Employment Specialist – IPS Re:Work (Drug and Rehabilitation)
Basingstoke and Aldershot | Portsmouth City Council
Fixed term contract
Deadline: 3rd May 2026
* South East
* Full-time
Job overview
Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act. We are committed to our values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity and being people‑focussed. These values set out how we can contribute to the success of the council and our own success as individuals.
Role
Working within Portsmouth City Council’s IPS ‘Individual Placement and Support’ model contract, the role will include managing a caseload of clients in structured treatment for drug and/or alcohol use. You will assist them in securing sustainable paid employment in line with their preferences. You will deliver the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach (training provided), providing person‑centred advice and guidance to clients, whilst building positive relationships with local employers to enable clients to move into suitable employment.
You will work as part of a community drug & alcohol treatment service, maintaining positive and integrated relationships, fostering a holistic approach to recovery through employment support. IPS is a ‘work first’ intervention designed to support people into sustained employment.
The role will be office based at the various Recovery Hubs.
Responsibilities
* Manage a caseload of clients in structured treatment for drug and/or alcohol use, assisting them in securing sustainable paid employment.
* Deliver the IPS approach, providing person‑centred advice and guidance to clients.
* Build and maintain positive relationships with local employers to enable clients to secure suitable employment.
* Work within a community drug & alcohol treatment service, fostering a holistic approach to recovery through employment support.
The person
* Experience of talking to employers and helping people into work. Conduct employer engagement to negotiate job opportunities that meet each individual’s strengths, needs, abilities and preferences.
* Ability to manage and support a caseload of clients and review progress, pre and post‑employment.
* Proven ability to build rapport with people and especially understanding issues for people affected by substance misuse or similar conditions.
* Maintain an equality & diversity approach at all times.
* Ability to work on own initiative and within a team, flexibility to cope with varying demands, driven to succeed and set high personal standards so that targets are met.
Special Conditions
Driving Licence and use of a car for business travel is required – this is because you will be regularly visiting employers, workplace hosts and customers to carry out employment engagement, placement host reviews and customer in‑work reviews as well as on occasion to accompany clients to interviews.
Due to the diversity of our customer base, the need for regular one‑to‑one meetings and the flexibility required in delivering our contracts a basic DBS Check will be required.
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