We are seeking a passionate Employment Specialist to support people with serious mental illness into meaningful, sustainable employment.
Salary: £30,900 per annum
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Location: Base Colchester with travel around the Tendring area
As an IPS Employment Specialist, you’ll play a vital role in helping individuals with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) find, secure, and retain meaningful employment. Using the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model, you’ll deliver person-centred support and work collaboratively with employers, health professionals, and community partners.
Key responsibilities include:
- Supporting participants from initial engagement through to sustained employment
- Developing tailored, strengths-based employment action plans
- Building relationships with local employers and identifying job opportunities (including hidden vacancies)
- Working in partnership with mental health services to integrate employment into recovery
- Providing in-work support, coaching, workplace adjustments and advocacy
- Promoting rapid job search in line with IPS principles
- Developing strong links with job centres, charities and community organisations
- Recording outcomes, tracking progress and contributing to service performance targets
- Spending significant time in the community engaging with participants and partners
You will be a motivated and compassionate professional with experience supporting adults with complex mental health needs. You’ll bring excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust with a wide range of stakeholders.
You will also have:
- Experience of partnership working and multidisciplinary collaboration
- Knowledge of mental health, safeguarding, and relevant legislation
- Strong communication and organisational skills
- Confidence using Microsoft Office 365
- The ability to work flexibly and independently in the community
- A full UK driving licence and access to transport (or ability to travel independently)
A qualification in Information, Advice and Guidance (Level 3) or willingness to work towards this is advantageous.
Mid and North East Essex Mind is committed to ensuring everyone has the opportunity to build a brighter future. We deliver inclusive, high-quality services that support people’s mental health and wellbeing.
Our values underpin everything we do: listening, co-producing services, building trust, embracing inclusion, encouraging innovation, and fostering a supportive environment for both service users and staff.
Other roles you may have experience of could include:
Employment Advisor, Job Coach, Vocational Specialist, Recovery Worker, Mental Health Support Worker, Careers Advisor, Employment Consultant, IPS Practitioner
We offer our staff a range of health, wellbeing, lifestyle and financial benefits to ensure that we fully support our employees. This includes: 28 days holiday plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time); competitive pension; recruitment referrals, training and development, flexible/agile working; annual wellbeing day; expert supervision and peer support, an extended lunch break each week; onsite parking at most locations; company sick pay based on length of service and a charity worker discount scheme.
We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce, collaborating with our communities and partners to drive innovation and better decision-making. We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds to try to ensure we better represent our communities.
Join us in creating an environment where everyone feels supported, respected, and valued. Let’s build a community that thrives on inclusivity and mutual respect.
