Main area Employment Specialist - Mental Health Services Grade Band 5 Contract Permanent Hours
* Full time
* Part time
37.5 hours per week (9 x Full Time and 1x 0.5 WTE) Job ref 350-TWS6989509
Site The Life Rooms Town Walton Salary £29,970 - £36,483 per annum pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 05/03/2025 23:59
Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust celebrates diversity and promotes equal opportunities; we are committed to challenging and eliminating racism and other forms of discrimination and advancing and promoting equality of opportunity in the provision of services and creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
We take positive action to support disadvantaged groups and also particularly encourage applications from ethnic minorities, disabled and LGBTQIA+ people that are under-represented in our workforce.
Job overview
Are you passionate about supporting individuals to achieve their employment goals? Do you believe in the transformative power of work and its impact on health and wellbeing? If so, we want to hear from you!
We are looking for dedicated Employment Specialists to join our team and deliver the Individual Placement Support (IPS) model, helping people with mental health conditions find and sustain meaningful employment.
What we’re looking for:
1. A commitment to empowering individuals to reach their full potential.
2. Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
3. Experience in employment support (preferred but not essential).
4. Knowledge of the local job market and the ability to build relationships with employers.
5. A positive, proactive, and compassionate attitude.
6. A strengths-based perspective, focusing on clients’ abilities.
If you’re ready to make a lasting impact and help change lives through employment, we’d love to hear from you!
Please note, the role requires travel for meetings with colleagues, service users and local employers.
Main duties of the job
The Employment Specialist will join an Individual Placement and Support Team (IPS) working under the direction of the IPS Employment Services Manager to deliver IPS as part of the holistic recovery plan for mental health service users.
The post holder will work directly with employers to secure employment opportunities for people who have experienced mental health problems, and subsequently provide ongoing support depending on employee’s and employer’s needs. The aim will be to enable people who have experienced mental health problems to gain and retain paid employment.
The Employment Specialists will be responsible for:
1. Work closely with individuals to identify their skills, aspirations, and career goals.
2. Build strong partnerships with local employers to promote the service and secure employment opportunities.
3. Collaborate with healthcare professionals and community organisations to provide integrated support.
4. Offer coaching, advice, and guidance to help individuals navigate recruitment processes and thrive in their new roles.
5. Champion the IPS model, demonstrating a person-centred, strengths-based approach to employment support.
Working for our organisation
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region.
At the heart of all we do is our commitment to ‘perfect care’ – care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Employment Specialist will be expected to deliver the IPS approach, working directly with all relevant stakeholders. Responsibilities include:
1. Maintain a professional relationship with service users and stakeholders while ensuring confidentiality.
2. Adhere to mandatory administrative and data capture protocols.
3. Act independently to understand the needs and aspirations of job seekers.
4. Commence rapid job search within 30 days of receiving a referral.
5. Research the labour market and negotiate job opportunities.
6. Provide specialized advice to employers concerning employment for job seekers with clinical needs.
Person specification
* Educated to degree level or equivalent or demonstrable experience
* Level 3 Diploma in Employability Services Sector
* Trained in IPS Delivery Model
* NVQ level 3 in Care or Learning Disability related
Knowledge and Experience
* Experience of working with people with complex mental health needs
* Understanding of employment challenges for people with mental health needs
Values
* Accountability
* Support
* High professional standards
Skills
* Passion and drive to make a positive difference to people's lives
* Ability to work unsupervised
Please ensure you check the email account from which you apply for all correspondence. All information regarding your application will come from apps.trac.jobs not NHS Jobs.
As a Disability Confident Employer, we offer a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants who consider themselves to be disabled who meet the minimum criteria for the role.
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