IPS Employment Specialist - West Midlands

Shaw Trust; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading employment support organization is seeking a Supported Employment Specialist to facilitate clients' employment journeys. Responsibilities include working with clients to secure sustainable employment and collaborating with local employers. The role emphasizes performance with clear targets and aims to improve social inclusion and well-being. This is a community-based position with minimal home working and offers various employee benefits including generous holiday and pension scheme.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Paid volunteering leave

Enhanced pension scheme

Life assurance

Learning and development opportunities

Health and wellbeing initiatives

Qualifications

• Experience working with people with health conditions or disabilities.
• Some knowledge of IPS or Supported Employment principles.
• Experience working with clients on a one-to-one basis.

Responsibilities

• Assist clients with mental health needs in securing employment.
• Deliver the Individual Placement and Support approach.
• Build relationships with local employers for client placement.

Skills

Experience with health conditions / disabilities

Knowledge of IPS or Supported Employment principles

One-to-one client experience

Proven ability to meet outcomes and targets

Experience supporting people in securing jobs

Job description

“Shaw Trust promotes team spirit, inclusiveness and it is an organisation where everybody is somebody. I am proud to be part of this great organisation.”

Purpose / Job Details

Working with clients, health professionals, service providers and employers, as a Supported Employment or IPS Employment Specialist you will be focused on making sure a person’s journey into employment, with associated improved social inclusion and wellbeing is as easy as possible. You will work with clients (managing a caseload) who have mental health support needs, to assist them in securing sustainable paid employment in line with their preferences. Your role will be to deliver the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) or Supported Employment approach (for which training will be given); providing person‑centred advice and guidance to clients, whilst building positive relationships with local employers to enable clients to move into suitable employment.

This is a performance-focused role, with clear targets aligned to our contractual commitments. These include supporting participants to enrol on programme, enter employment and sustain their new/existing job role, as well as adhering to the Individual Placement and Supported Employment Models.

The IPS delivery model you will be expected to deliver is underpinned by 8 key principles and 25 items under the Fidelity Scale. The six key stages on a typical journey are: outreach/referral; vocational profiling; action planning; job search activities (including working on a one‑to‑one basis with employers to match people with appropriate employment); job placement; job coaching; and coordinating ongoing support whilst in employment.

Contract Specific Details

SUBJECT TO CONTRACT WIN - CONTRACT END MARCH 2026 WITH POTENTIAL EXTENSION

Areas of Delivery

Solihull, Dudley, Wolverhampton & Walsall

Assessment Centre for this vacancy

Wednesday 5th November - Central Birmingham

Essential: You will have

• Experience of working with people with health conditions / disabilities, substance misuse needs, or a similar client group within health, social services or the voluntary sector (E)
• Some knowledge of IPS or Supported Employment principles (E)
• Experience of working with someone on a one‑to‑one basis (E)
• Proven experience of meeting and exceeding outcomes and targets (E)
• Experience of supporting people to obtain or keep work (E)

Download the Job Description for full details.

Location

Peripatetic worker - community based - minimal / no home working.

Employee Benefits

• 25 days annual leave per year (plus bank holidays), with incremental increases post 3 years’ service up to 28 days, and the option to purchase additional holiday
• 2 days paid volunteering leave each year
• An enhanced pension scheme after 6 months
• Life Assurance at 3 times your annual salary rate
• Access to a suite of learning and development opportunities including paid for apprenticeship and masters’ levels qualifications, and management development programmes
• Opportunities to connect with our employee diversity networks (LGBTQ+ Support Network, Racial Equality Network, Disability Equality Network, Women’s Network, Neurodiversity Peer Support Network, Menopause Peer Support Group, The MANaging Network, The Young Professionals Network and Back to Work Support Group)
• Health and Wellbeing initiatives including internal support, employee assistance programme and health cash plan