Job description

Job responsibilities

Employment Specialist, Suffolk (Stowmarket area)

Would you like an opportunity to help people who have mental health needs find work and help sustain employment where relevant? Do you currently work or have experience in health or social care, recruitment, employment or education services? If you have transferable skills to enable people find /sustain employment, this is an excellent opportunity to join our team of Employment Specialists.

Our service has the IPS status as a National Centre of Excellence (Centre for Mental Health) and we require an Employment Specialist in Suffolk (in the Stowmarket area), who is enthusiastic and highly motivated to help people with mental health needs access employment. You will be involved in helping people to decide on their employment goals including support with job searching, applications, interview skills and providing support after they have found work with sustaining their employment, where their mental health is a contributing factor. You will need to be able to travel reliably throughout the Central and East Suffolk area.

We are seeking individuals who are person centred and positive in their outlook, have a can do attitude and enjoy the challenges of helping and empowering people to overcome any barriers to finding work. You must have strong communication and influencing skills and confidence in order to build up relationships with all relevant stakeholders including employers and businesses. You will be required to directly engage with a range of stakeholders (e.g. DWP, Job Centre +, employment law firms, voluntary organisations etc.) but especially local employers in order to create opportunities for service users and to challenge stigma and discrimination that can at times be associated with mental health needs and employment. You will also be meeting and working with people and stakeholders in their local community.

You will work within multi-disciplinary Mental Health Teams, alongside clinical colleagues and will be expected to champion the employment agenda, instilling the belief that people with mental health needs want to work and with the right support can work; and therefore generating referrals to the service. You will work in partnership with individual service users, developing relationships that are enabling and empowering. You will be providing an evidence based supported employment service (called Individual Placement and Support/IPS) which will require you to prepare individuals for employment by assessing needs, action planning, empowering effective jobseeking, identifying strengths, benefits advice and signposting, support networks, travel to work plans etc.

You will work to individual targets, i.e. the number of people accessing the service and supported into employment. You will be skilled in managing your own time and working with a high level of autonomy; responsible to the Team Leader via regular supervision and support and accountable to the Service Manager. You will promote best practice within mental health and employment in the Trust and other organisations in the local area.

Person Specification

Essential and Desirable

Essential

  • oGood standard of education; NVQ 3 or equivalent
  • oKnowledge of Vocational assessment and profiling
  • oKnowledge of good practice in employment
  • oWorking knowledge of relevant Welfare Benefits and benefits rules
  • oExperience of working within health, social care or the voluntary sector with people who have experienced mental health problems
  • oExperience of helping people obtain or sustain employment/training
  • oAn understanding of the employment needs and difficulties of people who experience mental health problems.
  • oExperience of administration procedures
  • oLiterate in IT/Computer Skills
  • oGood oral communication skills based on fluency on the English language
  • oExperience of working with a range of stakeholders (including employers) to support people into employment
  • oAbility to assess service users’ employment skills and needs
  • oAble to construct and review person-centered action plans
  • oAbility to be flexible, open and creative in problem solving
  • oAbility to initiate and develop relationships with employers
  • oExcellent interpersonal communication skills
  • oExcellent marketing and promotional skills
  • oExcellent negotiation skills and persuasive style
  • oAbility to facilitate solutions to difficult situations
  • oBasic counselling skills
  • oAbility to work independently, reliably and consistently
  • oShares the Trust’s Beliefs and models this in their attitude and behaviour
  • oEnsures that the organisational values of open, compassionate and empowering are demonstrated by self and others every day and that any matters of concern are addressed in a timely way, either directly; or raised with the relevant Line Manager; or through the relevant processes within the Trust as appropriate.
  • oAbility to find and suggest solutions which improve the service
  • oBe prepared and willing to work flexible hours through prior arrangement as the needs of the job dictate
  • oFitness Analysis as appropriate
  • oAbility to travel across sites and across Trust boundaries to attend meetings, etc.

    • Desirable

  • oEducated to degree level; Health and Social care related qualification
  • oAn understanding of the principles and practice of supported employment
  • oUnderstanding of current Government initiatives relevant to employment e.g. Work Choice, Access to Work, Condition Management Programme, etc .
  • oKnowledge of the Equality Act 2010
  • oExperience and knowledge of the benefits agency and all disability / employment related benefits
  • oReport writing skills
  • oSolution focused therapy skills
  • oAbility to analyse interpret and present monitoring data

    • Knowledge

    Essential

  • oVocational assessment and profiling
  • oKnowledge of good practice in employment
  • oWorking knowledge of relevant Welfare Benefits and benefits rules

    • Desirable

  • oAn understanding of the principles and practice of supported employment
  • oUnderstanding of current Government initiatives relevant to employment e.g. Work Choice, Access to Work, Condition Management Programme, etc .
  • oKnowledge of the Equality Act 2010

    • Person Specification

    Essential and Desirable

    Essential

  • oGood standard of education; NVQ 3 or equivalent
  • oKnowledge of Vocational assessment and profiling
  • oKnowledge of good practice in employment
  • oWorking knowledge of relevant Welfare Benefits and benefits rules
  • oExperience of working within health, social care or the voluntary sector with people who have experienced mental health problems
  • oExperience of helping people obtain or sustain employment/training
  • oAn understanding of the employment needs and difficulties of people who experience mental health problems.
  • oExperience of administration procedures
  • oLiterate in IT/Computer Skills
  • oGood oral communication skills based on fluency on the English language
  • oExperience of working with a range of stakeholders (including employers) to support people into employment
  • oAbility to assess service users’ employment skills and needs
  • oAble to construct and review person-centered action plans
  • oAbility to be flexible, open and creative in problem solving
  • oAbility to initiate and develop relationships with employers
  • oExcellent interpersonal communication skills
  • oExcellent marketing and promotional skills
  • oExcellent negotiation skills and persuasive style
  • oAbility to facilitate solutions to difficult situations
  • oBasic counselling skills
  • oAbility to work independently, reliably and consistently
  • oShares the Trust’s Beliefs and models this in their attitude and behaviour
  • oEnsures that the organisational values of open, compassionate and empowering are demonstrated by self and others every day and that any matters of concern are addressed in a timely way, either directly; or raised with the relevant Line Manager; or through the relevant processes within the Trust as appropriate.
  • oAbility to find and suggest solutions which improve the service
  • oBe prepared and willing to work flexible hours through prior arrangement as the needs of the job dictate
  • oFitness Analysis as appropriate
  • oAbility to travel across sites and across Trust boundaries to attend meetings, etc.

    • Desirable

  • oEducated to degree level; Health and Social care related qualification
  • oAn understanding of the principles and practice of supported employment
  • oUnderstanding of current Government initiatives relevant to employment e.g. Work Choice, Access to Work, Condition Management Programme, etc .
  • oKnowledge of the Equality Act 2010
  • oExperience and knowledge of the benefits agency and all disability / employment related benefits
  • oReport writing skills
  • oSolution focused therapy skills
  • oAbility to analyse interpret and present monitoring data

    • Knowledge

    Essential

  • oVocational assessment and profiling
  • oKnowledge of good practice in employment
  • oWorking knowledge of relevant Welfare Benefits and benefits rules

    • Desirable

  • oAn understanding of the principles and practice of supported employment
  • oUnderstanding of current Government initiatives relevant to employment e.g. Work Choice, Access to Work, Condition Management Programme, etc .
  • oKnowledge of the Equality Act 2010