Employment Support Officer

Cheshire West and Chester; Ellesmere Port; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Connect to Work programme seeks a proactive Employment Support professional to help job seekers facing barriers move into meaningful, sustained work.

You will conduct vocational profiling, create clear action plans, and provide hands-on support with job search, digital tools, confidence-building and skills development to keep momentum and achieve outcomes.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering personalised Employment Support to job seekers with complex barriers.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with local employers and partners.
• Skill in developing clear, achievable action plans and supporting progression.

Responsibilities

• Deliver personalised Employment Support to diverse job seekers.
• Undertake in-depth vocational profiling and develop tailored action plans.
• Support job search, confidence-building, and skills development using digital tools.

Skills

Case management

Vocational profiling

Employer engagement

Action planning

Tools

Digital tools

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of the national delivery of Connect to Work—an ambitious programme designed to support people who face barriers to employment to move into meaningful, sustained work. Bringing together specialist support, local partnerships and employer engagement, Connect to Work focuses on personalised pathways and long‑term outcomes rather than quick fixes.

Our IPS delivery team provides: a person‑centred, evidence‑based approach that starts with understanding the whole individual—their skills, experience, health, circumstances and aspirations. The focus is on finding or shaping the right job first, and then providing tailored, ongoing support to help both the individual and the employer succeed.

In this role, you will manage a varied caseload, delivering personalised Employment Support to job seekers who may be experiencing mental/physical health conditions along with other varied circumstances such as homelessness, being a veteran, asylum seeker or refugee etc, along with those who may be off work sick or in work. You will carry out in‑depth vocational profiling, develop clear and achievable action plans, and provide hands‑on support with job search, digital tools, confidence‑building and skills development. Through proactive case management, you will maintain momentum, build motivation, and ensure wider support needs are met through effective referral, signposting and partnership working.

You will also play a key role in creating opportunities—building relationships with local employers, brokering vacancies, organising work trials, advocating for customers, and supporting employers to make adjustments that enable inclusive and successful recruitment. Crucially, you will help ensure employment outcomes are sustained through in‑work support and ongoing engagement.

If you are passionate about supporting individuals to achieve their goals, enjoy building relationships, and want to be part of a national programme that is providing high quality Employment Support, this role offers the chance to do meaningful, career‑shaping work with real and lasting social impact—for individuals, employers and communities alike.

If you have any questions about the post please contact Jo Farrell [e-mail] / Amy Hill - [e-mail]