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AKG; Loughborough; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Disability Confident scheme

Job summary

AKG in Loughborough is seeking an IPS Employment Specialist to ensure individuals receive high-quality employment support through regular 1-2-1 sessions in the community. You will embed employment in recovery by partnering with treatment teams to help access IPS employment support.

Under the supervision of the Senior Employment Specialist, you will manage a caseload of up to 25 people in drug and/or alcohol treatment who wish to secure paid employment, providing job development and search

Qualifications

• Experience supporting individuals in recovery to access employment.
• Ability to work with clinical teams and employers.
• Strong client-centred approach.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of up to 25 people in treatment services.
• Provide regular 1-2-1 employment support in the community.
• Collaborate with treatment teams and employers to secure paid work.
• Support clients for up to 9 months plus 4 months in-work support.
• Promote IPS within clinical teams to raise employment expectations.

Job description

Location: Loughborough / Melton Mowbray (Leicestershire and Rutland IPS)

Hours: 37.5 pw

Background

Intuitive Thinking Skills place a high value on the life experiences of individuals, regardless of their backgrounds. As such, all roles within the organisation are primarily focussed on fostering these experiences, supporting employees to thrive in whatever sector they are working in.

This emphasis on the skills of our workforce is primary to all other activities, as without a relevantly skilled, empowered and highly motivated workforce we will fail to support the needs and aspirations of our customers.

Our IPS Service supports individuals facing drug and alcohol challenges to build a meaningful, sustainable positive future through integrating employment as a part of their recovery. We are committed to embedding the voices, expertise and leadership of people with living & lived experiences in everything we do, from service design to delivery and evaluation.

Job Purpose

As an IPS Employment Specialist you will play a central role in ensuring people referred to our service receive high quality employment support through regular 1-2-1 support in the community. You will embed employment asapartof their recovery by working in partnership with the treatment team to ensure all individuals can access IPS employment support.

Job Summary

Under the supervision of the Senior Employment Specialist, manage a caseload of up to 25 people currently in community based treatment services for drug and/or alcohol dependency and who are unemployed, and who wish to secure paid employment.

Individual Placement and Support

Managing a caseload of c.25 people in drug and alcohol treatment services who wish to return to, or start, paid employment. Clients will be worked with for up to 9 months, plus up to 4 months of in-work support, as specified in the IPS-AD protocol.

Building effective working relationships with local employers, training providers to secure employment opportunities for people in community treatment for substance misuse, including ensuring the service is focused on accessing the 'hidden' labour market.

Providing job development and job search activities directed toward positions that are individualized to the interests and uniqueness of the client, following the evidence-based principles and procedures of IPS supported employment.

Providing ongoing support according to both the employee’s and employer’s needs to enable people who have experienced dependency on drugs and/or alcohol retain employment once secured.

Promoting the profile of employment and working embedded within the clinical team to raise expectations around the ability of clients to attain paid work.

Overview of Main Responsibilities

To prepare individuals for employment through assessing each person’s individual employment needs through vocational profiling, and then actively support them to achieve their employment goals, in partnership with the clinical team.

To promote the benefits of supporting clients to access employment within the clinical team and external employers, aiming to raise the profile of IPS services, and raise expectations around the ability of clients to access paid employment.

To work with client keyworkers and clinical staff, including through case conferencing, to ensure that clients receive appropriate support from everyone involved in their care during the return to work process.

To provide advice and support to employers, as agreed with the individual, which may include negotiating adjustments and on-going contact with supervisors to ensure job retention.

To assess individual support needs related to work which might typically include help with welfare benefits, travel to work, managing health at work etc.

To work flexibly on occasion as required by clients and employers, which may require some working out of normal office hours.

Key Relationships

Organisation managers, human resources, clinical teams, user groups, VCS organisations, local colleges, local employment services, local employers and Jobcentre Plus.

Professional Development

To participate in your own IPS and management supervision, objective setting/appraisal, and personal development plan.

Policy and/or service development

To work with the local IPS Employment Specialist Team Lead and service management to ensure that vocational support services offered continue to develop effectively.

To participate in effective monitoring and evaluation systems in relation to the contract

Research and Development

To keep abreast of changing practice within IPS and vocational support more generally.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

IPS Employment Specialist

Company: AKG

Salary: £27,000 to £30,000 a year, pro rata

Hours: Full-time

Location: Loughborough

Working pattern: On-site

Job type: Permanent

Posting date: 22 Sept 2026

Closing date: 30 Sept 2026

Summary

Job Title: IPS Employment Specialist

Location: Loughborough / Melton Mowbray (Leicestershire and Rutland IPS)

Hours: 37.5 pw

Accountable To: Employment Specialist Team Lead

Background

Intuitive Thinking Skills place a high value on the life experiences of individuals, regardless of their backgrounds. As such, all roles within the organisation are primarily focussed on fostering these experiences, supporting employees to thrive in whatever sector they are working in.

This emphasis on the skills of our workforce is primary to all other activities, as without a relevantly skilled, empowered and highly motivated workforce we will fail to support the needs and aspirations of our customers.

Our IPS Service supports individuals facing drug and alcohol challenges to build a meaningful, sustainable positive future through integrating employment as a part of their recovery. We are committed to embedding the voices, expertise and leadership of people with living & lived experiences in everything we do, from service design to delivery and evaluation.

Job Purpose

As an IPS Employment Specialist you will play a central role in ensuring people referred to our service receive high quality employment support through regular 1-2-1 support in the community. You will embed employment asapartof their recovery by working in partnership with the treatment team to ensure all individuals can access IPS employment support.

Job Summary

Under the supervision of the Senior Employment Specialist, manage a caseload of up to 25 people currently in community based treatment services for drug and/or alcohol dependency and who are unemployed, and who wish to secure paid employment.

Individual Placement and Support

Managing a caseload of c.25 people in drug and alcohol treatment services who wish to return to, or start, paid employment. Clients will be worked with for up to 9 months, plus up to 4 months of in-work support, as specified in the IPS-AD protocol.

Building effective working relationships with local employers, training providers to secure employment opportunities for people in community treatment for substance misuse, including ensuring the service is focused on accessing the 'hidden' labour market.

Providing job development and job search activities directed toward positions that are individualized to the interests and uniqueness of the client, following the evidence-based principles and procedures of IPS supported employment.

Providing ongoing support according to both the employee’s and employer’s needs to enable people who have experienced dependency on drugs and/or alcohol retain employment once secured.

Promoting the profile of employment and working embedded within the clinical team to raise expectations around the ability of clients to attain paid work.

Overview of Main Responsibilities

To prepare individuals for employment through assessing each person’s individual employment needs through vocational profiling, and then actively support them to achieve their employment goals, in partnership with the clinical team.

To promote the benefits of supporting clients to access employment within the clinical team and external employers, aiming to raise the profile of IPS services, and raise expectations around the ability of clients to access paid employment.

To work with client keyworkers and clinical staff, including through case conferencing, to ensure that clients receive appropriate support from everyone involved in their care during the return to work process.

To provide advice and support to employers, as agreed with the individual, which may include negotiating adjustments and on-going contact with supervisors to ensure job retention.

To assess individual support needs related to work which might typically include help with welfare benefits, travel to work, managing health at work etc.

To work flexibly on occasion as required by clients and employers, which may require some working out of normal office hours.

Key Relationships

Organisation managers, human resources, clinical teams, user groups, VCS organisations, local colleges, local employment services, local employers and Jobcentre Plus.

Professional Development

To participate in your own IPS and management supervision, objective setting/appraisal, and personal development plan.

Policy and/or service development

To work with the local IPS Employment Specialist Team Lead and service management to ensure that vocational support services offered continue to develop effectively.

To participate in effective monitoring and evaluation systems in relation to the contract

Research and Development

To keep abreast of changing practice within IPS and vocational support more generally.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

About Disability Confident Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.