Employment Specialist - Connect to Work

Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council; Tonypandy; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

LGPS (Local Government Pension Scheme)

Annual leave entitlement

Employee Assistance Programme

Vivup staff discounts

Cycle to Work Scheme

Learning and development opportunities

Inclusive workplace networks

Job summary

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is seeking a Connect to Work Employment Specialist to join the Work and Skills Team in Tonypandy. The role will manage a caseload, provide personalised employment support, and build links with employers and health/social care partners to create pathways into work.

The role requires experience with complex barriers, partnership working, and Welsh language skills, and offers hybrid working with a Grade 8 salary of £33,699 per annum for 37 hours per week.

Qualifications

• Experience engaging with individuals who have multiple barriers to employment.
• Experience maintaining records, databases, and monitoring systems.
• Knowledge of welfare reform, benefits, and employment-related support services.
• Welsh language skills are essential when applying.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of participants and provide personalised employment support.
• Work with local employers, health services, social care teams, and partners to create pathways into work.
• Deliver person-centred employment support and provide job coaching or in-work support when required.
• Maintain accurate records and participant outcomes, ensuring safeguarding and GDPR compliance.

Skills

Engagement with people facing barriers

Partnership working

Record keeping and monitoring

Confidentiality and safeguarding

Job coaching

Welsh language skills

Job description

Mae'r ddogfen hon ar gael yn Gymraeg / This document is also available in Welsh.

Connect to Work Employment Specialist

Grade 8 | Community Services | Work and Skills Team

Location: Ty Elai, Dinas Isaf Industrial Estate, Tonypandy CF40 1NY (Hybrid Working)

Contract: Externally Funded Position

Salary: Grade 8 (£33,699 per annum)

Hours: 37 Hours per Week

Make a Difference Through Employment

Are you passionate about helping people overcome barriers and achieve their employment goals?

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is looking for a motivated and compassionate Connect to Work Employment Specialist to join our Work and Skills Team. This is an exciting opportunity to support people who face challenges accessing employment, including disabled people, those with health conditions and other complex barriers to securing fair, paid work.

Working within the UK Government's Connect to Work programme, you will empower participants to build confidence, identify career aspirations, secure sustainable employment, and thrive in the workplace.

About The Role

As a Connect to Work Employment Specialist, you will manage a caseload of participants and provide personalised, one-to-one employment support using Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) or Individual Placement and Support (IPS) principles.

You will work closely with local employers, health services, social care teams, voluntary organisations, and community partners to create meaningful pathways into work and ensure participants receive the support they need to sustain employment.

What You'll Be Doing

• Supporting participants to identify their strengths, skills, interests, and employment goals.
• Developing vocational profiles, action plans, and tailored support programmes.
• Managing a caseload and delivering person-centred employment support.
• Providing job coaching and in-work support where required.
• Building relationships with employers to create employment opportunities.
• Working closely with health and social care partners, community organisations, and referral agencies.
• Maintaining accurate records, participant outcomes, and performance information.
• Promoting the Connect to Work programme across Rhondda Cynon Taf.
• Ensuring all safeguarding, GDPR, health and safety, and quality requirements are met.

What We’re Looking For

We are seeking someone who can inspire, motivate, and support people facing barriers to employment.

Experience And Knowledge

• Experience engaging with individuals who have multiple barriers to employment.
• Experience of partnership working and inter-agency networking.
• Experience maintaining records, databases, and monitoring systems.
• Understanding of the support needs of long-term unemployed and economically inactive people.
• Knowledge of customer-focused service delivery and confidentiality requirements.
• Experience supporting disabled people into employment.
• Experience providing job coaching or in-work support.
• Knowledge of SEQF or IPS employment support frameworks.
• Understanding of welfare reform, benefits, and employment-related support services.
• Welsh language skills.

Why Join Rhondda Cynon Taf Council?

At Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, our vision is for a county borough where everyone can achieve their full potential. We are committed to supporting our workforce through excellent training, wellbeing initiatives, and flexible working opportunities.

We Offer

• Hybrid working arrangements.
• Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Generous annual leave entitlement.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Vivup staff discounts.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Learning and development opportunities.
• Supportive and inclusive workplace networks.

If you are passionate about supporting people into fair, sustainable employment and want to play a key role in delivering an innovative employability programme, we'd love to hear from you.

For further information please contact Eira Cook on 07471140723 or Adam Bowen on 07824496387.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk and expects all employees to share this commitment. Enhanced DBS clearance will be required for this post.

Protecting children and vulnerable adults is a core responsibility of all staff appointed to the Council.

In addition to this safeguarding responsibility, the successful applicant for this role will also be subject to an enhanced disclosure and barring service check.

The Council values diversity in its workforce. We are committed to ensuring that no unlawful discrimination occurs in the recruitment and selection process on the grounds of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, transgender, including those with non-binary identities, religion or belief or pregnancy and maternity. We offer a number of staff networks for employees including the Allies Network, a Disability and Carers Network and Perthyn our LGBTQ+ Network.

An application submitted for this post in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application made in English.

As part of the Council’s longer term objectives in relation to the Welsh language and its Workforce Planning Strategy, it is committed to a guaranteed interview scheme for Welsh-speakers of Level 3 and above. If you meet the essential criteria as identified in the person specification for the job and are a Welsh-speaker of Level 3 and above, you will be invited to interview if you choose to participate in the scheme.

In view of the large number of Application Forms which are currently being submitted individual applications are not acknowledged. Consequently if you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application is unsuccessful on this occasion. In which case you are thanked for the interest you have shown in applying for a position within the Council.

In support of the Council’s voluntary pledge to support the Armed Forces, the recruiter must always be prepared to ensure that applicants who have identified themselves as members of the Armed Forces including Service Leavers, Veterans or Reservists and who meet the essential criteria of the person specification, are offered an interview.

Care Experienced Leavers – Guaranteed Interview Scheme

As part of the Council’s corporate parenting role it is committed to supporting its care experienced leavers. This means anyone who has spent time within the care system at any point in their life. We encourage applications from individuals who are care experienced to enable them to access employment, education, experiences and volunteering opportunities.

The Council will guarantee an interview for any care experienced leavers who wish to take part in the scheme who meet the essential criteria for the role.