Lead Employment Specialist

Recovery Focus; North East; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days’ annual leave

Pension with employer contribution

Life assurance

Enhanced sick pay

Birthday leave

Professional fee reimbursement

GP access and EAP

Recognition and long service awards

Recommend a Friend bonus

Cycle to Work

Blue Light / Charity discounts

Free will writing

Inclusion and accessibility

Job summary

Waythrough is seeking a Lead Employment Specialist to head the CDDARS service across County Durham. You will lead a team of four Employment Specialists, develop IPS delivery, and build strong employer links to create paid employment opportunities for people in treatment programs.

You will manage a small caseload, monitor performance, and report to stakeholders while shaping service development with a focus on long-term employment and recovery goals.

Qualifications

• Experience in employability services.
• Experience of working with external stakeholders and building effective professional relationships.
• Experience of leading or supervising a team.

Responsibilities

• Lead, supervise and develop a team of four Employment Specialists, providing coaching, mentoring, training and ongoing support.
• Support the delivery of a high-quality IPS service, ensuring best practice is followed and positive employment outcomes are achieved.
• Manage a small caseload of around 10–15 individuals, supporting them to secure sustainable paid employment.
• Build and maintain relationships with local employers, identifying opportunities and helping the team access the hidden labour market.
• Support the team to develop effective employer engagement and job development strategies.
• Monitor service performance, review progress against targets and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Maintain accurate records and prepare reports for internal and external stakeholders, including commissioners.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, external agencies, training providers and other partners to help individuals achieve their employment goals.
• Gather feedback from the people we support and use this to improve service delivery.
• Support employers to understand individual needs and, where appropriate, negotiate workplace adjustments and ongoing support to help people remain in employment.

Skills

Leadership

IPS

Stakeholder management

Employment services

Job description

Lead Employment Specialist - County Durham Location: County Durham (main base to be discussed with line manager), travel will be required throughout the region and between services. Working Hours: 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday 9am-5pm (with one 30 minute early finish each week. Contract Type: Permanent Salary: £29,430 - £37,610 *Please note: You will need a full driving licence and access to a vehicle, as the role involves working across County Durham and meeting with employers and partners. Please note: The salary listed reflects the full earning potential for this role. Starting salaries depend on experience and progression within the band.

About Waythrough

About Waythrough Waythrough was formed in 2024 following the merger of Humankind and Richmond Fellowship. Together, we’ve created one of the largest mental health and social support charities in England. Every year, we support around 125,000 people through nearly 200 services – and it’s all made possible by our 3,500 brilliant staff and volunteers. Make a real difference in your community Are you passionate about helping others live safer, healthier, more independent lives? Join our team at Waythrough and support people facing challenges around mental health, substance use, housing or domestic abuse. This is more than just a job – it’s a chance to build meaningful relationships and create lasting change.

About the role

Are you passionate about helping people overcome barriers to employment and supporting them to build a brighter future? Waythrough is looking for a motivated and experienced Lead Employment Specialist to join our CDDARS service across County Durham. This is an exciting opportunity to lead and develop a team of four Employment Specialists, helping people accessing drug and alcohol treatment to find and sustain meaningful, paid employment. You will play a key role in developing our Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach, supporting your team to build strong relationships with local employers and create opportunities for people who may have never worked or have been out of employment for a long time. This is a rewarding role where you will have the opportunity to shape and develop the service, make the role your own and help people take positive steps towards long-term employment and recovery.

What you will do

• Lead, supervise and develop a team of four Employment Specialists, providing coaching, mentoring, training and ongoing support.
• Support the delivery of a high-quality IPS service, ensuring best practice is followed and positive employment outcomes are achieved.
• Manage a small caseload of around 10–15 individuals, supporting them to secure sustainable paid employment that reflects their skills, strengths and preferences.
• Build and maintain relationships with local employers, identifying opportunities and helping the team access the hidden labour market.
• Support the team to develop effective employer engagement and job development strategies.
• Monitor service performance, review progress against targets and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Maintain accurate records and prepare reports for internal and external stakeholders, including commissioners.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, external agencies, training providers and other partners to help individuals achieve their employment goals.
• Gather feedback from the people we support and use this to improve service delivery.
• Support employers to understand individual needs and, where appropriate, negotiate workplace adjustments and ongoing support to help people remain in employment.

About you

We are looking for someone who can bring strong leadership, communication and relationship-building skills, alongside a genuine passion for helping people achieve their employment goals. You will be confident managing your own workload, supporting a team to achieve its objectives and building relationships with employers and external stakeholders. You will also be motivated by the opportunity to develop a service and help people overcome barriers to employment. To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Experience in employability services, recruitment or a related field.
• Experience of working with external stakeholders and building effective professional relationships.
• Experience of supporting, supervising, mentoring or managing others.
• A good understanding of employment opportunities, different occupations and the barriers people can face when looking for work.
• Strong organisational and communication skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Experience of working towards targets and achieving positive outcomes.
• The ability to analyse information, maintain accurate records and use management information systems.
• A collaborative approach and the ability to work independently, using your initiative to develop and improve a service.
• A commitment to Waythrough's values of Kindness, Courage and Respect.
• Experience of the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model, delivering training or working with people accessing substance use support would be beneficial.

What We Offer

We value the people who make a difference every day. Alongside meaningful work, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package:

• 27 days’ annual leave, rising to 32 after 1 year (plus bank holidays)
• Pension scheme with 4.5% employer contribution, matched up to 6.5%
• Life assurance (3× annual salary)
• Enhanced sick pay and family-friendly pay
• Birthday leave and the option to buy up to 5 extra days’ annual leave
• Professional fee reimbursement for relevant qualifications
• 24/7 online GP access and Employee Assistance Programme
• Recognition and long service awards via our Way to Go and Aspirations portals
• £500 Recommend a Friend bonus
• Cycle to Work scheme and Credit Union membership
• Discounts via Blue Light Card, Charity Discounts, Extras and Tickets for Good
• Free will writing service and wellbeing initiatives throughout the year
• Inclusion and accessibility

Inclusion and accessibility Waythrough is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities, especially those with lived experience of the issues we support. We have signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme - all applicants are welcome, and adjustments can be made to enable fair participation.

Closing Date: 2026-11-15

Waythrough launched in October 2024 following the merger of Humankind and Richmond Fellowship. In April 2026, Aquarius, our former subsidiary partner, merged with Waythrough. Our vision is to break down the barriers that stop people getting the support they need to live a life they value. We tackle poverty and disadvantage in communities, through mental health, drug and alcohol, housing and related support. We have 260 services around England – and nearly 3,500 amazing staff and volunteers who run them. Every year our services support around 130,000 people.