Employment Specialist

The Growth Company; Manchester; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

The Growth Company in Manchester seeks an Employment Specialist to join the IPS SMI service, helping individuals with severe mental health conditions secure paid employment. The role focuses on rapid job search, one-to-one support, and coordination with health professionals and employers to ensure sustained employment.

You will manage caseloads, tailor plans, and support clients with CVs, applications, and interview prep.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting individuals with mental health conditions.
• Ability to work in a target-driven environment.
• Experience engaging with employers and building professional relationships.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of clients motivated to start or return to work and support them using IPS to overcome barriers to employment.
• Provide IPS support to clients who are employed but struggling to retain their job due to mental health.
• Meet with clients to identify skills and goals, develop an Action Plan, and assist with CV writing, applications, and interview prep.
• Build partnerships with clinical teams, training providers, and employers to generate referrals and promote employment as an intervention.
• Source job opportunities through tailored searches and employer engagement, including hidden vacancies.
• Provide in-work support to clients and employers, including reasonable adjustments and return-to-work strategies.
• Maintain accurate participant records in the CRM and ensure compliance and timely updates.
• Ensure safeguarding and equality considerations are embedded in all activities and services.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Negotiation

Job description

The Growth Company (GC) Employment, Justice and Health team is looking for a dedicated Employment Specialist to join us on our Individual Placement and Support (IPS) service. The Employment Specialist will actively engage with individuals with a mental health condition, ensuring that through the delivery of a multi-channel, multi-agency and multi-place service model, participants are enabled and empowered to successfully complete their personal journey into, and progression within, the working environment.

We are continuing to expand our services that support people with health and mental health conditions. We are therefore particularly keen to hear from you if you have experience of working in either employability, employer engagement, the health or mental health sectors.

The IPS for Severe Mental Illness (IPS SMI) service helps individuals with severe mental health conditions to find and sustain paid employment. We provide personalised, one-to-one support, focusing on rapid job search and matching individuals to suitable roles. We work closely with health professionals and employers to ensure joined-up, ongoing support, while helping individuals build confidence and maintain their wellbeing in work.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage a caseload of clients who are motivated to start or return to work, supporting them through the IPS approach to overcome work, skills and health barriers and secure sustainable employment.
• Provide IPS support to clients who are currently employed but struggling to retain their job due to their mental health.
• Meet with clients to identify their skills, aspirations and goals by completing a Vocational Profile and developing an Action Plan. Provide support with job search, CV writing, application forms, interview preparation and career development.
• Build effective working relationships with clinical teams to generate referrals and promote employment as a positive intervention, attending weekly multidisciplinary meetings as an embedded IPS practitioner.
• Source suitable job opportunities through tailored job searches and proactive engagement with local employers, including exploring hidden and advertised vacancies.
• Provide ongoing in-work support to both clients and employers, including negotiating reasonable adjustments and return-to-work strategies to help sustain employment.
• Ensure all participant records, documentation and data entered into the CRM system are accurate, compliant and maintained in a timely and respectful manner.
• Develop and maintain strong partnerships with employers and external agencies, including training providers and community organisations, to support individuals in achieving their employment goals.

About you:

• Strong interpersonal, communication, and negotiating skills.
• Able to work in a target-driven environment, focusing on achieving job outcomes and sustained employment.
• Confident in engaging with employers and building effective professional relationships.
• Experience supporting individuals with multiple and complex needs, including mental health conditions and disabilities.
• Adaptable and resilient, able to manage challenging situations and changing priorities.

Skills Required:

• Supporting clients to secure and sustain suitable employment.
• Engaging with employers and developing business opportunities.
• Providing guidance, advice, and counselling to individuals.
• Working with disabled people or similar client groups in health, social care, or voluntary sectors.
• Understanding the issues affecting individuals with multiple barriers to employment, including mental health, housing, and substance misuse.
• Trained in, or willing to undertake training in, the IPS approach.

We are currently unable to provide sponsorship for work permits or visas. Therefore, we can only consider candidates who already have the legal right to work in the UK.

Artificial intelligence can assist you during the application process, but every example and statement you include must be honest, accurate, and based on your own real experiences. If plagiarism is detected, meaning you present someone else's ideas or experiences, or AI-generated content, as your own, your application may be withdrawn, and internal applicants could face disciplinary action.

At GC, safeguarding the welfare of all individuals including vulnerable adults and young people is a top priority, and we expect all staff to uphold this standard. All appointments follow Safer Recruitment Procedures, including a DBS check carried out by Due Diligence Limited (DDC Ltd), at no cost to the successful candidate.

Please note: It is a legal offence to apply for a role involving regulated activity if you are on the Barred List.

We are committed to increasing workforce diversity and offer a guaranteed interview to applicants who meet the essential criteria and either have a disability or are from a diverse ethnic community.

If this applies to you, you can request consideration under this scheme during the application process. Your request will be shared only with the Hiring Manager and Internal Recruitment Team.

We also aim to make our recruitment process inclusive and accessible. If you need reasonable adjustments or have any general enquiries at any stage or the recruitment process, please contact [e-mail] or call us on 0161 237 4447.

Examples include:

• Meeting the hiring manager or touring the venue in advance.
• Extra time for tasks.
• Interview questions shared beforehand.
• Accessibility software or equipment for assessments.

We're proud to support the Ban the Box campaign, which helps people with convictions access job opportunities. As part of this, we've removed questions about convictions from the initial application stage.

GC is committed to fostering a culture of flexibility and agile working. Many roles will increasingly support full agile arrangements. If you require more permanent flexibility, we encourage you to discuss this during your interview so your request can be considered early in the process.

All GC colleagues will work in line with the Health and Safety at work act and the GC Health and Safety Policy.