Embark on a Journey with IPS Employment Specialists at Change Grow LiveAre you enthusiastic about guiding individuals toward meaningful employment during their recovery journey? At Change Grow Live (CGL), we are committed to empowering people through Individual Placement and Support (IPS), ensuring sustainable paid work aligned with their preferences. We are looking for a dedicated individual eager to be part of this pioneering venture
Deadline: 8th September 2025
* West Midlands
* Full-time
Job overview
We have a new and exciting opportunity for a Senior Employment Specialist to join our Dudley team. We are looking for a dedicated individual eager to be part of this pioneering venture. We are seeking to cover all of Dudley. As part of our multi-disciplinary team, you will work flexibly and creatively to establish what is needed to have the most positive impact for all who are referred to our service for IPS. A requirement of this role would be to lead the delivery of this IPS service and will require you to travel. We are seeking to cover all of Dudley.
You will play a vital role within our diverse multidisciplinary team, contributing to the leadership of the employment element of delivery within a recovery-oriented intervention service. Our collective commitment is to offer comprehensive support, medical interventions, and specialised employment assistance to those accessing our service.
Rest assured, thorough training and continuous support from our IPS national coordinator who will be readily available to you.
Our Dudley team are a dedicated, multi-disciplinary group of professionals, including experienced leaders, committed Specialist Doctors, dedicated NMPs, empathic Nurses, devoted recovery staff, outstanding peer mentors, and incredible volunteers. Our collective commitment is to offer comprehensive support, medical interventions, and specialised employment assistance to those accessing our service.
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 people using the service in finding and maintaining preference-led paid work, proving more effective than other employment support forms.
Our Dudley IPS team consists of 1 Senior Employment Specialist and 2 Employment Specialists offering embedded support within structured treatment services.
This is a unique opportunity to contribute to something extraordinary—an invitation to continue the excellent provision of IPS facilitation across Dudley.
Role
You’ll undergo comprehensive IPS training under our National Lead and manage 2 Employment Specialist’s. Employment Specialists play a crucial role in service integration, promoting IPS, and nurturing relationships with treatment service staff.
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.
Responsibilities
* Effectively manage a high-quality service that adheres to the principles of IPS best practice.
* Monitor and manage performance of the IPS Employment Specialists – guide them individually on best practice and achieving individual and team job outcome targets.
* Create a culture of continuous improvement.
* Identify training needs of staff and arrange appropriate training to support with continuous professional development.
* Support the design and delivery of in-house staff training and development (including facilitating peer learning and best practice).
* Involve service users in co-production of service developments where possible.
* Coordinate the work of Employment Specialists in relation to building relationships with employers to effectively access the hidden labour market, external agencies and delivery of job seeking groups
* Produce regular monitoring reports for internal and external stakeholders, including commissioners.
* Manage a small caseload of between 8-10 clients at any one time.
* Identify barriers for service excellent and work with internal and external stakeholders to implement solutions to ensure a high-fidelity service.
* Provide solution focused monthly supervisions for each employment specialist within the team, including caseload management.
* Lead the team to ensure Employment Specialists spend enough time in face to face meetings with employers to find the right job match.
* Guide, mentor, and coach the team to deliver on employment engagements/job development strategies.
* Ensure quality assurance around client satisfaction.
* Facilitate feedback opportunities for clients to provide feedback on the service and use this to review and develop the service.
* Arrange regular meetings with clients to monitor and review progress pre-and post-employment.
* Meet with the Service/Line Manager to agree priorities and work plans.
* Spend time getting to know local employers to negotiate job opportunities that meet everyone’s strengths, needs, abilities and
preferences.
* Provide education and support to employers, as agreed with the individual, which may include negotiating adjustments, return to work strategy and
on-going contact with the employer to ensure job retention.
* To develop effective working relationships with a range of external agencies who can help individuals to achieve their employment goals. This may include local colleges and training providers
The person
* Educated to degree level, or with equivalent relevant work experience.
* Proficiency in team management and support strategies.
* Aptitude in data collection and reporting for IPS services.
* Ability to engage and manage staff effectively.
* Dedication to assisting individuals in securing paid employment.
* Experience in engaging employers and cultivating partnerships.
* Firm belief in supporting all individuals to access paid employment.
* Proven ability to connect with individuals, especially understanding challenges faced by those affected by substance misuse.
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