IPS Employment Specialist (Connect to Work)

IPS Grow; Lancashire; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options

26 days annual leave

Pension schemes

Travel benefits

Professional development

Job summary

IPS Grow is seeking an IPS Employment Specialist to support people with long-term health conditions or barriers to employment in Blackpool and the wider community. The role involves on-the-ground engagement with employers, delivering Individual Placement and Support and building relationships for sustainable employment.

You will work across town centre offices and in the community, travel locally, and participate in a funded Connect to Work programme with full training and ongoing supervision.

Qualifications

• Level 3 in IAG or equivalent or minimum 2 years demonstrable experience providing employment support, advice and guidance.
• Having access to a vehicle to attend appointments is essential.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of clients with long term health conditions or barriers to employment.
• Deliver the IPS approach.
• Assist clients to understand skills, aspirations and goals and produce an Action Plan.
• Source job opportunities and engage with employers to explore opportunities.
• Provide education and support to employers, including adjustments and return-to-work plans.

Education

Level 3 in IAG or equivalent

Job description

IPS Employment Specialist (Connect to Work)

Blackpool, Lancashire | Blackpool Council

Permanent contract

Do you want to be part of a friendly and dynamic team whilst making a genuine difference in transforming people’s lives?

Deadline: 20th October 2026

• North West
• Full-time

Job overview

With on-the-job training, becoming an IPS Employment Specialist is a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference and support those with long term health conditions and/or barriers to employment in Blackpool to get back to or stay in work.

Connect to Work is a new DWP funded programme, available nationally, which offers around 12 months of supported employment to eligible participants to help them to find or stay in work.

From the moment you join us, you’ll receive a number of benefits, including:

• Achievable work-life balance through a range of flexible working options
• Annual leave – in addition to public holidays, you will be eligible to take 26 days of annual leave in each financial year, rising to 28 days after five years’ service and 32 days after ten years. Additional leave can be purchased via salary sacrifice
• Competitive pension schemes
• Generous special leave provisions to help employees deal with caring responsibilities, domestic emergencies and bereavement
• Maternity, paternity and adoption leave above the statutory minimum
• Childcare voucher scheme
• Corporate leisure scheme
• Comprehensive training and development opportunities, including access to the e-learning site ‘iPool’
• Regular supervision and support plus annual individual appraisals
• Occupational sick pay scheme and health support
• Outstanding service awards – this annual awards scheme recognises dedicated and outstanding employees!
• A range of travel benefits, such as train season ticket, car sharing, cycling schemes, staff parking and more.
• Free health MOT at corporate health events held throughout the year
• Free independent, face-to-face counselling and helpline
• Mental Health First Aid support
• A range of employee discounts to national attractions

Role

The supported employment approach requires our IPS Employment Specialists to support people both in our town centre offices and in the wider community and therefore some travel locally will be involved and applicants need to have use of a vehicle on a daily basis.

Liaising with and meeting local employers at their premises is also an essential part of the role and therefore excellent relationship building and communication skills are essential.

As an IPS Employment Specialist you will play a rewarding and vital role in helping clients find meaningful and fulfilling employment that aligns to their career aspirations. You’ll receive the specialist training and support you need to develop your skills but must have strong and persuasive communication skills, excellent time management, and exceptional organisational and administrative skills.

Working with colleagues across a range of referral agencies, sometimes within an integrated team setting, you will manage a caseload of clients who have long term health conditions, key barriers to work or who are struggling to stay in work, to support them to secure suitable paid employment in line with their preferences. Building trusting relationships with a range of health and allied professionals will be an essential part of the role to ensure we receive good quality referrals into the service and to promote recovery through employment.

You will deliver a model of employment support called Individual Placement and Support (IPS), for which full training will be given, which provides holistic person-centred support, advice and guidance.

You must have the ability to initiate and develop relationships with local employers on a regular basis, using a variety of methods including email, telephone and face to face in the community, building positive and meaningful relationships

Where suitable you will also be brokering reasonable adjustments and working patterns to help your clients achieve or retain sustainable employment.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of clients, with long term health conditions and/or barriers to employment.
• Deliver the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach.
• Meet and support clients to understand their key skills, aspirations and goals through completing a Vocational Profile and produce an Action Plan to help them obtain and sustain competitive employment. This includes support with their job search, CV production, application forms, interview techniques and career development.
• Assess client’s support needs related to work which may include benefits/welfare advice, disclosure of mental/physical health symptoms etc. and provide support & guidance.
• Attend team meetings with key referral organisations as an IPS practitioner.
• Source job opportunities for clients through tailored job search and regular contact with employers to explore hidden as well as advertised employment opportunities.
• Provide education and support to employers, as agreed with the individual, which may include negotiating adjustments, return to work strategy and on-going contact with the employer to ensure job retention.
• Build relationships with colleagues in clinical/local agency teams to engage and generate referrals and create collaborative working partnerships with clinical/local agency staff (promoting employment as a positive intervention in the recovery journey).
• Once employment has been secured continue to provide quality service through conducting regular visits, effective monitoring and in-work support to clients and employers to help sustain employment.
• To adhere to administrative and data capture protocols which record the progress of individuals, and to keep accurate and complete records of casework.
• To work independently, reliably and deliver consistently to deliver effective IPS practice.
• Ensure that effective monitoring and evaluation systems are adhered to and keep abreast of changing practice within vocational rehabilitation.
• Be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to safeguarding, confidentiality and data protection.
• To co-produce service development with service users where possible.

The person

Please look at the job description to find out more, or speak to Darren Jones, Service Manager at Positive Steps if you want further details – 07824 361251.

We are looking for individuals who hold a Level 3 in IAG or equivalent or have a minimum of 2 years demonstrable experience providing employment support, advice and guidance.

We encourage applications from candidates with lived experience.

Having access to a vehicle to attend appointments is essential for the post.