IPS Employment Specialist - Addictions

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Milton Keynes is seeking an IPS Employment Specialist to support individuals in accessing and sustaining paid employment. The ideal candidate will have a degree or relevant experience, strong communication and organizational skills, and a passion for helping others. This role offers training and the chance to make a meaningful difference in people's lives.

Benefits

Attractive pension scheme

Employee assistance programme

Travel discounts

Retail discounts

Qualifications

• Must have experience working with individuals on a one-to-one basis.
• Experience in health and social care or employment support sectors is preferred.
• Strong persuasive communication skills required.

Responsibilities

• Support individuals in accessing and sustaining paid employment.
• Regularly meet with clients to provide support and job matching.
• Advocate for clients by engaging with employers.

Skills

Motivational skills

Strong organizational skills

Communication skills

Ability to build relationships

Education

Degree-level education or equivalent experience

Job description

IPS Employment Specialist - Addictions

The closing date is 09 December 2025

We are looking for motivated, passionate self-starters who want to kickstart a career in Addictions . These positions are a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference and support those who have accessed specialist support for their substance use.

As an IPS Employment Specialist in Milton Keynes, you will play a vital role in helping people find meaningful and fulfilling employment. You’llreceive training and support, develop your skills, and have access to a broad range of opportunities. Joining a passionate and driven team, you’ll be working towards creating a fairer and more inclusive society for people.

We welcome applications from all experience levels and backgrounds. What you will need is the ability to motivate and build relationships with service users, strong organisational skills, the confidence to communicate and engage with a range of employers, multi‑agency partners, and a fundamental belief that anyone can work.

Please note we will measure the quality of the application you submit as an assessment method towards your suitability for the Employment Specialist Role.

Before submitting your application please proofread your application to ensure all areas are fully completed and check that spelling and grammar is correct.

Main duties of the job

What is an IPS Employment Specialist?

This is a rewarding and dynamic role where no day is the same and you’ll be making a genuine difference to people’s lives. Using the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model you’ll be:

• Supporting and motivating individuals who have received support for their addiction to access and sustain paid employment.
• Regularly meeting with clients to listen, offer support and help them identify their best job match, reflecting their skills and aspirations.
• Supporting the clients through CV production, interview techniques and managing their health at work.
• Advocating for your clients by educating and engaging with employers regarding the IPS service.
• Sourcing job opportunities for your clients through regular contact with local employers within the community.
• Promoting employment and raising expectations around the ability of service users to access paid employment, breaking down the barriers for them.

About us

Working for Central North West London NHS Trust

You will also be part of the Trustwide Employment Services Team which comprises of over 40 people.

You will receive a number of staff benefits working for CNWL Trust, this includes an attractive pension scheme, a range of staff networks, travel discounts, employee assistance programme and discounts at hundreds of retailers nationwide.

This role is an excellent opportunity to start a long‑term career within the mental health sector, develop your skills and a gateway to the vast number of opportunities within CNWL.

Apply today to become an IPS Employment Specialist and make a real difference!

The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.

Please note this vacancy may not meet the criteria for Skilled Worker sponsorship this is because role eligibility also depends on whether the role meets the salary threshold for the relevant occupational code (SOC CODE).

For further info please visit: Skilled Worker visa: Overview - GOV.UK

Job responsibilities

Who are we looking for?

Firstly, you will need either a degree-level education or relevant work experience, such as in the health and social care or employment sectors. Alongside having strong and persuasive communication skills, excellent time management and exceptional organisational skills. Also, the ability to initiate and develop relationships with a variety of individuals and be able to engage employers using a variety of methods such as via the telephone or face-to-face in the community.

It would also be helpful, but NOT essential, if you have experience of working with people with addiction support needs (or similar groups) OR have experience working in employment support services (or equivalent), this can include working with people on a one-to-one basis, offering motivation and support, or engaging with a range of stakeholders. We are actively interested in individuals who have experience using a persuasive communication style or promoting a service to a variety of audiences, this can include marketing, recruitment, or sales roles.

Person Specification

• Experience of communicating and working with people on a one-to-one basis
• Experience of working within diverse communities.
• Experience of building relationships and communicating with a range of different partners/organisations
• Experience of working with people with mental health difficulties or a similar client group within the health, social services, or voluntary sector
• Experience of supporting people to obtain or keep work
• Experience and knowledge of the benefits agency and all disability/ employment related benefits

Skills, knowledge and abilities

• A commitment to learning about and working within the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model
• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Good presentation, negotiation, and marketing skills. negotiation skills
• Ability to initiate and develop relationships with employers and other agencies whilst being astute to their needs.
• Ability to engage with employers using a variety of methods such as face to face contact, social media, phone, and email.
• Ability to work independently, reliably, and consistently
• Working knowledge of a broad range of occupations and jobs.
• Basic word processing/computing skills
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• An understanding of the principles and practices of supported employment or the IPS model.
• An understanding of the Equality Act 2010.
• An understanding of the employment needs and difficulties of people who experience mental health challenges
• Basic counselling and coaching skills.
• Ability to provide vocational assessments and profiling.
• A preparedness to work flexible hours through prior arrangement as the needs of the job dictates
• Ability to see solutions rather than problems
• Ability to work in strength‑based ways.
• Willingness to participate in supervision.
• Ability to work independently of direct supervision

Education and Qualifications

• Educated to a degree level (in any sector) OR equivalent workplace experience, this can include one or more of the below:
• Experience within the health and social care sector
• Experience within employment support services.

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.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust