Learning Disability Community Leader

Learning Disability Community Leader, L'Arche Edinburgh

ABOUT THE ROLE

Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week (including some evening and weekend working, and regular on-call)

Salary: £51,000 per annum

Reports to: Head of Operations, Scotland

Place of work: L’Arche Edinburgh Community, Leith. Some travel and overnight stays will be required within the UK.

Contract type: Permanent

Closing date: Sunda7 19th July at midnight

Main purpose of the role

L'Arche Edinburgh provides registered housing support and care at home services to 16 adults with learning disabilities across four locations in and around the Leith and Restalrig areas of the city. It strives to be an inclusive community that celebrates spirituality and friendship in all its diversity. Inspired by our Christian roots, we welcome people of all faiths and none.

The Community Leader (Director) is responsible for ensuring that the Community is living the mission of L'Arche, by providing excellent and financially sustainable care and support services and engaging with 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 Team in Edinburgh, the National Leadership Team, individual circles of support, and external partners;
• Ensure the Community's financial sustainability through robust financial planning and management, including setting budgets, controlling spending, maximising occupancy, negotiating care contracts, and spotting fundraising opportunities;
• Foster a culture that maximises the voice and power for people with learning disabilities, building listening and collaboration between Community members with and without learning disabilities;
• 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

Key essential criteria

• Senior leadership experience in support to adults with learning disabilities (or transferable skills and experience in a closely related field);
• Experience in leading, managing, and developing an organisation or large teams to deliver results, maintain compliance and quality, and to respond to risks and opportunities;
• Good financial planning skills and experiences of successfully managing a substantial budget;
• 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;
• Passionate about person-centred support and the values and mission of L'Arche;
• SVQ3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent;

This role is subject to a PVG 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 Edinburgh  here.

Additional details  about L'Arche can be found

here.

Discover what makes L’Arche a rewarding place to work—explore our employee benefits   here.

A full job description and person specification can be found in the Recruitment Pack.

To apply, please submit your CV and include a cover letter via our online application form. 

The closing date is: Sunday, 19th July at midnight

First round interviews are expected to take place either on 30th or 31st July 2026.

Second round interviews will take place on 9th August 2026. 

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.