Community Alcohol Recovery Worker (HIPP)
Queen Alexandra Hospital and Community settings, Portsmouth
37 hours per week, Permanent
Salary Scale: 22-26 (£26,023 - £29,471 per annum)
About Us
This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic Charity and Housing Association. The Society of St James (SSJ) has been working in Hampshire for over 50 years, delivering high impact, person-centred, accommodation services to adults and young people experiencing homelessness, problematic substance use and mental health problems. We believe that every person is of worth and we are prepared to take risks to house and support the most at risk and socially excluded members of society.
The Impact You'll Make
The SSJ Recovery Hub offers a wide range of interventions including one to ones, therapeutic group work, needle exchange and prescribing interventions to people recovering from problems with drugs and alcohol who are living in Portsmouth. This post will focus on alcohol related hospital admissions to target individuals during their stay in hospital to offer assessment and ongoing recovery work in the community. You will work closely with colleagues in the Alcohol Specialist Nurse Service at Queen Alexander Hospital (QA) but much of the work in the community will be lone working.
The Role
The successful candidate will have experience of working with this client group, knowledge of the impact of substance misuse on individuals, families and the wider community and be able to manage a client caseload safely and effectively. You will understand the impact of alcohol dependency, alcohol withdrawal and the range of interventions and support available to help people make their lives better.
You will work in a person-centred approach to support individuals who want to make changes to their lives by supporting them to access interventions that are important to them. Good risk management skills are essential, as well as a strong ability to build meaningful relationships with our service users. This will enable SSJ to deliver our purpose to create engaging opportunities for growth and development for employees and our service users alike.
The role will be community based, visiting clients in other services or in their own homes, working closely alongside partner agencies such as primary health providers, housing services, recovery services and social care. This will be on a need’s basis, as appropriate, and you will work within a flexible 37 hour working week including evening and some weekend work.
Essential Qualities
We need someone who is self-reflective, motivated and able to work independently and as part of a team. A good background of working with people with substance misuse issues would be desirable; however, transferable skills from working with other disadvantaged groups/individuals will be considered. Prior to interview, we would expect candidates to be aware of the issues that this client group presents with and have a good knowledge of interventions, resources and agencies that are available.
Our ideal candidate will be innovative and tenacious and able to engage meaningfully with service users. Have a good background of assessing people’s needs and risks, reflective thinking, keeping accurate records and direct experience of working effectively with other agencies to advocate and support the client’s needs.
What we can offer you
We value and recognise our staff, offering some generous benefits, as well as the satisfaction of helping people at risk:
- A competitive annual leave entitlement of 25 days rising to 30 days, plus public holidays
- Flexible working options
- Buying additional annual leave
- Comprehensive induction and training
- Counselling, financial, personal support and health and wellbeing services via our Employee Assistance Programme
- Company cycle to work scheme
- Discounted laptops and computers with Jamie’s Computers
To apply, please send your CV & cover letter explaining why you would be suitable for the position.
If you have any questions about this role, please contact Sally Ruff on 07870 201303 or Jo Ross on 07854 009944.
SSJ are an equal opportunity employer and we encourage applicants from all backgrounds and walks of life.
Application closing date: 5pm, Tuesday 23rd June 2026
Interview Date: Wednesday 1st July 2026
Successful candidates will be invited to interview at The Recovery Hub, Elm Grove, Southsea.
Due to the high number of expected applicants, we do reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier. Should you not hear from us within 14 days of the closing date, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £26,023.00-£29,471.00 per year
Benefits:
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee discount
- Health & wellbeing programme
Work Location: In person
