Employment Specialist

London Borough of Lambeth; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 43,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government council in Greater London is looking for an Employment Specialist to join their Connect to Work program. You will provide personalized support to residents with disabilities, helping them find and sustain meaningful employment. Responsibilities include collaborating with mental health professionals and engaging local employers for job placements. Full training will be provided, and a proactive approach aligned with the council's values is essential. The position offers a competitive salary and hybrid working options.

Benefits

Generous annual leave starting from 27 days

Membership in the Local Government Pension Scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Learning and Development opportunities

Cycle to Work Scheme

Qualifications

• Proven track record in delivering employment support.
• Strong understanding of barriers faced by people with disabilities.
• Experience in managing a caseload and building trusting relationships.
• Confidence in engaging employers and providing in-work support.

Responsibilities

• Deliver personalized support to participants in the employment program.
• Work closely with mental health professionals and local employers.
• Contribute to data reporting and service improvement.

Skills

Client relationship management

Barriers faced by people with disabilities

Inclusive recruitment advocacy

Proactive, strengths-based approach

Job description

Employment Specialist REF: 2627

Hybrid Working

PO1: £43,308 pa rising in annual increments to £45,852 pa inc LW.

Secondment Opportunity/ Fixed Term Contract and Full Time until 30 September 2028

About Us:

It is an exciting time to join Lambeth Council, we have bold ambitions for the future of Lambeth’s communities and residents through our Lambeth 2030 Plan ‘Our Future, Our Lambeth’. To deliver on these ambitions, we have embarked our transformational One Lambeth Programme ensuring we are ‘connected by purpose,’ in everything we do to deliver excellence. We are proud to have recently developed a refreshed set of One Lambeth Values and Behaviours that were develop for staff by staff; Equity, Ambition, Kindness, and Accountability. For more information, please have a look at our dedicated One Lambeth Values and Behaviours page.

About the Borough:

Located in the heart of South London, Lambeth Borough is a vibrant community of over 317,600 residents. Stretching from the dynamic neighbourhood of Streatham in the South to the iconic landmarks of Waterloo in the North, we are proud to be the 9th largest borough in London. Our diversity is our strength, with more than 130 languages spoken, making Lambeth the home of the Windrush generation, London's largest LGBTQ+ community, and a thriving Portuguese-speaking community.

With exceptional schools, lush green spaces including Brockwell Park, cultural gems like the Black Cultural Archives, and world-renowned institutions such as St Thomas's Hospital, Lambeth offers an enriching and dynamic environment.

About the Team:

The Skills and Employment team plays a key role in achieving Lambeth’s ambition that all residents can access high-quality employment support, whatever their circumstances. As economic inactivity rises due to ill health and the cost of living continues to affect financial resilience, our work is more vital than ever. Employment is central to tackling inequality, improving health and wellbeing, and strengthening community resilience. Our services directly contribute to Lambeth 2030: Our Borough, Our Future—helping to create a fairer, safer, and more inclusive borough

About the Role:

We are now recruiting an Employment Specialist to join our new Connect to Work programme, funded by the Department for Work and Pensions. This five-year initiative supports Lambeth residents with disabilities and long-term health conditions into meaningful, sustained employment through delivery of both the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model and the Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) approach.

As an Employment Specialist, you will deliver personalised, evidence-based support to a caseload of participants, helping them move quickly into competitive employment and thrive in the workplace. Working within NHS settings and alongside mental health professionals, adult social care teams, and local employers, you will play a key role in transforming lives through work. You will also contribute to fidelity reviews, data reporting, and service improvement across the programme.

Previous experience in employment support is not essential—if you have a background in recruitment, sales, account management, or another target-driven, people-focused role, we would love to hear from you. Full training in the IPS and SEQAF model will be provided.

To be considered for interview, your CV and supporting statement will clearly evidence:

• A proven track record in delivering employment support, ideally using the IPS or SEQAF model
• A strong understanding of the barriers faced by people with disabilities or long-term health conditions—and how employment can play a part in recovery
• Experience of managing a caseload, building trusting client relationships, and delivering high-quality, person-centred support
• Confidence in approaching and engaging employers, advocating for inclusive recruitment, and providing in-work support
• A proactive, strengths-based approach aligned with Lambeth’s values of Equity, Kindness, Accountability, and Ambition

‘We especially encourage applications from people from the Black, Asian and Multiethnic communities and while the role is open to all applicants, Lambeth will utilise the positive action provisions of the Equality Act 2010 to appoint a candidate from underrepresented groups where there is a choice between two candidates of equal merit.’

For detailed qualifications and requirements, please review the job description and person specification in hyperlink below:

Job Description and Person Specification

Contact Information:

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Martin Sigsworth at [e-mail]

Recruitment Timelines:

Advert close date: 11:59pm on Sunday 4 January 2026.

Benefits:

We believe in rewarding our staff. When you join us, you'll gain access to a range of benefits, including:

• Participation in our 5 Staff Networks: Black, Asian, and Multi-Ethnic, LGBTQ+, Disability, Young Professionals, and Women's.
• Generous annual leave entitlement starting from 27 days, increasing to up to 35 days depending on length of service.
• Membership in the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Hybrid Working.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Occupational Sick Pay based on length of service.
• Discounts at local restaurants.
• Discount at our Active Lambeth Gyms.
• Learning and Development opportunities, including Apprenticeships.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Secure Bike Storage facilities at our Town Hall and Civic Centre.
• Trade Union Membership.

How to Apply:

If you're interest in this opportunity, click on the apply button and complete an online application.

In your supporting statement, please clearly demonstrate how you meet the shortlist criteria marked with an 'A' at shortlist stage. We operate an anonymised application process, so be sure to remove personal details when uploading your CV and personal statement.

At Lambeth, we are dedicated to providing quality services and equal opportunities for all. We are committed to safer recruitment and are proud to be a Stonewall diversity champion, a Living Wage Employer, and to guarantee interviews for all disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria of the role. For a full list of our accreditations, please click here.

We actively support applications from Lambeth Care Leavers