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Accessibility specialist

Find out what an accessibility specialist in government does and the skills you need to do the role at each level.

Last updated 31 May 2024 — See all updates

What an accessibility specialist does

An accessibility specialist provides support, advice and guidance to other roles in the Government Digital and Data profession about how to create accessible digital services. You will use knowledge of accessibility guidelines, provide technical expertise and bring the voice of disabled users to ensure that product teams make digital services that can be used by everyone.

Accessibility specialist role levels

There are 4 accessibility specialist role levels, from junior accessibility specialist to head of accessibility.

The typical responsibilities and skills for each role level are described in the sections below. You can use this to identify the skills you need to progress in your career, or simply to learn more about each role in the Government Digital and Data profession.

1. Junior accessibility specialist

A junior accessibility specialist learns on the job by assisting with accessibility testing.

At this role level, you will:

  • develop skills while working under supervision to provide accessibility testing
  • understand and use different types of testing
  • be aware of but not responsible for assistive technology testing
  • engage with and contribute to the cross-government accessibility community

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

  • EO (Executive Officer)
Skill Description

Communicating information

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • listen to the needs of design and business stakeholders and interpret information
  • take part in discussions within a multidisciplinary team

Consultancy

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • show an understanding of the need for consulting in your role, and its purpose
  • work under guidance to identify what advice, guidance and recommendations might be appropriate, usually by referring to previous work by others
  • show an understanding of how to frame problems that need to be solved

Technical understanding (accessibility)

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • demonstrate knowledge of some details of the standards and legislation, and know where to find more information
  • demonstrate knowledge of basic HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and related common accessibility issues
  • perform basic automated and manual checks on websites and documents, and can communicate findings and fixes
  • be an advocate for the people affected by accessibility barriers within the context of your work
  • demonstrate knowledge of using some assistive technology

Testing

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • correctly execute test scripts under supervision
  • understand the role of testing and how it works

User focus

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • show an awareness or understanding of user experience analysis and its principles
  • explain the purpose of user stories and the focus on user needs

2. Accessibility specialist

An accessibility specialist can support teams in creating accessible services.

At this role level, you will:

  • coach and mentor more junior colleagues
  • support in providing training materials and learning content
  • perform accessibility audits
  • engage with and contribute to the cross-government accessibility community

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

  • HEO (Higher Executive Officer)
  • SEO (Senior Executive Officer)
Skill Description

Communicating information

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • listen to the needs of design and business stakeholders and interpret information
  • take part in discussions within a multidisciplinary team
  • be an advocate for the team externally, and can manage differing perspectives
  • shape and share communications relevant to the audience

Consultancy

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • provide advice, guidance and recommendations based on your specialist knowledge and experience
  • propose methodologies to follow and approaches to implementation
  • frame problems so they can easily be understood, and troubleshoot where required, to support the business in operating more effectively

Governance and assurance (accessibility)

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • analyse and provide feedback on governance and project documents, and on governance boards, according to a predefined framework, assessing them against accessibility standards

Leadership and guidance

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • contribute to best practice guidelines
  • understand the sustainability and consequences of your decisions and can make decisions characterised by managed levels of risk and complexity
  • resolve technical disputes between wider peers and indirect stakeholders, taking into account all views and opinions

Technical understanding (accessibility)

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • demonstrate knowledge and communicate the requirements of accessibility standards and legislation
  • advocate appropriate technical solutions to a range of accessibility issues
  • perform detailed audits of websites, services and documents, and document findings clearly for others to work from
  • be an advocate for the people affected by accessibility barriers across the department
  • provide introductory awareness and training about accessibility
  • demonstrate confidence using one or more assistive technologies, and knowledge of others

Testing

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • review requirements and specifications, and define test conditions
  • identify issues and risks associated with work
  • analyse and report test activities and results

User focus

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • identify and engage with users or stakeholders to collate user needs evidence
  • understand and define research that fits user needs
  • use quantitative and qualitative data about users to turn user focus into outcomes

3. Senior accessibility specialist

A senior accessibility specialist works with people at a range of role levels to embed accessibility into the output of teams.

At this role level, you will:

  • coach and mentor more junior colleagues
  • input into accessibility strategy with business areas or teams
  • create and deliver accessibility training
  • engage with teams across different levels and capabilities
  • potentially manage or lead individuals or sub-teams

​​- engage with and contribute to the cross-government accessibility community

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

  • SEO (Senior Executive Officer)
  • G7 (Grade 7)
Skill Description

Communicating information

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • work collaboratively in a group and build relationships with others
  • identify issues through Agile 'health checks' and work with others to address them
  • manage stakeholder expectations
  • be flexible and capable of proactive and reactive communication
  • host or moderate difficult discussions within the team or with senior stakeholders

Consultancy

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • provide advice and recommendations to stakeholders based on your significant specialist knowledge and experience
  • lead the definition of guidance and inform how the organisation approaches delivery

Governance and assurance (accessibility)

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • challenge teams, make full use of existing arrangements and build strong relationships to reduce or remove risk associated with not meeting accessibility standards

Leadership and guidance

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • make decisions characterised by medium levels of risk and complexity and recommend decisions as risk and complexity increase
  • build consensus between services or independent stakeholders
  • identify problems or issues in the team dynamic and rectify them
  • engage in varying types of feedback, choosing the right type at the appropriate time and ensuring the discussion and decision stick
  • bring people together to form a motivated team and help create the right environment for a team to work in
  • facilitate the best team makeup depending on the situation

Technical understanding (accessibility)

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • demonstrate excellent knowledge of accessibility standards and legislation, including edge cases
  • communicate requirements to a range of stakeholders
  • actively share a deep knowledge of how to select and use appropriate technology (such as ARIA, Accessible Rich Internet Applications) to provide an excellent experience
  • perform detailed audits of websites, services and documents, document findings clearly, and provide solutions for others to work from
  • understand and communicate how usability influences accessibility, and the boundary between them
  • advocate removing barriers across all your interactions
  • provide training on a range of accessibility issues
  • demonstrate confidence using a range of assistive technologies

Testing

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • manage testing activities within development or integration activities
  • manage risks and take preventative action when risks become unacceptable
  • manage customer relations

User focus

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • collaborate with user researchers and can represent users internally
  • explain the difference between user needs and the desires of the user
  • champion user research to focus on all users
  • prioritise and define approaches to understand the user story, guiding others in doing so
  • offer recommendations on the best tools and methods to use

4. Head of accessibility

A head of accessibility is an expert practitioner who can create an accessibility vision or strategy for an organisation.

At this role level, you will:

  • define and assure best practice while influencing, leading and mentoring others
  • influence and develop organisational strategy and priorities, working with counterpart colleagues across government
  • ensure the right conditions and environment for accessibility specialists to work effectively
  • develop departmental capability by supporting internal movement of staff between roles, shaping career paths and recruiting talent
  • understand and own the overall approach to accessibility risk (including how accessibility risk is communicated and how corporate legal compliance risk is managed within the organisation)
  • engage with and contribute to the cross-government accessibility community

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

  • G7 (Grade 7)
  • G6 (Grade 6)
Skill Description

Communicating information

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • mediate between people and mend relationships, communicating with stakeholders at all levels
  • manage stakeholder expectations and host or moderate discussions about high risk and complexity, even within constrained timescales
  • speak on behalf of and represent the community to large audiences inside and outside of government

Governance and assurance (accessibility)

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • analyse governance and assurance systems and add appropriate measures to ensure accessibility is built into all project, programme and change activity

Leadership and guidance

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • change organisational structures to fixable and sustainable designs
  • lead on the strategy for the whole organisation, marrying business needs with innovative analysis
  • make and justify decisions characterised by high levels of risk, impact and complexity
  • build consensus between organisations (private or public) or highly independent and diverse stakeholders
  • solve and unblock issues between teams or departments at the highest level
  • understand the psychology of a team and have strong mediation skills
  • coach the organisation on team dynamics and conflict resolution

Technical understanding (accessibility)

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • demonstrate knowledge and communicate the requirements of accessibility standards and legislation
  • advocate appropriate technical solutions to a range of accessibility issues
  • perform detailed audits of websites, services and documents, and document findings clearly for others to work from
  • be an advocate for the people affected by accessibility barriers across the department
  • provide introductory awareness and training about accessibility
  • demonstrate confidence using one or more assistive technologies, and knowledge of others

Testing

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • manage the planning of system and acceptance tests, co-ordinating both functional and non-functional specifications
  • provide authoritative advice and guidance on test planning
  • identify process improvements and contribute to the definition of best practice

User focus

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • give direction on which tools or methods to use
  • demonstrate experience in meeting the needs of users across a variety of channels
  • bring insight and expertise in how user needs have changed over time to ensure they're met by the business
  • apply strategic thinking to provide the best service for the end user
Role Shared skills
Application operations engineer

Testing

User focus

Business architect

Communicating information

Consultancy

End user computing engineer

Testing

User focus

Graphic designer

User focus

Leadership and guidance

Infrastructure operations engineer

Testing

User focus

Updates

Published 30 August 2022

Last updated 31 May 2024

31 May 2024

  • Accessibility specialist now includes Civil Service job grades that reflect how each role level is commonly graded across government. This information is taken from the Digital and Data Workforce Planning Commission and is indicative only, different departments may use different grades.

30 August 2022

  • First published.