Senior Accessibility and User Research Consultant

Position: Senior Accessibility and User Research Consultant

Location: Homeworking - UK based (you will be expected to work on client sites as required with some travel outside of office hours)

Salary:  £45k to £55k (dependent on skill set and experience)

Working pattern: 9-5 Monday to Friday

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

Closing date: Sunday 29th March 2026 at midnight BST

The role

As a Senior Accessibility and User Research Consultant at AbilityNet, you’ll lead impactful accessibility and usability research, guiding evidence-based decisions that support disabled and neurodivergent users. You’ll design and deliver complex research projects, offer strategic and technical consultancy, and turn insights into practical recommendations. You’ll also mentor colleagues, ensure high-quality outputs, and help strengthen inclusive practices across the team. This role places you at the forefront of digital accessibility, working with leading organisations to advance inclusive design.

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

Client and research expertise

• Consultancy: providing strategic and technical consultancy to our clients
• Service delivery: conducting user testing, general consultancy, training webinars, workshops and preparing guidelines
• Presentations: design and present information and findings to clients
• Sales support: working alongside our sales team to develop and deliver client proposals
• Networking: proactively network with other accessibility professionals
• Interactions: internal and external teams facing
• Ownership: of an area of development for the team including process development, product and service development, training, and research
• Research: keep up to date on accessibility trends and techniques
• Contributing: sharing knowledge with the team, and making suggestions for improving and developing services, as well as Writing articles for the AbilityNet website/blog
• Support: team delivery support via mentoring and Quality Assurance (QA) and supporting the Head of Consultancy/Senior Management Team in activities
• Other: To undertake any other task consistent with the scope of the post, as requested by your manager.

About You

You’ll be an expert in digital accessibility, with deep knowledge of accessibility standards (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines - WCAG, 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

• Consultancy: an expert in the field of consultancy where you provide advice and recommendations to clients and stakeholders based on your significant specialist knowledge and experience
• Communication: have experience in managing stakeholder expectations, working collaboratively and building relationships
• Leadership and guidance: ability and experience in making decisions and building consensus with clients
• QA: have conducted quality assurance across deliverables to ensure the highest standards
• Technical understanding: can demonstrate excellent knowledge of accessibility standards and legislation, including edge cases

Who we are

AbilityNet exists to help make the digital world accessible to all. For more than 25 years, we have been transforming the lives of older and disabled people, and working with organisations of all types and sizes to build a digital world that is accessible and inclusive. Learn more about us and our services on our website. 

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 (calculated in hours, and pro-rated for part-time staff). 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 and 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 upload a Cover Letter, CV and evidence of your User Testing (UT) research using the form below.

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

• Why you are interested in this role and in AbilityNet’s mission
• The unique skills, qualities, and experiences you bring
• Highlights of your experience in digital accessibility and user research
• How your values and approach align with our commitment to inclusion
• Your motivation for joining AbilityNet and how you hope to contribute

Please note that 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 include any relevant qualifications, certifications, or technical expertise (e.g. WCAG, assistive technologies, user research methods).

Evidence of UT Research: Share your portfolio with us, demonstrating your work within the UT field.

The closing date for applications is Sunday 29th March 2026 at midnight BST.

Any queries about the role can also be directed to the Human Resources (HR) Department’s email address hr@abilitynet.org.uk or call us on +44 (0)118 228 0374. 

Interview process

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a panel interview via Teams (with cameras on). The one-hour session will include the Head of Consultancy, a Senior Consultant UT expert and the HR Director. You will be assessed on your suitability for the role through the delivery of a UT-related 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.

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

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