Dispensing Optician

SeeAbility; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 32,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading charity organization is seeking a Special School Dispensing Optician to support young people's eye care needs in London schools. This role offers a full-time or part-time position with responsibilities that include managing clinics, dispensing spectacles, and working collaboratively with a dedicated eye care team. Competitive salary of £31,500 per annum plus benefits like pension plan, training, and vacation days. The opportunity focuses on providing essential support in a non-commercial setting where your expertise can change lives.

Benefits

Fully paid essential training

33 days holiday (pro-rata)

Employer-contributory pension scheme

Free gym membership

Qualifications

• Experience within NHS special school or similar environment is preferred.
• Ability to attend multiple schools in your London region.
• Full driving licence and regular access to a car.

Responsibilities

• Manage clinics within your school caseload.
• Handle spectacle dispensing, repairs, replacements and follow-ups.
• Maintain your own diary for efficient care.
• Support during school holidays by liaising with schools.

Skills

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Education

Licensed to dispense spectacles

Job description

Role Description

Join our Team as Special School Dispensing Optician- Mobile- SEN Services

Location

London school sites / Home

Salary

£31,500 per annum with SeeAbility benefits + all professional fees and travel expenses paid + company pension

Hours

Full Time (37.5 hours- Monday to Friday) or Part Time (negotiable)

Contract

Permanent

Essential Requirements

• Ability to attend multiple schools in your London region
• Full driving licence and regular access to a car

About You

This is an exciting opportunity for a full-time / part‑time dispensing optician to work in a non‑commercial, clinically challenging setting providing complex, creative and often life‑changing support with spectacles to young people as part of our NHS special school eye‑care service. You will have your own caseload of London schools and will work collaboratively with our established eye care team, as well as the school staff teams, and under the guidance of the special schools service manager and dispensing optician clinical lead.

Qualifications

• Working as a dispensing optician, licensed to dispense spectacles.
• Experience within NHS special school or similar environment is preferred.
• Strong organisational and communication skills.

What will you be doing?

• Work 4–5 school days (20–25 hours) during term time to manage clinics within your school caseload.
• Handle spectacle dispensing, repairs, replacements and follow‑ups.
• Maintain your own diary, ensuring efficient, timely, high‑quality care.
• Support the special schools service manager during school holidays and full‑time periods by liaising with schools, booking clinic rooms, gaining consent, booking diaries, responding to enquiries and providing teaching staff inset training on eye‑care and vision.

About Us

Registered as The Royal School for the Blind, SeeAbility is one of the oldest disability charities in the UK. This year we are celebrating our 225th anniversary, having pioneered specialist support across multiple generations since 1799! We specialise in supporting people who have learning disabilities, autism, complex needs, who may also have sight loss. Our support ranges from providing person‑centred support across our many supported‑living and residential care provisions. We also provide specialist eye‑care services to children and adults alike and assist people with a disability to find paid employment for the very first time.

Our Benefits

• SeeAbility Total Rewards Package
• Fully paid essential training, including 15‑point Module with City St Georges University of London
• Annual excellence awards
• Long‑service awards every 5 years and recognition
• Development discussions: opportunity to discuss your progress and your future
• Leadership development academy for the next steps in your career
• No weekends plus working from home during school holidays and outside school hours
• 33 days holiday (pro‑rata) (incl. bank holidays), increasing to 41 days with long service (1 extra day for each year of service)
• 2 weeks organisational sick pay after 6 months service, increasing to 12 weeks over your first 3 years
• Enhanced family‑friendly pay
• Paid fertility leave
• Carers leave available
• £500 monthly bonus scheme for two lucky colleagues
• Eligible for Blue Light Card discounts
• Discounts and cashback at hundreds of shops, restaurants and activities
• Access to tickets for Good
• Employer‑contributory pension scheme: support and tools to help you make the right decisions about your future
• Refer a friend and receive £600
• Paid DBS and renewals
• Advance pay scheme and high interest saving scheme through Wage Stream App for all colleagues
• Cycle to work scheme
• Life assurance of 2× annual salary
• Free 24/7 employee assistance programme for advice and support
• Free eye test
• Discounted gym membership
• Dedicated in‑house wellbeing coach for your team

Safer Recruitment

SeeAbility is committed to safe and fair recruitment practices, safeguarding and protecting those whom we support. It is a condition of employment that prospective employees will be subject to DBS checks, right to work, health declarations, and references as part of the onboarding process to ensure safety and compliance according to Care Quality Commission requirements. These checks will be carried out and completed prior to offering a start date at SeeAbility's expense.

Diversity

SeeAbility is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We welcome applications from all identities, including those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. Reasonable adjustments are available throughout the recruitment process. In some cases, roles may be exempt under the Equality Act 2010 (Schedule 9, Part 1) due to genuine occupational requirements.