Join to apply for the IPS Employment Specialist role at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust.
Job Overview
We are looking for motivated, passionate self‑starters who want to kickstart a career in the mental health sector. This position, with on‑the‑job training, is a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference and support those with mental health needs.
You will play a vital role in helping people with mental health needs find meaningful and fulfilling employment. You’ll receive all the training and support you need to take on the role, develop your skills, and have access to a broad range of opportunities. Joining a passionate and driven team, you’ll be working towards creating a fairer and more inclusive society for people with mental health needs.
We welcome applications from all experience levels and backgrounds. The role has two vacancies – one full‑time and one part‑time – based at one of the Brent sites (Kingsbury, Harlesden or Park Royal). If you have a preference, please state it at the start of your supporting statement.
Key Responsibilities
* Supporting and motivating individuals with mental health conditions to access and sustain paid employment.
* Regularly meeting with clients to listen, offer support and help them identify their best job match, reflecting their skills and aspirations.
* Supporting the clients through CV production, interview techniques and managing their health at work.
* Advocating for your clients by educating and engaging with employers regarding the IPS service.
* Sourcing job opportunities for your clients through regular contact with local employers within the community.
* Promoting employment and raising expectations around the ability of service users to access paid employment, breaking down barriers for them.
Client Support
* Manage a caseload of 20‑25 people who have experienced mental health or substance misuse problems and wish to return to work, challenging inequalities and discrimination experienced by the service users.
* Prepare individuals for a return to work by supporting them to understand their skills, aspirations and goals through employment profiling, job matching, action planning and case management support.
* Focus on rapid job search with service users, utilising local support networks to help individuals overcome barriers to employment.
* Assess individual support needs related to work (e.g., benefits, travel to work, managing health at work) and continue providing this support once employed, to ensure they retain work.
* Deliver and promote employment workshops, employment surgeries and job clubs to service users who are not able to access the caseload.
Employer Engagement and Service Promotion
* Source job opportunities for service users through tailored job search and proactive engagement with employers to open up and secure paid employment.
* Engage employers to access the hidden labour market or ‘carving out’ jobs where specific tasks can be assigned, using a variety of methods such as face‑to‑face contact, social media platforms (e.g., LinkedIn), phone and email.
* Build effective working relationships with local training providers, local colleges and external employers to secure education opportunities and paid employment.
* Provide advice and support to employers, as agreed with the individual, which may include negotiating adjustments and ongoing contact with supervisors to ensure job retention.
* Build the profile of the employment service and promote co‑production within the clinical team, alongside raising expectations around the ability of service users to access paid work.
Qualifications
Essential Criteria
* Experience of communicating and working with people on a one‑to‑one basis.
* Experience of working within diverse communities.
* Experience of building relationships and communicating with a range of partners and organisations.
Desirable Criteria
* Experience of working with people with mental health difficulties or a similar client group within the health, social services or voluntary sector.
* Experience of supporting people to obtain or keep work.
* Experience and knowledge of the benefits agency and all disability/employment related benefits.
Skills, Knowledge and Abilities
Essential Criteria
* A commitment to learning about and working within the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model.
* Good verbal and written communication skills.
* Good presentation, negotiation and marketing skills.
* Ability to initiate and develop relationships with employers and other agencies while being astute to their needs.
* Ability to engage with employers using a variety of methods such as face‑to‑face contact, social media, phone and email.
* Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently.
* Working knowledge of a broad range of occupations and jobs.
* Basic word processing/computing skills.
* Excellent time management and organisational skills.
Desirable Criteria
* Understanding of the principles and practices of supported employment or the IPS model.
* Understanding of the Equality Act 2010.
* Understanding of the employment needs and difficulties of people who experience mental health challenges.
* Basic counselling and coaching skills.
* Ability to provide vocational assessments and profiling.
Attitudes, Aptitudes and Personal Characteristics
* Ability to provide vocational assessments and profiling.
* Ability to see solutions rather than problems.
* Ability to work in strength‑based ways.
* Ability to work independently of direct supervision.
Education and Qualifications
Essential Criteria
* Educated to a degree level (in any sector) or equivalent workplace experience, which may include one or more of the following:
* Experience within the health and social care sector.
* Experience within employment support services.
Other Information
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. The Trust strongly encourages and supports vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and patients when working in health care settings.
#J-18808-Ljbffr