Employment Specialist – Connect to Work Oxfordshire

IPS Grow; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Palladium International Ltd in Oxfordshire is recruiting an Employment Specialist to deliver individual placement support and guidance to residents seeking work, under IPS and SEQF models. You will assess needs, coordinate training, and complete required grant paperwork to ensure high-quality delivery of outcomes.

You will build relationships with local employers, create tailored action plans, track progress, and provide ongoing in-work support to sustain employment.

Qualifications

• Experience helping people facing barriers to employment.
• Ability to provide information, advice and guidance (IAG).
• Experience in partner engagement with employers.
• Flexible with evenings and weekends.
• Knowledge of welfare, benefits and health challenges.

Responsibilities

• Champion customers and promote them to employers.
• Create individualised action plans and track progress.
• Regular check-ins with customers to monitor progress.
• Work with employers to view clients positively during recruitment.
• Develop employment opportunities through proactive outreach to employers.
• Provide ongoing In Work Support after employment is gained.
• Maintain customer records to required quality standards.

Skills

Coaching

One-to-one support

Partnership building

Caseload management

Customer service

Empathy

Safeguarding knowledge

Driving licence

Education

University degree

Job description

Employment Specialist – Connect to Work Oxfordshire

Oxford | Palladium International Ltd

Permanent contract

Could you help people facing barriers to employment build confidence, develop skills and achieve sustainable work?

Deadline: 28th October 2026

• South East
• Full-time

Job overview

About Palladium – You would be joining Palladium, a global impact organisation, with 3,000 employees in over 70 countries. We are a mission-driven business, for whom the impact of our work is as important as the commercial return; the common feature of all our work, regardless of contract size, is the requirement that it contributes to positive social and economic impact. We simply call this ‘Positive Impact’. For the past 50 years, we have been helping our clients to see the world as interconnected in over 90 countries- by formulating strategies, building partnerships, and implementing programs that deliver lasting positive impact. We are experienced in implementing large, complex programmes supporting skills and employment and are currently delivering 30 programmes for the UK Government.

Role

Individual Placement Support (IPS) and the Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF). The main purpose of the role is to provide specialist client facing information, advice and guidance (IAG), employment and training support to local residents in Oxfordshire who are unemployed or seeking to improve their economic well-being, completing all required grant funders paperwork and quality standards in-line with IPS and SEQF models of delivery, including providing evidence of activity and outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Champion our customers as valuable candidates by actively promoting them to employers and raising awareness and support available through the programme
• Creating and following through with individualised action plans ensuring appropriate and effective activity is undertaken by and with each customer.
• Have regular check-ins with customers to track their progress before starting employment and once in employment
• Advocate for the values of our programmes by working in partnership with employers to view our clients positively and inclusively during recruitment.
• Build potential employment opportunities through proactive engagement with potential employers.
• Facilitate work experiences, such as placements, trials, and shadowing opportunities with suitable employers where appropriate.
• Provide ongoing In Work Support to customers who have successfully gained employment, helping them sustain and thrive in their roles, including working in partnership with employers.
• Address customer’s personal constraints to employment, providing challenge, advice, and guidance where appropriate to develop customers capability in the recruitment process ensuring they have the necessary skills and confidence to secure employment.
• Identify,structure, and recommend vacancy and training solutions, working in close consultation with the team to meet the specific needs of customers and employers.
• Maintain customer records to a required quality standard to ensure the customer journey is documented in accordance with our quality standards and contractual requirements.
• Develop an understanding of specialist signposting services in the local area/region, building knowledge in areas such as specific disabilities, housing, benefits etc
• Meet personal performance targets, Key Performance Indicators and all Quality and Compliance measures by delivering high quality employability provision to customers
• Work alongside Enterprise Oxfordshire and key partners to deliver a joined up approach for both employers, stakeholders and residents.

The person

Skills and experience:

Required

• A passion for working with people and have a solution focused approach
• Experience working with people facing barriers to employment including health conditions and disabilities
• Experience of providing one to one support and coaching to individuals with the ability to constructively challenge where needed.
• Proven experience in developing networks and building strong partnerships to support customers goals
• A flexible approach to working hours is essential, including the ability to support occasional evening and weekend activities.
• Strong organisational skills including managing caseloads
• Knowledge of safeguarding, data protection and confidentiality requirements
• Driving licence and access to a car given the community delivery of the contract
• Track record of helping individuals progress into work
• Understanding of supported employment programmes, such as IPS
• Educated at university degree or alternatively have a demonstrated track record of performance and success in target driven sales, customer service or case-management roles
• Knowledge of the employment market in their area.
• Experience providing support and guidance on welfare and benefits, with a strong understanding of mental health and physical health challenges