Are you passionate about helping people achieve their goals, build confidence and find meaningful, sustainable employment?
As an Employment Specialist, you’ll play a key role in supporting individuals with health-related needs to overcome barriers to employment and achieve their career aspirations. You’ll work alongside people to understand their strengths, skills and ambitions, helping them move towards work that is both fulfilling and sustainable.
You’ll receive training in the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach — a proven, person-centred model that focuses on helping people achieve their employment goals through practical, tailored support.
This is a rewarding community-based role where you’ll build trusted relationships with clients, employers and referral partners, creating opportunities and helping people take positive steps towards their future.
What you’ll do
- Manage a caseload of clients with mental health support needs who are motivated to start or return to work.
- Deliver the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach, with full training provided.
- Work in line with the 8 key IPS principles that underpin the 25-point IPS Fidelity Scale.
- Meet with clients to understand their skills, strengths, aspirations and employment goals, completing a Vocational Profile and developing a personalised Action Plan.
- Provide tailored support throughout the employment journey, including job searching, CV development, application forms, interview preparation and career development.
- Build relationships with local employers to identify suitable vacancies, including opportunities within the hidden job market.
- Provide personalised and supported job-search activity based on each client's individual goals and aspirations.
- Continue supporting clients once they secure employment through regular contact, monitoring and tailored in-work support, helping them to sustain and develop their employment.
- Work closely with employers to promote the service, identify opportunities and understand individual support needs.
- Help employers put appropriate strategies and reasonable adjustments in place to reduce barriers within the workplace.
- Explore creative approaches such as job carving, identifying opportunities by tailoring duties to match an individual’s skills and strengths.
- Develop strong working relationships with external organisations, including colleges, training providers and other agencies that can help clients achieve their employment goals.
- Work independently and use your initiative to develop and promote an effective employment support service within the community.
- Maintain high standards of service delivery while ensuring your work consistently reflects effective IPS practice.
What you’ll need
We’re looking for someone who is passionate about supporting people and believes that everyone should have the opportunity to achieve their employment goals.
You’ll ideally have:
- A degree-level qualification or equivalent relevant experience.
- IPS training or experience of working within an IPS model is desirable, although full training will be provided.
- An understanding of the employment needs, barriers and challenges faced by people experiencing health difficulties.
- Experience of, or an understanding of, supporting people with health-related needs or a similar client group within health, social care, employment support or the voluntary sector.
- A natural ability to build trusting, positive and productive relationships with people from a wide range of backgrounds.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to work with clients, employers and partner organisations.
- The ability to work independently, take initiative and manage your own workload effectively.
- A proactive and creative approach to identifying opportunities and finding solutions to employment barriers.
- A full UK driving licence and access to a car, as the role involves travel within the community.
Why this role?
This is an opportunity to take on a genuinely rewarding role where your work can have a lasting impact. You’ll help people recognise their strengths, overcome barriers and move towards greater independence, confidence and financial security through meaningful employment.
If you’re motivated by helping others succeed, enjoy building relationships and want a role where no two days are the same, we’d love to hear from you.
Pay: £31,767.00 per year
Work Location: In person
