Employment Specialist Support
The closing date is 18 March 2026
This post is fixed term/secondment for 12 months until 31st March 2027 due to funding.
If you are interested applying for the secondment position, you must obtain permission from your current line manager prior to applying for this post.
Are you looking for an opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of people with Mental Health challenges & believe you have the skills to support people into employment?
If so, this role may be just what you're looking for!
For people with Mental Health challenges getting into paid work is a vital step in their recovery. Evidence shows that working leads to improved Mental Health, so we are looking for people to join our Individual Placement & Support in Primary Care Service (IPSPC) as Employment Specialists.
This rewarding role will transform lives, giving hope, direction, & support in participant recovery. This role is challenging, so you'll need to be resilient, empathetic, & dedicated to finding participants the work they want. As a people person, you will build rapport & relationships with participants & employers to identify & negotiate hidden job opportunities. As this is currently a fixed‑term project, we are looking for people who will show this service to be the invaluable resource that we believe it will be, providing accurate data to evidence that this service should become a part of statutory mental health services.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide opportunities to develop wider support to people who have experienced mental health conditions and wish to engage in vocational activity. This includes the provision of initial assessment, vocational profiling and on‑going support to people who have experienced mental health conditions to gain and retain employment. Close liaison with employers and relevant agencies will be required including Job Centre Plus, Work Programme Providers, local education establishments, training providers, voluntary sector groups, User Groups and clinical teams throughout the Mental Health Service.
We welcome people from a range of backgrounds & experiences, particularly those who have lived experience of Mental Health services. We will train you on the IPSPC approach, providing you with all the tools and training you need.
You will be a key part of the service, helping us to develop & shape it to suit the needs of the population.
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.
About us
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is one of the largest Integrated Health Boards in the UK, employing over 17,000 staff, providing over 100 specialist services. Working across 6 hospital sites, we have a diverse range of career opportunities to offer. Serving over 500,000 people living in Cardiff and the Vale, we are focussed on the health and care needs of our local population whilst working with our partners to develop regional services. Together we are committed to improving health outcomes for everyone, delivering excellent care and support.
Our mission is "Living Well, Caring Well, Working Together", and our vision is that every person's chance of leading a healthy life should be equal. Our 10-year transformation and improvement strategy, Shaping Our Future Wellbeing, is our chance to work collaboratively with the public and our workforce to make our health board more sustainable for the future.
Job responsibilities
You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click "Apply now" to view in Trac
Person Specification
Qualifications
* First level degree or equivalent
* Training in the 'Individual Placement & Support' model of Supported Employment or equivalent
* Mental Health First Aid Training
* Assist Training
Experience
* Working with people who have experienced serious mental illnesses
* Liaising effectively between organisations and/or individuals to ensure good communication and/or deal with conflict
* Supporting people who have experienced serious mental illnesses into paid, open employment or employment-related activity
* Experience of mental health problems either personally or as a carer
* Supervision/management of junior staff
* Experience of supporting people to access volunteering opportunities
Skills
* Self-management of workload and the ability to work on own initiative
* Effective communication skills (written and verbal), Presentation skills, and Teaching skills
* Diplomatic negotiation skills to resolve conflict and arrive at satisfactory solutions
Special Knowledge
* Welfare benefits system and the welfare reform agenda especially in relation to returning to work from a financial perspective and the various supports available
* How serious mental illnesses impact upon clients' ability to function socially and in employment
* Systems and structures within the mental health service to ensure rapid access to services when necessary
* Equality Act and Health & Safety at Work Act
* The constraints and priorities of a range of employers, their expectations of you, your service and the people you represent
* Clear motivation to enable people with serious mental illnesses to succeed in open employment
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Address
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