Employment Specialist (IPS)

Wakefield Council; Wakefield; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Generous holiday entitlement

LGPS pension

Wellbeing support

Employee assistance programme

Job summary

Wakefield Council is recruiting an Employment Specialist (IPS) to support residents in moving into good work. The role sits in the STEP UP Connect to Work team and requires a person-centred, flexible approach to meet diverse needs.

You may work with people who are employed, unemployed, or economically inactive and may collaborate with other services to meet IPS requirements. The post emphasizes safeguarding, DBS checks, and a 6-month probation, with hybrid working and opportunities for career

Qualifications

• Person-centred approach in guidance and support.
• Initiative and creativity to help residents move into work.
• Commitment to safeguarding and working with diverse communities.

Responsibilities

• Support residents to move into work following the IPS model and ensure adherence to contract and quality frameworks.
• Engage with a diverse range of residents, including employed, unemployed, or economically inactive, and coordinate with other services as needed.
• Promote inclusion and wellbeing, with a flexible approach to meet individual needs.

Job description

Are you passionate about making a difference to our citizens and the district that they reside in? Then, we have an exciting opportunity for you to join our team.

About the Role

STEP UP is Wakefield Council's flagship employment support programme, helping local residents move towards and into good work. We are proud of the outstanding results our team achieves and are excited to welcome new talent to join our newly formed STEPUP Connect to Work team., As an Employment Specialist (IPS), you will support a diverse range of residents, whether employed, unemployed, or economically inactive. Customers may come from a variety of backgrounds and as an Employment Specialist you will be expected to work flexibly to accommodate diverse needs. You may also be required to integrate within other services (e.g. MSK, GPs) in order to ensure the requirement of the IPS framework are met.

What will be expected from me?

Using a person-centred approach, you will help individuals move into work following the Individualised Personal Support (IPS) model, ensuring that support is fully compliant with both contract and quality framework requirements, including those for employer engagement. A person- centred approach will also be required. This role requires initiative, creativity, and a genuine commitment to helping people achieve their goals.

We are looking for people with a positive, can-do attitude, a passion for supporting others, and an understanding of the transformative impact that good work can have on people's lives. While we welcome applications from experienced employment specialists, we are equally keen to hear from those with relevant lived experience and a desire to improve employment support for others.

Wakefield Council is wholly committed to ensuring children and vulnerable adults are fully supported and safe. We are dedicated to the safeguarding of all children and vulnerable adults whilst promoting their welfare. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this responsibility.

DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service)

The successful applicant will be required to complete a Disclosure Application Form and to provide criminal conviction information.

Probation

In accordance with the Council Probation Procedure, this post is subject to a 6-month Probationary Period.

Fluency Duty

To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 (Fluency Duty), public facing roles will be subject to the Fluency Duty.

Diversity

Having a diverse workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve helps us to achieve the best outcomes for all. We encourage applications from everyone and actively seek to ensure that everyone feels included in the workplace so that we can make the most of our differences.

Why Wakefield

To find out more about the benefits of working at Wakefield Council, click .

What can I expect?

This post is career graded, providing a clear pathway for progression based on competence and development rather than competition. Please note: The closing date for this vacancy may be brought forward if sufficient applications are received. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.

• A competitive salary
• Generous holiday entitlement with the option to buy up to 10 extra days of annual leave
• Hybrid working (subject to role suitability)
• Access to high-quality training programs to advance your career to the next level.
• We are committed to supporting the wellbeing of our staff. We recognise that resilient teams need good work life balance as well as supportive leadership.
• Discounted and subsidised public transport (Arriva Bus Annual Travel Ticket, Northern Trains Limited (NTL), MetroCard).
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and a Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVC) scheme providing a tax efficient way to increase our pension.
• Great range of benefits including an Employee Assistant Programme, discounted membership to our excellent leisure facilities with free 12 weeks exercise program, discounts for a range of retail, entertainment, health and leisure providers, a cycle to work scheme, and many more