Employment Specialist (Individual Placement and Support)

Do you want to help individuals achieve their employment goals and change their lives?

Can you professionally connect with service users and local employers?

Do you like working in the community and managing your own workload and calendar?

At Hertfordshire Spectrum, as an IPS  Employment Specialist (ES), you  will help individuals in Hertfordshire through their recovery journey by way of supporting with their preferred employment goals.

You will be confident in employer engagement to smooth the process into work.

You will have empathy and understanding of individual needs which helps create a working relationship with service users.

You will be able to mange your own caseload and calendar to create the best working  atmosphere for yourself and your clients.

Guided by our core values of being open, compassionate, and bold, our diverse team embodies these principles daily. We strive to empower individuals to reshape their lives, foster personal growth, and embrace life to its fullest.

Change Grow Live is a charity dedicated to the belief that we can make a difference in our Service Users’ lives. We offer support and respect in a safe environment, treating each user as an individual and working with them to find the right treatment and support options.

Where: Throughout Hertfordshire, focussing on the South and East 

Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week

Allowances: Outer Fringe Weighting (based on full time hours, pro rata for part-time hours)

Service Overview:

IPS stands as a fundamental commitment within the Government's Drug Strategy, poised to be implemented across all treatment services throughout England.

As an evidence-based employment support model, IPS assists service users in finding and maintaining preference-led paid work, proving more effective than other employment support forms.

Our Hertfordshire Spectrum IPS teams consist of 1 Senior Employment Specialist and 2 Employment Specialists, offering embedded support within structured treatment services. 

Roles and Responsibilities:

You'll undergo comprehensive IPS training under our national lead and manage a caseload of service users motivated to seek paid work within structured treatment. Employment Specialists play a crucial role in service integration, promoting IPS, and nurturing relationships with treatment service staff.

• Managing up to 25 clients undergoing structured substance use treatment, facilitating their motivation for work.
• Implementing the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) methodology, providing necessary training.
• Engaging clients to identify work skills, goals, and aspirations, and developing tailored job search plans.
• Assisting with job search, CV creation, applications, interviews, and career development, including targeted employer interactions.
• Creating In-Work Support Plans to address work-related client needs, including benefits and health-related advice for employment sustainability.
• Participating in weekly clinical team meetings, fostering relationships, and encouraging client referrals to the IPS service.
• Curating job opportunities through customised searches and employer liaison to secure both advertised and hidden job placements.
• Offering ongoing support, effective monitoring, and guidance post-employment to ensure job sustainability.

About You:

To excel in this role, having some of the following criteria would be beneficial:

• Prior employment placement experience.
• Training in the IPS approach.
• Strong communication skills for effective relationship building
• Level 3 Diploma in Employability Services Sector Qualification or QCF in Advice & Guidance (Level 3). 
• Experience or understanding of working with individuals needing substance use support or similar client groups. 
• Familiarity with employment services addressing labour market exclusion. 
• Excellent motivational, communication, and attentive listening skills. 
• Outstanding interpersonal abilities with a knack for building rapport. 
• Non-judgmental, trustworthy, and empathetic approach.
• Ability to travel throughout county effectively for the role. 

What We Offer:

• 25 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays. Additionally, you'll receive one extra day of annual leave for each year of service during your first five years, therefore you will enjoy 30 days of leave after five years with us
• Paid ‘Wellness’ hour weekly.
• 'Wellness' hub and Employee Assist Programme.
• Contributory pension scheme.
• Varied benefits incl. shopping, cinema, and holiday discounts.
• Supportive team, training, career progression opportunities.
• Competitive rates of pay, free eye tests, product discounts.
• Generous refer a friend voucher scheme.

Review the attached Job Description for a comprehensive outline of responsibilities and Person  Specifications.

If this resonates with you and you're ready to embark on this transformative journey with Change Grow Live, we'd love to connect with you.

If this sounds like you and you would like to begin your journey with Change Grow Live, then we would love to talk to you.

A note about using AI in your application

AI can be a really helpful tool when putting together your application, and we're happy for you to use it. However, what we're most interested in is you.

We want to understand your experiences, achievements and strengths, so please make sure your application reflects your own story and clearly shows how you meet the essential criteria and the impact you've made in previous roles.

There's no need to write in a particular style. The strongest applications are those that are authentic, specific and clearly demonstrate your skills, experience and potential. We look forward to learning more about you.

Direct applications only we will not be engaging agencies for this vacancy.

Please note: This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK at the time of application. For applicants with time-limited visas, unfortunately, we are unable to support new visa applications or extensions. More information about eligible roles and occupations can be found here: Skilled Worker visa: Overview - GOV.UK

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Full-time hours at Change Grow Live are 37.5 hours per week. For part-time roles, the salary and payments will be pro rata based on contracted hours.