Employment Coach

Peopleplus; Yarm; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Peopleplus is seeking an Employment Coach to support prisoners at HMP Holme House and HMP Kirklevington Grange, helping them recognise transferable skills and develop behaviours, confidence and employability for life after release.

You will manage a caseload of up to 50 prisoners, coaching them in their work environments and recording progress against individual goals as part of a collaborative, multi-disciplinary team.

Qualifications

• Experience in coaching, mentoring, training or supporting people toward employment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to build positive relationships with a diverse range of people.
• Strong organisational and administrative skills.
• Ability to manage a caseload and prioritise effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead Start Point Assessments to map existing skills, aspirations and goals.
• Coach prisoners in real work environments to develop competencies.
• Observe and assess against agreed employability competencies.
• Maintain accurate records across prison and organisational systems.
• Collaborate with Education, DWP Work Coaches, managers and partners to support progression.
• Deliver employability programmes and develop Employment Portfolios.

Skills

Coaching

Mentoring

Training

Assessment

Communication

Organisation

Caseload management

IT skills

Job description

Are you passionate about helping people develop the skills, confidence and behaviours they need to move towards employment and a positive future?

We are looking for a motivated and resilient Employment Coach to join our team across HMP Holme House and HMP Kirklevington Grange.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in supporting prisoners who are working in prison employment. Prisoners carry out essential roles that contribute significantly to the day-to-day operation of the prison, and this role will ensure that the valuable skills and experience they gain are recognised, developed and translated into meaningful opportunities after release.

As an Employment Coach, you will work directly with prisoners in their places of work, helping them recognise their transferable skills and develop the behaviours, confidence and employability skills required to succeed in the labour market.

You will manage a caseload of up to 50 prisoners, working closely with workplace supervisors and colleagues across the prison to coach, assess and record progress.

What You'll Be Doing

Start Point Assessment

You will work with prisoners to understand where they are starting from, what they already know and can do, and where they want to go next.

You will:

• Liaise with the Activity Hub to identify prisoners eligible for the service.
• Complete start-point assessments covering existing skills, experience, aspirations and employment goals.
• Identify barriers to employment, learning and progression and signpost appropriate support.
• Encourage prisoners to develop their personal, social and employability skills.
• Reinforce the importance of English and mathematics in relation to employment and future progression.
• Promote positive attitudes and behaviours towards education, training and employment.
• Facilitate cell learning and information materials to support engagement and improve outcomes.
• Maintain accurate and timely records across relevant prison and organisational systems.

Coaching & Assessment

At the heart of the role is coaching prisoners in their real work environment.

You will:

• Motivate, empower and coach prisoners to build on existing skills and develop new ones.
• Observe and assess prisoners against agreed employability competencies.
• Help prisoners recognise transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, problem solving, self-management and positive work behaviours.
• Provide constructive feedback and challenge behaviours appropriately.
• Encourage prisoners to reflect on their performance and take ownership of their development.
• Deliver classroom-based employability programmes.
• Support prisoners interested in self-employment.
• Work with Employment Relationship Managers to identify opportunities such as ROTL placements.
• Support prisoners to maintain and develop their Employment and Training Portfolios.
• Celebrate progress and help prisoners understand how their prison employment experience can strengthen their CV and future employment prospects.

Working Across the Prison

This role requires a collaborative, whole-prison approach.

You will build effective working relationships with:

• Key Workers
• Education teams
• DWP Work Coaches
• Offender Management and Probation
• Careers Centre staff
• Prison Managers
• Internal and external partners

You will work collaboratively to maximise engagement, avoid duplication and ensure prisoners receive joined-up support as they prepare for release.

You will also contribute to curriculum planning and development, promote the service across the prison, support data sharing with partners and contribute to internal and external audit activity.

Quality & Administration

Accurate recording and strong administration are essential to the success of the service.

You will:

• Maintain accurate prisoner records, files and databases.
• Record progress against individual learning and employment goals.
• Ensure information is recorded accurately, securely and within required timescales.
• Maintain confidentiality and professional standards at all times.
• Follow organisational processes, systems and ethical standards.
• Support performance monitoring and contractual KPIs.
• Contribute to audits and quality assurance activity.
• Share good practice and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for someone who is motivational, organised, resilient and passionate about helping people succeed.

You will need:

• Experience of coaching, mentoring, training, assessment or supporting people towards employment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to build positive and professional relationships with a diverse range of people.
• Confidence in challenging and supporting individuals to recognise and change unhelpful behaviours.
• Strong organisational and administrative skills.
• The ability to manage a caseload and prioritise effectively.
• Good IT and digital skills.
• A flexible and collaborative approach to working with colleagues and external partners.
• Resilience and professionalism when working within a challenging environment.
• A genuine commitment to supporting rehabilitation and improving employment outcomes.

Occupational experience is desirable but not essential. What matters most is your ability to recognise potential, develop transferable skills and coach people towards positive employment outcomes.

The Skills You'll Help Develop

A key part of this role is helping prisoners recognise that the skills they develop through prison employment have real value in the workplace.

You will support individuals to develop and evidence skills including:

• Communication
• Teamwork
• Problem solving
• Time management
• Self-management
• Reliability and punctuality
• Positive work ethic
• Professional behaviours
• Confidence and resilience
• Responsibility and accountability

You will help prisoners turn these experiences into evidence they can take with them when they leave custody.

Why Join Us?

This isn't simply a job in employment support. It's an opportunity to make a lasting difference.

By helping prisoners recognise their abilities, develop positive workplace behaviours and prepare for employment, you will play an important role in reducing barriers to employment and supporting successful resettlement.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Make a genuine difference to people's lives.
• Support prisoners to prepare for employment and life after release.
• Work directly with individuals in real workplace environments.
• Develop your coaching, employability and assessment skills.
• Work as part of a collaborative, multi-disciplinary team.
• Contribute to rehabilitation and positive resettlement outcomes.
• Help people recognise their potential and build a more positive future.

This is a 9-month fixed-term contract, working 37.5 hours per week.

The role is split equally between HMP Holme House and HMP Kirklevington Grange, so you must be able to work across both sites.

This is a 100% prison-based role, with the expectation of regular face-to-face contact with prisoners in their working environment.

You will be required to work within the security, safeguarding, confidentiality and professional requirements of the prison environment.

Join Us

If you are passionate about employment, personal development and helping people build the skills they need for a better future, we'd love to hear from you.

Bring your experience. Share your expertise. Recognise potential. Change lives through employment.