innovation through thought leadership.

To gain insight into this role, you can download the full job description for more details. Additionally, you can read an interview with Rina Wharton, one of our consultants, to understand more about our consultancy team and the work they do.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide high-level strategic and technical consultancy, advising on wireframes, design systems, and organisational maturity.
• Deliver expert audits, user testing, and training for complex or high-risk projects.
• Support commercial teams in scoping projects, developing proposals, and managing technical escalations.
• Research emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) in accessibility and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) updates, and share insights with the team.
• Represent AbilityNet at conferences, webinars, and through white papers and articles.
• Mentor mid-level and junior consultants, supporting their professional growth.
• Lead internal development initiatives to align the department with business strategy.
• Deliver bespoke consultancy work and support the Head of Consultancy and SMT (Senior Management Team) with team activities.
• Ensure quality assurance across all deliverables.

About You

You’ll be an expert in digital accessibility, with deep knowledge of standards (WCAG and EN 301 549) and legislation. You’ll be confident communicating technical requirements to a range of stakeholders, from developers to executives. You’ll have experience leading complex projects, building consensus, and coaching others. You’ll be passionate about removing barriers and advocating for inclusive design.

Skills and Experience Required

• Significant experience in accessibility consultancy, including audits, user research, and training.
• Strong leadership and mentoring skills.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities.
• Ability to manage complex testing activities and define strategies for large programmes.
• Confidence using a range of assistive technologies.
• Experience with quality assurance and risk management.
• Ability to work collaboratively and foster a culture of trust.

About AbilityNet

We are global leaders in digital accessibility. Our vision is a digital world accessible to all. We offer a range of free and paid for services that help disabled and digitally excluded people achieve their goals at home, at work, in education, and online. This includes working with organisations to make their digital estates more accessible, as well as providing direct support to individuals.

We are supported by some of the biggest technology businesses in the world. Each we run TechShare Pro, the UK's largest accessibility and inclusive design conference, with sponsors such as IBM, Barclays, Google, and Microsoft.

Why join us?

You’ll be part of a forward-thinking team at the cutting edge of digital accessibility. You’ll have the opportunity to shape the future of inclusive design, work with leading organisations, and make a real impact.

Benefits we offer

Pension Scheme: We provide a workplace pension in line with UK legislation. Eligible employees are automatically enrolled within three months of joining. 

Annual Leave: Enjoy 25 days of annual leave plus UK public holidays. Your entitlement increases by one day each year after five full years’ service, up to a maximum of 30 days. 

Life Assurance: We offer life assurance cover valued at four times your annual salary. 

Wellbeing Support: We care about your wellbeing and are committed to supporting a healthy work/life balance. We offer: 

• Simplyhealth Optimise wellbeing plan
• Confidential Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• A flexible approach to working arrangements that accommodates individual needs

Learning & Development: We invest in our people. You’ll have access to a wide range of learning and development opportunities to support your growth. We’re proud of our inclusive, supportive culture and are committed to helping you reach your full potential.

Apply and further information

Please note

Right to Work: We welcome applications from overseas. However, you must already have the legal right to work in the UK as we are unable to sponsor work permits.

Workplace: You will primarily be home-based, however you will be expected to work on client sites as required with some travel outside of office hours.

Work Pattern: 35 hours per week, 9-5 Monday to Friday, however there is flexibility in the work pattern, so please reach out to us if you’d like to discuss alternative arrangements.

How to apply

To apply for this role, please submit a Cover Letter and CV using the form below.

Cover Letter: look to cover the following in your cover letter:

• Why you are interested in the Accessibility Principal Consultant role at AbilityNet.
• What unique skills, qualities, and experiences you bring that make you suitable for this position.
• Examples of your experience in digital accessibility, including audits, consultancy, training, or leadership.
• How your values and approach align with AbilityNet’s mission to champion inclusion and accessibility.
• Any relevant qualifications, certifications, or technical expertise (e.g., WCAG, assistive technologies, user research).
• Your motivation for joining AbilityNet and how you hope to contribute to our team and clients.

Please note, if invited to interview, the answers that you have provided may be explored further.

CV: Provide a clear overview of your career history, focusing on roles and achievements relevant to this position. Where possible, demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and skills outlined in the job description.

Please use the form below to submit your cover letter and CV. If you experience any issues using the form, you can instead email hr@abilitynet.org.uk. Any queries about the role can be addressed to the Human Resources (HR) department at this email, or call us on +44 (0)118 228 0374.

The closing date for applications is end-of-day 5 January 2026.

Interview process

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a panel interview via Teams with cameras on. This one-hour session will include the Head of Consultancy, Principal Consultant and the HR Director who will assess your suitability for the role through the delivery of a presentation and structured questions aligned to the role requirements.

Panel interviews offer a fair and inclusive process by providing multiple perspectives and ensuring consistency in evaluation. You’ll be assessed on your relevant experience, knowledge, communication style, and alignment with AbilityNet’s values and goals.

Interviews will be held week commencing 19 January 2026

We are Disability Confident

AbilityNet is a Disability Confident Leader - we aim to make the most of the opportunities provided by employing disabled people. Disability Confident is a government scheme, is voluntary and has been developed by employers and disabled people's representatives.

As a Disability Confident employer we encourage applications from disabled people and offer an interview to those who meet the minimum criteria for the job role.

Apply now

Fields with an asterisk (*) are required.