IPS Employment Specialist - West Yorkshire

Shaw Trust; York and North Yorkshire; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

2 paid volunteering days each year

Enhanced pension after 6 months

Life assurance at 3x your salary

Funded qualifications including aprent

Inclusive colleague networks

Health & wellbeing support

Job summary

Shaw Trust in Leeds and West Yorkshire is seeking IPS Employment Specialists to help people with health needs find meaningful work. You will manage a caseload, provide tailored guidance, and build relationships with employers to create job opportunities.

This role is community-based and peripatetic across your area, requiring compassionate, person-centred support and a commitment to social inclusion and wellbeing through employment.

Qualifications

• Experience working with people with health needs is preferred.
• Ability to manage a caseload and meet targets.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of employment services or recruitment is a plus.
• Full UK right to work and DBS checks as part of pre-employment checks.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Skills

Excellent communication

Interpersonal skills

Proactive mindset

Caseload management

Employer engagement

Job description

SUBJECT TO CONTRACT AWARD*****************************************

SUBJECT TO CONTRACT AWARD*****************************************

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.

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.

About The Role

As an IPS Employment Specialist, you will support individuals seeking work and the employers who need their talents. You’ll manage a caseload of clients, providing tailored, one-to-one support to help them find, and keep, jobs that align with their individual goals and aspirations.

You’ll Work Closely With

• 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.

Recruitment Timeline

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an Assessment Centre on:

14th or 15th October - Leeds
20th or 21st October - Huddersfield

Should we be successful in winning this contract, IPS Employment Specialists will start induction on Monday 30th November 2026.

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

What You’ll Bring

• 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)

Download The Job Description For More Details.

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

At Shaw Trust, You’ll Do Meaningful Work That Changes Lives — And You’ll Be Well Supported While Doing It. Here’s What You Can Expect

• 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

A Place Where You Belong

We’re proud to be a National Equality Standard employer, a Disability Confident Leader, and Menopause Friendly accredited. We actively welcome applications from all backgrounds, especially those with lived experience of disability or social exclusion.

Need adjustments or more info? Contact us at [e-mail].

We may close this vacancy early if we receive enough applications.