Information and Guidance Advisor

The Growth Company; Wigan; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A community-focused employment organization in Wigan is seeking a skilled Information and Guidance Advisor to provide personalized career advice and support within the prison system. The successful applicant will work directly with offenders, assisting in their transition back into the community and helping them set goals for education and employment. This role mandates a high standard of support and extensive interaction with prison staff and other partners. A commitment to safeguarding and promoting diversity within the workforce is also expected.

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 3 or 4 or equivalent qualification in Advice and Guidance.
• Experience in a target-driven environment.
• High-quality delivery of one-to-one and group sessions.

Responsibilities

• Deliver personalized Information, Advice, and Guidance (IAG).
• Oversee caseload working toward performance targets.
• Utilize labour market intelligence to guide customers.
• Nurture relationships with stakeholders.
• Provide customer-centred support through various platforms.
• Create impactful action plans for customers.

Skills

Experience delivering employment or learning outcomes

Ability to work with people in custody

High-quality career guidance skills

Confidence using digital platforms

Education

NVQ Level 3 or 4 in Advice & Guidance

Job description

Information and Guidance Advisor – The Growth Company, Wigan

The Growth Company’s Employment team is currently recruiting a Information and Guidance (IAG) Advisor to provide high-quality, labour market-informed careers advice and support. This role will focus on delivering tailored information, advice, and guidance to individuals within the prison estate, as well as supporting their transition into community-based services.

IAG Advisors work with offenders in custody from the start of their sentence, up to preparing for release, with the aim of helping prevent cycles of re-offending. The advisors help those in custody to set education, skills, and work-related goals, develop employability skills, and search for and apply for jobs as they prepare to transition back into the community.

They also work with employers to help offenders increase their knowledge of the labour market and promote more sustained employment outcomes.

This role is based at HMP Hindley

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver personalised Information, Advice, and Guidance (IAG) that aligns with each customer’s unique needs, promoting career development, independence, and long-term learning or employment outcomes.
• Oversee a varied caseload of customers, working towards performance targets with a focus on securing sustained employment or educational progression.
• Utilise up-to-date labour market intelligence and employer networks to guide customers toward meaningful and lasting job opportunities.
• Establish and nurture productive relationships with key stakeholders, including prison governors, uniformed staff, and partner agencies, to ensure a consistent pipeline of eligible customers.
• Provide flexible, customer-centred support through platforms such as the Virtual Campus, group workshops, and in-person sessions.
• Create detailed and impactful action plans for each customer, ensuring initial engagement meets satisfaction benchmarks and sets a clear path forward.
• Work closely with colleagues across mainstream services (., National Careers Service) to enhance tracking of customer outcomes and streamline evidence collection.
• Adhere to all requirements of the Prison Service DPS contract and consistently exceed standards set by the Skills Funding Agency, Ofsted, and Matrix.

About You

• Hold an NVQ Level 3 or 4 in Advice & Guidance, DipCG, or an equivalent qualification, with a commitment to achieving the CDI Licence to Practice.
• Demonstrate the ability to excel in a target-driven environment, consistently working towards positive outcomes for Prison Service customers.
• Deliver high-quality one-to-one and group sessions, meeting or exceeding Grade 2 standards in careers information, advice, and guidance.
• Confidently use digital platforms and online tools: including the Virtual Campus, to provide accessible and effective IAG services.

Skills Required

• Ideally possess recent experience delivering employment or learning outcomes within a custodial environment, particularly in a performance-driven setting.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals who are currently in custody or have previous offending histories.
• Skilled in providing high-quality one-to-one and group career guidance sessions, consistently achieving at least a Grade 2 standard.
• Hold an NVQ Level 3 or 4 in Advice and Guidance, DipCG, or an equivalent qualification, with a proactive approach to meeting CDI Licence to Practice requirements.

We are currently unable to provide sponsorship for work permits or visas. Therefore, we can only consider candidates who already have the legal right to work in the UK.

At GC, safeguarding the welfare of all individuals including vulnerable adults and young people is a top priority, and we expect all staff to uphold this standard. All appointments follow Safer Recruitment Procedures, including a DBS check carried out by Due Diligence Limited (DDC Ltd), at no cost to the successful candidate.

Please note: It is a legal offence to apply for a role involving regulated activity if you are on the Barred List.

We are committed to increasing workforce diversity and offer a guaranteed interview to applicants who meet the essential criteria and either have a disability or are from a diverse ethnic community.

If this applies to you, you can request consideration under this scheme during the application process. Your request will be shared only with the Hiring Manager and Internal Recruitment Team.