IPS Employment Specialist

IPS Grow; Greater London; Remote; GBP 29,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust in London is seeking an Employment Specialist to support individuals with mental health conditions to identify and pursue work opportunities.

You will collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team, build links with local employers, provide tailored coaching, and help clients set and achieve realistic career goals through flexible, person-centred support.

Qualifications

• Degree level education or equivalent knowledge gained through work.
• Experience coaching individuals one-to-one, verified by an employer reference.
• Understanding of Employment Coach role and IAPT/Secondary Care Health Services.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; ability to work in a team.
• High standard of written English.
• Proficient with MS Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams.
• Strong time management and learning agility; adaptable to feedback.

Responsibilities

• Provide effective employment service for people with mental health conditions.
• Work within a multi-disciplinary mental health team delivering joined-up care.
• Develop partnerships with employers and local providers.
• Deliver tailored one-to-one employment coaching via various channels.
• Promote the service to professionals, users and carers to generate referrals.
• Maintain accurate records and ensure data is up-to-date.
• Work flexibly within the Work Well network and contribute to service development.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Time management

Listening skills

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

MS Word

Excel

Outlook

Teams

Job description

Croydon | South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Permanent contract

Interested in supporting individuals with mental health conditions to achieve their employment goals?Work as an Employment Specialist at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust in London.

Deadline: 19th October 2026

• London
• Full-time

Job overview

Work Well is a department within South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust that supports people to find work.

Our mission is to support people who are unemployed in achieving their own career goals. We believe everyone can work, and people should have choice about the type of work they want to do, and when to do it. Our vision for the future is a society where everyone can work, if they want to.

Our values are:

• Person-centred: we don’t tell people what to do, we give them information so they can make their own career decisions.
• Empowering: we don’t do things for people, we give them tools so they can do things themselves.
• Inspiring: we don’t just help people find a job, we help them set long term career goals for the life they want to live.

Role

• To provide an effective employment service for people with severe and enduring mental health conditions who want to work.
• To work as part of a multi-disciplinary mental health team, working alongside other mental health and social care professionals, providing joined-up mental health care.
• To develop partnerships with employers, local providers and services to ensure that the employment support needs of clients are met.
• To work as part of the Work Well network, sharing knowledge and expertise with a range of other employment professionals across Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark.

Responsibilities

• Promoting the employment service to mental health professionals, service users and carers, to ensure a steady flow of referrals.
• Helping clients to identify and consider options for obtaining work and staying in work, and set their own personal job goals; assessing their needs and developing appropriate actions plans to overcome barriers to work.
• Delivering individually tailored one-to-one employment coaching support to a diverse range of clients, considering their individual needs, using a range of communication methods including face-to-face appointments, video meetings, telephone calls, emails, texts and social media.
• Networking and engaging with local employers to identify job opportunities that meet the needs of clients and the employer.
• Challenging clients, employers, and other professionals when appropriate to reduce negative beliefs, stigma and discrimination (including self-stigma and self-discrimination).
• Working as part of a team, sharing knowledge and expertise, and contributing to team meetings, service development activities and the wider Work Well network.
• Typing clear and concise session notes, entering data onto electronic databases, and obtaining written evidence of outcomes (e.g. job starts) in a timely manner, ensuring that files and systems are always up-to-date and accurate.
• Working independently to manage own time and workload and keeping track of own progress towards targets.

The person

• Educated to degree level or equivalent level of knowledge gained through relevant work
• Recent experience of supporting or coaching individuals on a one-to-one basis (in a voluntary role or paid role), verified by an employer reference
• Demonstrates clear understanding of what the Employment Coach role involves
• Demonstrates an understanding of IAPT and Secondary Care Health Services
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate with others clearly (verbally and non-verbally), negotiate, persuade, and influence, and work as part of a team
• High standard of written English
• Confident using digital technology and proficient in MS Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams
• High level of learning agility; adapts positively to change and feedback
• Excellent time management; plans and organises own workload independently
• Exceptional listening skills; able to perceive and interpret verbal and non-verbal messages