Senior IPS Employment Specialist (Ref: 0109ZN)
Employer: NHS Jobs
Location: Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 2QE
Pay: £30,000.00 per year, £30,000.00 - £30,000.00 a year
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours: Full time
Disability Confident: No
Closing Date: 21/03/2026
Overview
About the Role: All applicants must submit a CV along with a cover letter explaining why they should be considered for this role. Applications will not be accepted without a cover letter. Please note: This role may close earlier than the stated deadline if we receive a high volume of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
Closing date: Monday 23rd February 2026. Join our team as a Senior IPS Employment Specialist in Stoke on Trent.
Responsibilities
* Lead the ongoing development of the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model within the service.
* Liaise with Public Health England, senior practitioners and managers within the service and the local authority commissioner around the ongoing implementation of the IPS model.
* Ensure clients receive appropriate care and support from everyone involved in their return to work process.
* Provide job development and job search activities directed toward positions aligned with the client's interests and the IPS principles.
* Provide ongoing support to enable people who have experienced dependency on drugs and/or alcohol to retain employment once secured.
* Manage a team of Employment Specialists focused on building relationships with employers, training providers, and colleges to create employment and education opportunities for people in community treatment.
* Hold a small caseload of individuals in drug and alcohol treatment services who wish to return to, or start, paid employment (up to 9 months, plus up to 4 months of in-work support per IPS-AD protocol).
Qualifications & Essential Skills
* Demonstrable experience of helping people facing severe labour market disadvantage to obtain or keep work.
* Ability to build and maintain meaningful relationships with clients and stakeholders.
* Understanding of the IPS model of supported employment principles and practices.
* Ability to communicate highly complex information effectively, both verbally and in writing, including formal reports.
* Ability to lead and motivate others and nurture teams.
* Experience in building effective working relationships with employers, training providers, and colleges.
DE&I
As an organisation, we continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports and celebrates the diverse voices and experiences of our staff. We welcome applications from underrepresented communities and backgrounds, including people with lived experience, people with disabilities, people from racialised communities, LGBTQ people, people of all ages, and armed forces veterans. We offer a guaranteed interview for veterans and for candidates with a disability who meet essential criteria, under the Armed Forces Covenant and Disability Confident Employer schemes. If you have a disability or a condition that may affect your performance during any part of our selection process, we will make reasonable adjustments.
Benefits
28 days annual leave, plus bank holidays; An extra day off for your birthday or a special occasion; Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave; 2 days paid volunteer leave per year; Auto-enrolment into We Are With You's pension scheme; Access to a Blue Light Card.
* Flexible working opportunities and access to wellbeing resources.
* Refer a Friend scheme offering £500 for each successful referral (subject to probation). Note: scheme applies only if the referred friend completes 6 months of probation.
* Additional savings and benefits through the employer network.
Jobs are provided by the Find a Job Service from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
#J-18808-Ljbffr