Employment Specialist

Trigon Recruitment Limited; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Trigon Recruitment Limited is seeking an empathetic Employment Specialist to deliver the Connect to Work programme in Newcastle. You will support people with disabilities and health barriers to secure sustainable employment, managing a caseload of around 25 participants and coordinating with partners.

You will provide vocational profiling, job search support, in-work assistance and employer engagement, following IPS principles and ensuring safeguarding and GDPR compliance.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting individuals facing barriers to employment.
• Experience working one-to-one with participants or service users.
• Understanding of mental health, disability, health conditions or other barriers to employment.
• Strong communication, coaching and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage a caseload effectively.
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills.
• Experience working within a target or performance-driven environment.
• Good IT skills including Microsoft Office.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of approximately 25 participants
• Build trusted and supportive relationships with individuals
• Complete vocational profiling to identify strengths, aspirations and support needs
• Develop personalised employment action plans
• Deliver one-to-one support tailored to individual goals and circumstances
• Support participants throughout their employment journey
• Provide ongoing in-work support to promote sustainment and progression
• CV development
• Job search activity
• Application forms
• Interview preparation
• Career planning
• Workplace adjustments
• Employment-related confidence building
• Support participants to overcome health-related and practical barriers to employment
• Promote sustainable employment outcomes and long-term career development
• Build and maintain relationships with local employers
• Identify suitable employment opportunities aligned to participant goals
• Promote inclusive recruitment practices
• Support employers in implementing workplace adjustments where required
• Develop opportunities within both advertised and hidden labour markets
• Provide ongoing employer support to maximise job sustainment
• Health services
• Community organisations
• Voluntary sector providers
• Training providers
• Local authorities
• Referral partners
• Attend multidisciplinary meetings and contribute to integrated support planning
• Maintain strong stakeholder relationships to support participant outcomes
• Maintain accurate participant records and case notes
• Ensure delivery aligns with IPS principles and programme requirements
• Monitor and record participant progress
• Work towards employment outcome and engagement targets
• Ensure compliance with safeguarding, GDPR and organisational policies

Skills

Barriers to employment

One-to-one support

Mental health awareness

Communication skills

Caseload management

Organisational skills

Time management

Target-driven

Microsoft Office

Driving licence

Job description

Job Role: Employment Specialist - Health & Wellbeing (Connect to Work)

Location: Newcastle

Salary: £28,951 - £32,316 per annum

Contract: Fixed Term until March 2028

Hours: 37 hours per week

Role Overview

We are recruiting an enthusiastic and person-centred Employment Specialist - Health & Wellbeing to deliver the Connect to Work programme across Newcastle. This is an exciting opportunity to join a community-based employment support programme helping individuals with disabilities, long-term health conditions, mental health challenges and other barriers to secure and sustain meaningful employment. Working with a manageable caseload of approximately 25 participants, you will provide tailored support that improves confidence, wellbeing and employment outcomes. Using a strengths-based and person-centred approach, you will work closely with participants, employers, healthcare professionals and community organisations to support individuals throughout their employment journey, from vocational profiling and job search through to sustained employment and ongoing workplace support. This role is ideal for candidates from employability, welfare-to-work, recruitment, health & wellbeing, social care, housing, community support or customer-facing backgrounds who are passionate about helping people achieve their goals.

Key Responsibilities

Participant Engagement & Case Management

• Manage a caseload of approximately 25 participants
• Build trusted and supportive relationships with individuals
• Complete vocational profiling to identify strengths, aspirations and support needs
• Develop personalised employment action plans
• Deliver one-to-one support tailored to individual goals and circumstances
• Support participants throughout their employment journey
• Provide ongoing in-work support to promote sustainment and progression

Employment Support & Progression

• CV development
• Job search activity
• Application forms
• Interview preparation
• Career planning
• Workplace adjustments
• Employment-related confidence building
• Support participants to overcome health-related and practical barriers to employment
• Promote sustainable employment outcomes and long-term career development

Employer Engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with local employers
• Identify suitable employment opportunities aligned to participant goals
• Promote inclusive recruitment practices
• Support employers in implementing workplace adjustments where required
• Develop opportunities within both advertised and hidden labour markets
• Provide ongoing employer support to maximise job sustainment

Partnership & Community Working

• Health services
• Community organisations
• Voluntary sector providers
• Training providers
• Local authorities
• Referral partners
• Attend multidisciplinary meetings and contribute to integrated support planning
• Maintain strong stakeholder relationships to support participant outcomes

Quality, Compliance & Performance

• Maintain accurate participant records and case notes
• Ensure delivery aligns with IPS principles and programme requirements
• Monitor and record participant progress
• Work towards employment outcome and engagement targets
• Ensure compliance with safeguarding, GDPR and organisational policies

Essential Criteria

• Experience supporting individuals facing barriers to employment
• Experience working on a one-to-one basis with participants or service users
• Understanding of mental health, disability, health conditions or other barriers to employment
• Strong communication, coaching and relationship-building skills
• Ability to manage a caseload effectively
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills
• Experience working within a target or performance-driven environment
• Good IT skills including Microsoft Office
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle

Transferable Skills Welcome

We welcome applications from candidates with backgrounds in:

• Employability Services
• Welfare-to-Work
• Recruitment
• Customer Service
• Sales
• Housing
• Community Services
• Social Care
• Mental Health Support
• Advice & Guidance
• Youth Work
• Education & Training
• Health & Wellbeing Services