IPS Employment Specialist

Shaw Trust; Leeds; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

2 volunteering days

Enhanced pension

Life assurance

Funded qualifications

Inclusive colleague networks

Health & wellbeing support

Job summary

Shaw Trust in Leeds is seeking IPS Employment Specialists to deliver the IPS model and support clients with health needs to secure meaningful work. You will help people overcome barriers and pursue sustainable employment opportunities.

Join a service focused on inclusion, wellbeing, and bridging gaps between health services, employers, and communities across Leeds and West Yorkshire. Training is provided, with a strong emphasis on community impact.

Qualifications

• Experience with IPS or similar employment support models.
• Ability to work with health professionals and employers.
• Commitment to social inclusion and wellbeing.
• Willingness to undergo DBS checks.

Responsibilities

• Deliver the IPS model (full training provided).
• Provide person-centred advice and vocational guidance.
• Build relationships with local employers to identify roles.
• Support clients from referral through placement and in-work support.
• Champion social inclusion and wellbeing through employment.
• Demonstrate a proactive, solution-focused mindset.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Problem-solving

Health awareness

Recruitment knowledge

Job description

About the Role

For us being part of the solution is about creating the conditions for this to happen, advocating and delivering services that make a real difference. Working in partnership not competition, we are part of an eco-system of purpose-led organisations, striving for a fairer, more equal society centred on opportunity for all. Are you passionate about helping people with mental and /or physical health support needs find meaningful, sustainable employment? Do you want to be part of a service that transforms lives through work, inclusion, and wellbeing? We're looking for enthusiastic and driven IPS Employment Specialists to join our team - subject to the successful award of new contract in Leeds and across West Yorkshire.

• Clients, to understand their strengths and ambitions
• Health professionals and service providers, to ensure holistic support
• Employers, to build inclusive workplaces and create job opportunities

This is a performance-focused role, with clear targets around referrals, job starts, and sustained employment. But more than that, it's about changing lives.

We welcome applicants from local residents in the areas of delivery.

Areas of Delivery

• Leeds and surrounding areas

This is a community-based role. You'll work peripatetically across your chosen area(s), supporting clients where they are.

What You'll Do

• Deliver the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model (full training provided)
• Provide person-centred advice and vocational guidance
• Build strong relationships with local employers to identify suitable roles
• Support clients through every step: from referral and job search to placement and in-work support
• Champion social inclusion and wellbeing through employment
• A genuine passion for helping others achieve their potential
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• A proactive, solution-focused mindset
• Experience working with people with health needs
• Knowledge of employment services or recruitment (a plus, but not essential)

At Shaw Trust we believe everyone has the right to live a decent and dignified life and an opportunity for rewarding work. We are a social purpose organisation challenging inequality and breaking down barriers to enable social mobility.

Please note that all successful candidates will be subject to pre-employment checks, including an enhanced adult & Child DBS check, employment references, and verification of the right to work in the UK.

Why Join Us

• 25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), rising to 28 with service - plus the option to buy more
• 2 paid volunteering days each year
• Enhanced pension after 6 months
• Life assurance at 3x your salary
• Funded qualifications including apprenticeships
• Inclusive colleague networks (LGBTQ+, Disability, Neurodiversity, Women's, Menopause, and more)
• Health & wellbeing support, including EAP and a health cash plan