Employment Specialist - Connect to Work

Cardiff Capital; Tonypandy; Hybrid; GBP 29,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working arrangements

Generous annual leave entitlement

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to Work Scheme

Learning and development opportunities

Supportive and inclusive workplace

Job summary

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is seeking a motivated Connect to Work Employment Specialist to join our Work and Skills Team. This externally funded role focuses on supporting people who face barriers to employment, including disabled people and those with health conditions, to secure sustainable work.

You will manage a caseload using SEQF or IPS principles, work with local employers and health services to create pathways into work, and ensure participants receive tailored, ongoing support.

Qualifications

• Experience engaging with individuals who face multiple barriers to employment.
• Experience in partnership working and inter-agency networking.
• Experience maintaining records, databases, and monitoring systems.
• Knowledge of welfare reform, benefits, and employment-related support services.
• Knowledge of SEQF or IPS employment support frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Identify participant strengths and employment goals and develop action plans.
• Manage a caseload and deliver person-centred employment support.
• Provide job coaching and in-work support as needed.
• Build relationships with employers to create job opportunities.
• Collaborate with health and social care partners and community organisations.
• Maintain accurate records and report outcomes and performance information.
• Promote the Connect to Work programme across the council area.

Skills

Barrier support experience

Partnership working

Record keeping

Confidentiality awareness

SEQF/IPS knowledge

Job description

The job requirements are detailed below. Essential qualifications, skills and experience are listed in the Job Descriptions/Person Specification which can be found under the attachments section below.

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.

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.
• Generous annual leave entitlement.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• 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.

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.