Job Title: SEQF Employment Specialist
Reporting to: Team Leader
Salary: £30,000 per annum
Hours: 37 hours per week
Fixed Term Contract: Until March 2027, with a possible extension should funding be extended.
About Better Pathways:
Better Pathways is a values-led charity with over 60 years of experience supporting communities to overcome barriers to employment, skills, and social inclusion. We empower citizens within Birmingham by building self-belief and resilience, aiming to maintain wellbeing and create pathways to secure opportunities for volunteering, training, education, and employment.
Job Purpose:
The SEQF Employment Specialist will deliver high-quality, person-centred employment support in line with the Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF), helping young people aged 16–29 to prepare for, secure and sustain meaningful paid employment. SEQF-based delivery within Connect to Work follows a structured supported employment approach and fidelity assurance expectations.
The post holder will support individuals experiencing mental health needs, neurodiversity, learning difficulties or disabilities, health conditions, or other barriers to employment. The role requires intensive one-to-one support, strong employer engagement, and collaborative working with health professionals, community organisations and other partner agencies.
This role forms part of the Connect to Work Programme, supporting participants across Birmingham through tailored employment interventions and ongoing in-work support.
Key Responsibilities
Participant Support:
- Deliver the SEQF model of supported employment, applying the five stages of supported employment: engagement, vocational profiling, employer engagement, job matching and securing work, and in-work support.
- Support participants to identify their aspirations, strengths, skills, preferences and barriers to employment through vocational profiling and action planning.
- Develop person-centred employment plans that reflect the participant’s goals, support needs and preferred work outcomes.
- Provide one-to-one job coaching and employability support to help individuals move towards and into sustainable paid employment.
- Support participants to develop confidence, independence and positive workplace behaviours.
- Assist participants with job preparation, applications, interviews and transition into employment.
- Support participants to understand job roles, workplace expectations and the practical steps needed to succeed in work.
- Negotiate reasonable adjustments and support workplace integration, job carving and return-to-work planning where appropriate.
- Deliver ongoing in-work support tailored to the needs of both participant and employer to promote job retention and progression.
Employer Engagement:
- Build and maintain positive relationships with local employers to identify suitable job opportunities.
- Match participants to employment opportunities that align with their goals, strengths, preferences and support needs.
- Carry out employer engagement in line with the SEQF approach, promoting inclusive recruitment and sustainable job outcomes.
- Work with employers to identify duties, workplace environments and support arrangements that enable successful job matching.
- Promote inclusive recruitment practices and support employers to improve retention and workplace outcomes.
- Raise awareness of disability inclusion, neurodiversity, mental health and the benefits of supported employment with employers and partners.
- Provide information and guidance to employers on reasonable adjustments, onboarding and ongoing workplace support.
Partnership Working:
- Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams, health services, education providers, community organisations and other stakeholders to support participant outcomes.
- Maintain effective communication with referral partners and wider support services to ensure joined-up provision.
- Work with families, carers and other professionals where appropriate to support participants to achieve their employment goals.
Monitoring and Compliance:
- Maintain accurate and timely records of participant engagement, progress, outcomes and employer activity in line with programme and SEQF fidelity requirements. Connect to Work expects providers to engage with fidelity assurance and deliver against the relevant supported employment model.
- Contribute to programme monitoring and impact measurement through collection of destination data and evidence of outcomes.
- Ensure all employment opportunities, placements and support activity meet safeguarding and Health & Safety standards.
- Monitor participant progress across all stages of supported employment and adapt support plans where required.
- Contribute to internal quality assurance, continuous improvement and service development in line with the SEQF framework.
Service Quality and Safeguarding:
- Promote safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion at all times.
- Ensure a safe, effective and person-centred service for all participants.
- Follow all legal, organisational and programme requirements in relation to confidentiality, data protection and participant welfare.
- Maintain a strong commitment to high-quality supported employment practice and continuous professional development.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Travel across Birmingham, and surrounding areas where required, to provide community-based and in-work support.
- Adhere to all Better Pathways policies, including health and safety and equality and diversity.
- Undertake any other duties within the scope and expectations of the role as required.
Skills and Experience:
Essential:
- Experience supporting individuals with mental health needs, learning disabilities, autism and/or other complex barriers to employment.
- Experience in employability, careers guidance, job coaching or employment support.
- Experience of employer engagement and building relationships with businesses.
- A proven track record of achieving targets and positive outcomes.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and motivate others.
- A person-centred and flexible approach to supporting individuals.
- Strong IT skills, including use of Word, Excel and CRM or case management systems.
- GCSE Maths and English at Grade C/4 or equivalent.
- Understanding of supported employment principles and the five-stage supported employment model used within SEQF delivery.
Desirable:
- Knowledge of the SEQF fidelity model.
- Understanding of supported employment quality standards and employer engagement techniques.
- Understanding of welfare benefits and employment legislation.
- Qualification in supported employment or job coaching.
- Level 3 Diploma in Employability Services or IAG Level 3.
- Degree or equivalent in employability, psychology, health or social care.
Benefits:
30 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays. (Pro Rata’d)
Better Pathways is a Disability Confident Employer and welcomes applications from disabled people. Reasonable adjustments are available throughout the recruitment process.
We value lived experience and recognise the strengths that disabled people bring to our organisation. If you require any adjustments to support your application or interview, please let us know.
Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12 months
Pay: £30,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Additional leave
- Casual dress
- Sick pay
Application question(s):
- Do you have direct experience supporting individuals into paid employment?
- How many years experience do you have supporting individuals into paid employment?
- How many years experience do you have working with employers to support individuals into paid employment?
Work Location: In person
