Employment Specialist

Mencap; Newcastle-under-Lyme; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 22,000; Part time

Job summary

Mencap is seeking an Employment Specialist to deliver Connect to Work across Newcastle-under-Lyme. Two part-time fixed-term roles (22.5 hrs/week and 18.75 hrs/week) are available for 2 years.

You will provide intensive employment support and manage a caseload to help participants gain and sustain employment. You’ll work within the Connect to Work programme, supporting individuals with learning disabilities, learning difficulties and autism to achieve meaningful, sustained employment.

Qualifications

• Must have experience delivering supported employment programmes.
• Able to record progress and evidence achievement.
• Strong communication and relationship-building with participants and employers.
• Highly organised with attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Provide personalised, intensive employment support for up to 12 months for participants who are out of work, and up to 4 months for those in work but at risk of leaving their job.
• Deliver the five stages of the Supported Employment model, following the SEQF: Engagement, Vocational Profiling, Employer Engagement, Job Matching, On and Off-the-Job Support.

Skills

Communication skills

Independent worker

Organised

Caseload management

Inclusion advocacy

Job description

At Mencap, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to work, grow and thrive. Our Employ Me team helps people with a learning disability, learning difficulty and autism build the confidence, skills and real work experience they need to move into meaningful, sustained employment.

Every day, our teams see the life-changing impact that good employment support can have—stories celebrated across our Good News blog. From individuals gaining their very first job, to people discovering passions they never knew they had, our employment programmes open doors, shift expectations and help people achieve independence and pride.

Position Overview

We have an exciting opportunity for an Employment Specialist to deliver Mencap’s Connect to Work programme across Newcastle-under-Lyme. We are looking for 2 people on a part time (22.5 per week and 18.75 hours per week), fixed term position for 2 years.

Programme Overview

Connect to Work is part of the Government’s Get Britain Working strategy. It aims to:

• Reduce economic inactivity for people facing complex barriers
• Increase workforce participation
• Support better workforce retention through structured in-work support
• Strengthen the connection between employment, health and social care
• Deliver measurable outcomes including job starts, sustained employment and employer engagement

Key Responsibilities

You’ll provide personalised, intensive employment support for up to 12 months for participants who are out of work, and up to 4 months for those in work but at risk of leaving their job.

You’ll deliver the five stages of the Supported Employment model, following the Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF):

1. Engagement
2. Vocational Profiling
3. Employer Engagement
4. Job Matching
5. On and Off-the-Job Support

Candidate Profile

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Motivated and able to work independently
• A great communicator, able to build trust with participants and employers
• Highly organised with strong attention to detail
• Comfortable supporting a caseload of up to 20 individuals
• Passionate about inclusion, employment rights and supporting people to achieve their goals

You’ll need previous experience delivering supported employment programmes, alongside robust skills in recording progress and evidencing achievement.

If you’d like to be part of a team creating real opportunities—and real change,we’d love to hear from you.

This vacancy closes Sunday 11th October