Employment Specialist (Individual Placement and Support)

Change Grow Live; Peacehaven; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellbeing hour weekly

Contributory pension

Employee discounts

Job summary

Change Grow Live (CGL) is seeking an IPS Employment Specialist to lead an established IPS service in Manchester. You will manage a caseload of 25 clients, delivering IPS employment support and building ties with local employers to create meaningful paid work.

You’ll work closely with treatment staff to coordinate referrals and provide holistic, person-centred support aimed at sustainable employment outcomes. A degree or equivalent experience is required, and extensive training will be provided.

Qualifications

• Degree level or equivalent work experience required.
• Strong communication skills for effective relationship building.
• Aptitude in data collection and reporting for IPS services.
• Proven ability to connect with individuals affected by substance misuse.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of 25 individuals receiving structured treatment.
• Deliver IPS employment support with person-centred guidance.
• Foster relationships with local employers to create job opportunities.
• Collaborate with treatment staff to identify referrals and provide integrated support.

Skills

Strong communication

Team management

Data collection

Relationship building

Substance misuse sensitivity

Education

Degree or equivalent

Job description

Overview

Join Our Team and Make a Genuine Impact on Others' Lives.

Are you passionate about guiding individuals toward meaningful employment in their recovery journey?

At Change Grow Live (CGL), we're committed to empowering people through Individual Placement and Support (IPS), ensuring sustainable paid work aligned with their preferences.

This is your chance to be part of something remarkable - an opportunity to contribute to an established IPS service operating in Manchester.

As an IPS Employment Specialist, you'll lead this groundbreaking effort, developing project management, stakeholder engagement, and implementation skills. Extensive training and ongoing support will be provided to ensure your success.

Where: Manchester

Hours: Full Time, 37.5 per week

Contract Type:Permanent

Responsibilities

Join us and play a pivotal role in making a difference.

Service Overview:

In this role, you'll manage a caseload of 25 individuals receiving structured treatment for drug and/or alcohol use, helping them secure sustainable paid employment in line with their preferences.

You'll deliver the IPS employment support approach, offering person-centered advice and guidance while fostering positive relationships with local employers to create employment opportunities.

Your focus will be on helping clients sustain their employment while working collaboratively with treatment service staff to identify potential referrals and provide integrated support leading to job acquisition and retention.

IPS is a fundamental commitment in the Government’s Drug Strategy, revolutionising employment support in all treatment services in England. This evidence-based model ensures service users secure preference‑led paid work, significantly more effective than any other support.

About You:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent work experience
• Strong communication skills for effective relationship building
• Proficient in team management and support strategies
• Aptitude in data collection and reporting for IPS services
• Dedication to assisting individuals secure paid employment
• Proven ability to connect with individuals, especially those affected by substance misuse

What We Offer:

• 25 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays. Additionally, you'll receive one extra day of annual leave for each year of service during your first five years, therefore you will enjoy 30 days of leave after five years with us.
• Paid ‘Wellbeing’ hour each week, with access to our ‘Wellness’ hub and Employee Assistance Programme
• Contributory pension scheme
• Great benefits incl. discounts for shopping, cinema, holidays, etc.
• A supportive team passionate about their work
• Training, career development & progression opportunities
• Refer a friend scheme with generous vouchers for successful candidates

Please review the attached Job Description and Role Specifics for a detailed outline of responsibilities and Person Specification.

A note about using AI in your application

AI can be areally helpfultool when putting together your application, and we're happy for you to use it. However,what we're most interested in is you.

We want to understand your experiences, achievements and strengths, so please make sure your application reflects your own story and clearly shows how you meet the essential criteria and the impact you've made in previous roles.

There's no need to write in a particular style. The strongest applications are those that are authentic, specific and clearly demonstrate your skills, experience and potential.We look forward to learning more about you.

Please note: This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK at the time of application. For applicants with time-limited visas, unfortunately, we are unable to support new visa applications or extensions. More information about eligible roles and occupations can be found here:Skilled Worker visa: Overview - GOV.UK

Full-time hours at Change Grow Live are 37.5 hours per week. For part-time roles, the salary and payments will be pro rata based on contracted hours.

Salary Range (pro rata if part time)

CGL points 25 to 28 (£30,268.05 - £32,802.41)

ILW / OLW /Fringe

N/A - Outside London Weighting Area

Interview Date

7/10/2026

Closing Date

29/9/2026

If you have any questions on this opportunity that you would like to talk through please contact us using the below details:

Greg Chittick | [e-mail] post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at an enhanced level.