Employment Specialist

Telford & Wrekin Council; Shrewsbury; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LG Pension Scheme

Staff benefits and discounts

Free on-site parking

Generous leave entitlement (24–32 days

8 bank holidays and a concessionary (1

Employee assistance programme

Hybrid working model

Job summary

Join Telford & Wrekin Council as an Employment Specialist within the Connect to Work programme. You will work face-to-face with clients to support their journey into paid work, managing a caseload of up to 25 individuals and collaborating with employers, clinical teams, and our IPS framework to achieve meaningful outcomes.

No prior Place and Train experience is required as training will be provided; the role emphasizes equality of opportunity and helping people overcome barriers to employment in

Qualifications

• Commitment to equality of opportunity for everyone.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of up to 25 customers at varying stages of their journey into paid work.
• Work directly with clients, local employers and clinical teams to turn employment aspirations into achievable outcomes.
• Engage with employers to generate employment outcomes and promote the Connect to Work programme.

Job description

Job Introduction

Job Box Team

Are you passionate about the transformative power of employment? Do you believe that everyone, regardless of their mental health challenges or physical health challenges has the right to meaningful work?

We are recruiting Employment Specialists to join our established Individual Placement and Support (IPS) and Job Box teams, working within the Connect to Work programme to provide high-quality supported employment. These roles are available for an immediate start and offer an exciting opportunity to help people achieve their employment goals through personalised support and evidence-based practice.

Due to the team growing, we are now recruiting additional Employment Specialists to join us. This is an exciting opportunity to become part of an expanding service and help shape the continued development of our IPS provision.
This role is about working with people who need additional support to engage with and access the world of work. This role is a customer facing (face to face, not remote or home working) role managing a caseload of up to 25 customers who will be at varying stages of their journey into paid work. You will use the place and train model of supported employment and its associated approaches to identify need and progress people into work.
Training will be provided, so we don’t need you to have prior experience of using the place and train model, however any experience in a similar role or area of work would be an advantage. What is essential is a commitment to equality of opportunity for everyone, and a belief that the right job can be found for each person.
This role will suit a person who is enthusiastic, resilient, patient, supportive and outcome focussed. In this varied and rewarding role, you will work directly with clients, local employers, and clinical teams to turn employment aspirations into achievable outcomes.

Engaging with employers to generate employment outcomes is a key aspect of the role. You will need to be adaptable and able to communicate at a variety of levels to promote the program and individuals to employers, tapping into hidden vacancies, supporting employers with reasonable adjustments and job carving. You may be required to challenge discrimination and advocate on behalf of the customer.

What is Connect to Work?

Connect to Work is a new government initiative designed to support adults that have disabilities, health conditions, or complex needs, to move into sustained employment. Supported employment is a key feature of this new service, which involves a customer working with an Employment Specialist (ES) who will help them to understand their current, knowledge, skills and experience alongside understanding their aims and ambitions. The ES would then work with the customers to find suitable job roles through a range of strategies including engaging directly with employers. Once suitable work is found the ES may be responsible for coaching the customer in how to undertake the duties and tasks involved, and provide other ongoing support, both to the customer and the employer.
For further information about Connect to Work click gov.uk

At Telford & Wrekin Council, we know that having a diverse workforce is key to providing the best possible services to our community. We celebrate having a diverse and inclusive culture where people are able to be themselves at work, and everyone has a voice.

Posts working with children or vulnerable groups will be subject to an appropriate criminal records check. It is an offence to apply for a role that involves engaging in regulated activity with children and adults in vulnerable circumstances if you are barred from working with one or both of these groups.

We value our employees and offer staff rewards and plenty of opportunities for personal development and career progression including:

• Competitive rates of pay
• Automatic access to a secure, flexible and tax efficient Local Government Pension Scheme
• Staff benefits and discounts including salary sacrifice schemes
• Free on-site parking
• Generous leave entitlement (24 days rising to 32 days) plus 8 bank holidays and an additional concessionary day
• Free access to our employee assistance programme and confidential counselling
• Flexible and mobile working policy - we are well adapted to a hybrid model of working which includes a combination of time spent in the office and at home – our approach is to promote greater level of flexible working around personal and family commitments

Find out further information about working at Telford & Wrekin Council including our full list of benefits.

Please note that Telford & Wrekin Council do not hold a sponsorship licence for visas.

Attached documents

0867 Employment Specialist.docx