We're currently recruiting an Employment Specialist to join our dedicated Connect to Work team. This role forms part of a specialist programme designed to support individuals with disabilities and/or health conditions into sustainable paid employment. As an Employment Specialist, you'll play a vital role in helping participants achieve their employment goals. Working primarily with individuals who have health-related support needs, you'll identify suitable job opportunities and provide tailored guidance to help them secure long‑term, meaningful employment. Using a person‑centred approach, you'll offer bespoke advice and support to each client, while also developing strong relationships with referral partners and local employers. Your ability to engage with stakeholders and understand individual needs will be key to enabling successful employment outcomes.
Responsibilities
* Meet and strive to exceed personal performance targets, Key Performance Indicators and all Quality and Compliance measures.
* Progressively manage a caseload of referred customers with a disability and/or health support needs using a variety of appropriate strategies to help them overcome barriers to gaining employment.
* Undertake in‑depth assessments using a suite of tools to fully understand a customer's circumstances, preferences and holistic barriers to progression to employment.
* Achieve the Customer Service and Quality Standards required on the programme.
* Co‑produce personalised tailored Action Plans featuring SMART targeting to enable positive and timely progression.
* Use an integration framework of local specialist services to obtain support to address specific issues (e.g. substance misuse, anger management, debt advice, health and vocational training).
* Use social prescribing to develop and improve customer circumstances (e.g. healthy eating classes, smoking cessation and social groups).
* Work with multiple agencies to develop holistic approaches to support customers. With customer consent undertake case conferences with external agencies to jointly optimise support packages.
* Fully understand the local labour market to source suitable job opportunities.
* Undertake direct marketing to employers using digital and electronic formats e.g. email, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter etc.
* Identify the specific recruitment needs of each employer and undertake tailored pre‑screens and group assessments.
* Co‑produce effective in‑work support plans with participants and employers, based on an assessment of need, providing practical support to ensure a smooth transition into work. When appropriate facilitate job‑carving opportunities.
* Be mindful of Health & Safety within the customer's workplace and actively promote and report (if appropriate) to ensure a safe working environment for all customers.
* Develop an understanding of specialist signposting services in the local area/region, building knowledge in areas such as specific disabilities, housing, benefits etc.
* Maintain IT files and customer records to the required compliance and quality standards.
* Work from local hubs and community outreach locations (sometimes alongside other services e.g. housing, health and primary care centres) to increase service accessibility.
Qualifications
* Learning disability, health support needs awareness and self‑development/knowledge to provide specialist support to customer group.
* A good working knowledge of the local labour market in the specified geographical locations.
* Experience of working with people with multiple and complex needs in particular those with learning disabilities.
* Fully IT literate in using a range of Microsoft Office programmes to include 365 products and modern digital technologies, i.e. Microsoft Teams.
* Experience of working in a target driven environment.
* Experience of delivering services to meet contractual and quality standards.
* Full driving licence to enable deployment across a specified geographical area (region), when required.
Desirable
* Knowledge of the employability industry and/or the recruitment industry.
* Understanding of Supported employment Opportunities and associated frameworks (IPS/SEQF).
* Experience of working with people in 'advice & guidance' environments.
Benefits
* £30,000 to £32,000 p.a. (dependent on experience).
* 25 days annual leave + Bank Holidays + Birthday Day off (with the opportunity to buy additional days).
* 2 Volunteer Days.
* Company Pension Scheme - 5% Employee 5% Employer.
* Health Insurance Allowance.
* Employer Paid Healthcare Cash Plan, incl. 3 x salary life assurance.
* Annual Pay Review.
* Enhanced Maternity/Adoption and Paternity Pay Arrangements.
* Free access to BenefitHub – an online portal with access to a wide range of retail discounts, Life Assurance, Cycle to Work Scheme, Tax Saver Commuter Tickets.
* Refer a Friend Scheme.
Location & Hours
Mobile role based Basingstoke. Hours: 37 hours a week. Monday to Thursday 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.
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