IPS Employment Specialist

NHS; Gateshead; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an IPS Employment Specialist in Gateshead. You will play a pivotal role in providing employment support to individuals facing serious mental health challenges and helping local employers access and retain talented individuals. With a focus on relationship-building, adaptability, and commitment to multi-agency teamwork, this position offers a unique opportunity to drive positive change in a dynamic work environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years experience working with people with mental health difficulties.
• Experience working in a multidisciplinary team.
• Additional training or certifications in employment support.

Responsibilities

• Build strong relationships with service users, local businesses, and healthcare professionals.
• Support individuals in achieving their employment goals.
• Educate employers on supporting diverse hiring practices.

Skills

Outstanding communication skills

Excellent coaching and active listening skills

Ability to build rapport

Education

Degree or experience equivalent to a degree

Tools

IT systems

Job description

Go back Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust

IPS Employment Specialist

The closing date is 24 June 2025

1. Can you build strong, professional relationships with people?2. Are you able to consistently hold hope for others?3. Are you action-orientated and excited by the idea of cultivating job opportunities with local employers?

If you answered yes to those three questions, we would like to hear from you!The Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Service is a specialist employment support service that works across the length and breadth of CNTW NHS Foundation Trust.

We provide evidence-based, NICE-recommended employment support to people who experience serious mental health problems, helping make career ambitions a reality.

We are delighted to be recruiting to our Gateshead and South Tyneside teams, with two, full-time, permanent positions available. These posts will be based in:

• Palmers Community Hospital, South Tyneside.

Main duties of the job

The IPS Employment Support Service focuses on three specific groups of people:1. People accessing Secondary Care mental health services who would like advice or support regarding employment.2. Local businesses who employ people.3. Healthcare professionals working within CNTW.

As a member of the IPS Service you will work extremely closely with the above three groups, actively engaging and building strong, professional relationships with all three. Actively listening and learning from people, adapting your practice and individualising your support to maximise the chances that:1. People using our service achieve their employment ambitions and benefit from the improved physical and mental health associated with good employment.

2. Local employers are supported to meet and retain talented, highly skilled people who may otherwise have difficulty attaining or retaining employment due to their health conditions.

3. Healthcare professionals across CNTW are supported to understand the IPS offer, know how to access or refer to us and work closely with us to support people achieve their employment and recovery goals.

About us

CNTW aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.

The CNTW IPS Service have supported hundreds of people secure paid and retain employment that has helped them thrive! We're fantastic to work for and can guarantee an exciting and varied role that rewards creativity and an action-orientated attitude.

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for further information about the main responsibilities of the role.

If you would like to find out more about these exciting opportunities and our team, please contact [e-mail].

Please find attached job description for full details.

Advertising date : 10th June 2025

Closing date : 24th June 2025

We welcome your application.

Person Specification

Education, Qualifications and employment history

• Degree or experience equivalent to a degree
• Evidence of experience working in a multidisciplinary team
• Proven ability to build strong therapeutic relationships
• Minimum 2 years experience working with people with mental health difficulties
• Additional training, qualifications or specific employment support experience
• Experience working in a health setting
• Experience of managing a caseload independently
• Lived experience/carer experience

Knowledge and experience

• Understanding of the statutory challenges which may impact the ambitions of people accessing our service
• Strong understanding of the principles and practice of support employment methodology (place, train, maintain)
• Knowledge of policies and legislation that relate to protection and promotion of employment rights for people with disability
• Knowledge of employment law and Equality Act 2010
• Knowledge or training in IPS methodology and principles
• Knowledge and experience of living or working in Newcastle or Gateshead area

Skills and competencies

• Commitment to multi-agency team working
• Outstanding communication skills incl. verbal and written skills
• Excellent coaching and active listening skills
• Outstanding ability to build rapport with a wide range of people
• Being able to demonstrate adaptability and flexibility
• Proven ability to use IT systems

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer name

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Dryden Road Clinic, Gateshead and Palmers Community Hospital, South Tyneside

Dryden Road Clinic, Gateshead and Palmers Community Hospital, South Tyneside