IPS Senior Employment Specialist/Team Leader

The Forward Trust; Dover; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

The Forward Trust is seeking an experienced Senior Employment Specialist / Team Leader to guide a team delivering high-quality, person-centred employment support across Thanet, Dover, Folkestone and Hythe. You will supervise, coach and develop staff while maintaining a small caseload to stay connected with the participant journey.

You will build strong employer partnerships, identify opportunities in open and hidden labour markets, and collaborate with NHS, Jobcentre Plus and training providers

Qualifications

• Experience delivering IPS, supported employment or employment support services.
• Proven leadership, supervision, mentoring or coaching background.
• Strong employer engagement and business development skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of IPS Employment Specialists to deliver person-centred employment support.
• Provide regular supervision, coaching and development to team members.
• Maintain a small caseload (10–15 participants) when required and model best practice.
• Build and sustain relationships with employers, NHS, local authorities and partner organisations.

Skills

IPS experience

Employer engagement

Leadership

Coaching

Job description

IPS Senior Employment Specialist/Team Leader

Location: Thanet, Dover, Folkestone & Hythe

Travel : Regular travel across the service area required

Driving licence & own vehicle : Essential

Salary : £30,000-£34,000 DOE

Vacancy Type: Permanent

Are you an experienced Recruitment Consultant, Employment Adviser, Employability Specialist, Supported Employment Practitioner or Team Leader who is passionate about helping people achieve their potential?

Do you enjoy developing people, building relationships with employers and finding creative ways to help individuals overcome barriers and move into meaningful, sustainable employment?

If so, we'd love to hear from you.

We're looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Senior Employment Specialist / Team Leader to lead and develop a team of IPS Employment Specialists delivering high-quality, person-centred employment support across Thanet, Dover, Folkestone and Hythe.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who combines strong people leadership with excellent recruitment, employer engagement and employment support skills. You'll be a role model for your team, championing best practice while also maintaining a small caseload of around 10-15 participants when required.

About the Role

As Senior Employment Specialist / Team Leader, you'll play a key role in ensuring our employment service delivers outstanding outcomes for participants, including people who may be experiencing health conditions, disabilities or other barriers to entering, returning to or sustaining employment.

You’ll lead, supervise, coach and develop a team of Employment Specialists, helping them build their confidence, capability and expertise. You'll provide regular supervision, reflective practice and practical coaching, supporting your team to deliver personalised employment support and achieve positive job outcomes.

Alongside team leadership, you'll maintain a small caseload where required, giving you the opportunity to model excellent practice and remain closely connected to the participant journey.

A major part of the role will be developing relationships with employers and partners. You'll work creatively to identify opportunities within both the open and hidden labour markets, helping participants find roles that genuinely match their strengths, skills, preferences and aspirations.

You’ll also work closely with NHS and health teams, local authorities, Jobcentre Plus, training providers, colleges, community organisations and other partners to create a joined-up approach to employment support.

About You

We're looking for someone who is people-focused, commercially aware and passionate about employment.

You may currently be working in recruitment, employability, supported employment, careers advice, employment services or a similar environment, and have experience of supervising or leading others.

Perhaps you're an experienced Recruitment Consultant ready to take the next step into a role where your employer engagement skills can make a real difference. Or you could already be an Employment Adviser or Specialist who has developed strong leadership experience and is ready for a new challenge.

What matters most is that you can build trust, inspire others, develop strong employer relationships and help people see what is possible.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Experience delivering IPS, supported employment or employment support services, particularly for people with health conditions or disabilities.
• Previous team leadership, supervisory, mentoring or coaching experience.
• Experience of recruitment, employer engagement, business development or developing employment opportunities.
• A strong understanding of person-centred employment support and, ideally, IPS principles and fidelity standards. IPS-specific training can be provided where required.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive relationships with participants, colleagues, employers and external partners.
• Strong coaching skills and the ability to develop confidence and capability in others.
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach to overcoming barriers and achieving employment outcomes.
• Excellent organisation skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, monitor performance and meet deadlines.
• Confidence working independently while also contributing positively to a wider team.
• The ability to work collaboratively with NHS teams, clinical services, local authorities, Jobcentre Plus and community organisations.
• A genuine passion for helping people achieve meaningful and sustainable employment.

About Us

We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to m