Job Description
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About NOW Group
NOW Group is an award-winning social enterprise that supports individuals with learning difficulties, autism, and neurodiverse conditions into meaningful jobs with a future. Our focus is on transforming lives by delivering outcomes that improve health, education, and employment opportunities for those most disadvantaged.
Through the SkillSET project, funded by UKSPF in partnership with seven regional disability organisations, we provide targeted support to individuals with disabilities and health conditions who face barriers to employment.
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The Role
As Employment Officer you will provide our participants with the highest quality support to enable them to secure the job they want and keep it. The post holder will have a particular focus on securing jobs for participants while promoting learning and work experience to ensure they achieve their individual goals. The Employment Officer will engage effectively with parents, carers and employers in a professional manner to ensure the optimum opportunities and outcomes can be achieved by the participants.
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Key Responsibilities
1. Mentor and support participants throughout their individual journey towards employment, providing person-centered support to help them achieve their goals. This will include organising job clubs, sourcing work placements, support with job searching, applications and interviews to gain paid and voluntary jobs.
2. Support participants to achieve their learning goals through motivation and encouragement to participate in training and soft skills sessions.
3. Ensure effective induction of participants, carrying out initial and formative assessments and completion of quarterly Outcome Star reviews and associated action plans.
4. Develop and maintain strong working relationships with a network of employers to secure employment opportunities for participants.
5. Develop links with potential referral agencies for future participants eg. Job Centres, Schools, Colleges.
6. Represent and promote NOW Group in the relevant geographical areas through development of links with statutory agencies/local community networks and appropriate stakeholders.
7. Contribute to the achievement of targets within the Organisational Scorecard and NOW Group’s strategic objectives.
8. Promote the NOW Group brand and tell our story through social media engagement, attending events, use of marketing materials and other key communication tools.
9. Take part in regular quality audits to ensure compliance with organisational and funder guidelines.
10. Comply fully with NOW Group's 'Organisational Approach to Safeguarding.’
This job description is not definitive and may be subject to review as the duties and responsibilities determine.
About The Role
What We Offer
As part of NOW Group, you’ll enjoy:
* Generous Leave: 25 days annual leave plus 12 statutory days (pro-rata).
* Health Cash Plan: Available after successful probation.
* Wellbeing Support: Confidential counselling and financial advisory services.
* Pension Scheme: 5% employer contribution.
* Flexible Work Initiatives: Including the Bike-to-Work scheme and holiday purchase options.
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Additional Information
* Employment is subject to an Enhanced AccessNI Disclosure check.
* NOW Group is committed to fair recruitment practices. Policies on safeguarding, recruitment of ex-offenders, and data protection are available upon request.
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Join NOW Group and help us create a society where individuals with learning difficulties live, work, and socialize as valued citizens.
Skills Needed
About The Company
At the heart of the NOW Group’s mission is its commitment to empowering individuals to gain skills and access meaningful employment. It achieves this through tailored employment academies, which provide participants with industry-specific training and work placements, and through their social enterprise businesses Loaf Catering and Cafes and Loaf Pottery.
One of the best-known contributions from the NOW Group is the JAM (“Just A Minute”) Card® - a tool that allows people with invisible disabilities to discreetly ask for patience in everyday interactions. It’s a very successful initiative with over 182,500 users and 3, 000 global organisations regarded as being JAM Card Friendly.
The NOW Group’s impact is driven by innovation, dedication, and an unwavering focus on changing lives for the better.
Company Culture
At NOW Group, our culture is what sets us apart. It’s built on collaboration, compassion, and a shared belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive. Across our integrated team — from Training and Employment to Family Service, JAM Card, Loaf Cafés, Catering and Pottery, Social Groups, and vital support services like HR, Communications, Finance and Compliance — we are united by one purpose: to support people with learning difficulties, neurodiverse conditions, ADHD and autism into sustainable employment.
We don’t just work side by side — we work together. Each department brings its own strengths, but our true power lies in our ability to collaborate across teams. Our participants come from all walks of life, and it’s our culture of teamwork, flexibility, and deep empathy that allows us to meet their varied needs with real impact.
In 2024/2025 alone, our culture of care and commitment helped place nearly 400 people into meaningful, sustainable employment across Ireland and supported 2,168 individuals to achieve 1,824 qualifications. These aren’t just statistics — each number represents a life transformed, a family supported, and a community benefitted.
What truly defines our team is heart. We care deeply — not just about the work, but about the people behind it. Our team members show up every day with passion and purpose, knowing that their efforts are making a lasting difference. They don’t see targets — they see individuals, and the ripple effect that a single opportunity can have.
Desired Criteria
* Foundation Diploma in Supported Employment.
* Proven track record of securing employment for people with barriers to learning.
* Experience of building local networks.
Required Criteria
* A full current driving licence and access to a car. Consideration will be given to alternative travelling proposals in respect of applicants with a disability who cannot hold a licence.
* Ability to be flexible and adaptable - hours are flexible and may involve evening and weekend work as required.
* Minimum level 2 qualification in English and Maths.
* Minimum of one year’s paid experience of working with either: Participants with learning disabilities/difficulties Experience assisting individuals into work Experience of liaising with employers
* Proficient in the use of the Microsoft Office suite.
* Excellent communication skills and public speaking/presentation skills.
* Clear understanding and articulation of the principles of supported employment.
Closing DateFriday 29th August, 2025