Employment Specialist (Various posts across Dorset & Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole)

Dorset Council; Poole; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 35,000; Part time

Job summary

An esteemed local authority in the UK is seeking an individual to manage a caseload of participants facing employment barriers due to disabilities or health needs. This part-time role offers a salary between £31,537 and £34,434 and emphasizes the importance of tailored support and collaboration with employers. The position includes flexible working arrangements starting from December 1, 2025, making a significant impact on individuals' lives by fostering confidence and meaningful employment.

Qualifications

• Ability to manage caseloads of diverse participants.
• Strong interpersonal skills to build relationships with employers and support services.
• Experience working with individuals with disabilities or health support needs.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of participants with disabilities and barriers to employment.
• Work collaboratively with support services and local employers.
• Conduct regular visits and provide in-work training.

Job description

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of participants with disabilities/health support needs and other barriers to employment, employing IPS methods to offer personalised guidance and support.
• Meet, assess and support participants to understand their key skills, aspirations and goals through completing a Vocational Profile and producing an Action Plan to help them obtain and sustain competitive employment.
• Provide person‑centred advice and guidance to participants.
• Maintain a community focus and work collaboratively with multi‑disciplinary teams, support services, referral partners, education partners, Primary Care and NHS teams, job centres and VCS organisations to maintain positive and integrated relationships, fostering a holistic approach to support.
• Build positive relationships with local employers to enable participants to move into and/or maintain suitable employment, including sourcing job opportunities, raising awareness of reasonable adjustments, return‑to‑work strategies and ongoing contact, reducing barriers in the workplace and supporting employers to become disability‑confident.
• Provide a quality service through conducting regular visits, effective monitoring and in‑work training and support to participants and employers to help sustain employment.

About the Program

Connect to Work follows a place, train and maintain model supporting individuals to move into employment quickly, while providing tailored training and ongoing support to help them succeed and stay in work. As a ‘work first’ intervention, the programme is designed to help people achieve lasting employment outcomes through personalised, person‑centred support and strong partnerships with local employers.

Why Join Us?

You’ll be part of a team that makes a real difference in people’s lives by helping them build confidence, develop skills, and thrive in meaningful employment. You’ll work closely with individuals who may face complex barriers to employment such as health needs, disabilities or mental health challenges, supporting them to overcome these barriers with tailored advice and employer collaboration.

Pay & Working Arrangements

£31,537 – £34,434 (part‑time). The role is flexible, with a range of working arrangements tailored to the needs of each role, and will start from 1 December 2025.