Employment Specialist

We're currently recruiting an Employment Specialist to join our dedicated Connect to Work team. This role forms part of a specialist programme designed to support individuals with disabilities and/or health conditions into sustainable paid employment. As an Employment Specialist, you'll play a vital role in helping participants achieve their employment goals. Working primarily with individuals who have health-related support needs, you'll identify suitable job opportunities and provide tailored guidance to help them secure long-term, meaningful employment. Using a person-centred approach, you'll offer bespoke advice and support to each client, while also developing strong relationships with referral partners and local employers. Your ability to engage with stakeholders and understand individual needs will be key to enabling successful employment outcomes.,

• Meet, and strive to exceed personal performance targets, Key Performance Indicators and all Quality and Compliance measures.
• Progressively manage a caseload of referred customers with a disability and/or health support needs using a variety of appropriate strategies to help them overcome barriers to gaining employment.
• Learning disability, health support needs awareness and self-development/knowledge to provide specialist support to customer group
• Undertake in-depth assessments using a suite of tools to fully understand a customer's circumstances, preferences and holistic barriers to progression to employment
• Achieve the Customer Service and Quality Standards required on the programme.
• Co-produce personalised tailored Action Plans featuring SMART targeting to enable positive and timely progression.
• Use an integration framework of local specialist services to obtain support to address specific issues (e.g. substance misuse, anger management, debt advice, health and vocational training).
• Use social prescribing to develop and improve customer circumstances (e.g. healthy eating classes, smoking cessation and social groups).
• Work with multiple agencies to develop holistic approaches to support customers. With customer consent undertake case conferences with external agencies to jointly optimise support packages.
• Fully understand the local labour market to source suitable job opportunities
• Undertaking direct marketing to employers using digital and electronic formats e.g. email, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter etc.
• Identify the specific recruitment needs of each employer and undertake tailored pre-screens and group assessments.
• Co-produce effective in-work support plans with participants and employers, based on an assessment of need, providing practical support to ensure a smooth transition into work. When appropriate facilitate job carving opportunities.
• Be mindful of Health & Safety within the customer's workplace and actively promote and report (if appropriate) to ensure a safe working environment for all customers.
• Develop an understanding of specialist signposting services in the local area/region, building knowledge in areas such as specific disabilities, housing, benefits etc.
• Maintain IT files and customer records to the required compliance and quality standards.
• Work from local hubs and community outreach locations (sometimes alongside other services e.g. housing, health and primary care centres) to increase service accessibility.
  
  To thrive in this role, you'll bring a strong understanding of the local labour market in the relevant geographical areas, along with proven experience supporting individuals with multiple and complex needs, particularly those with learning disabilities. Have a track record of working in target-driven environments while consistently delivering services that meet contractual and quality standards.
Be proud to help our communities build back better, to ensure no one is left behind.,
• A good working knowledge of the local labour market in the specified geographical locations
• Experience of working with people with multiple and complex needs in particular those with learning disabilities.
• Fully IT literate in using a range of Microsoft Office programmes to include 365 products and modern digital technologies, i.e. Microsoft Teams
• Experience of working in a target driven environment.
• Experience of delivering services to meet contractual and quality standards
• Full driving license to enable deployment across a specified geographical area (region)
Desirable
• Knowledge of the employability industry and/or Knowledge of the recruitment industry
• Understanding of Supported employment Opportunities and associated frameworks (IPS/SEQF)
• Experience of working with people in 'advice & guidance' environments
  
  In return for your dedication, knowledge, and commitment, we're offering a competitive salary range £30,000 to £32,000 p.a. (dependent on experience) with these great benefits:
• 25 days annual leave + Bank Holidays + Birthday Day off (with the opportunity to buy additional days)
• 2 Volunteer Days
• Company Pension Scheme - 5% Employee 5% Employer
• Health Insurance Allowance
• Employer Paid Healthcare Cash Plan, incl. 3 x salary life assurance
• Annual Pay Review
• Enhanced Maternity/Adoption and Paternity Pay Arrangements
• Free access to BenefitHub - an online portal with access to a wide range of retail discounts, Life Assurance, Cycle to Work Scheme, Tax Saver Commuter Tickets
• Refer a Friend Scheme
Interested? There's an easy to apply route below to upload your CV! If you need any further information, talk to our experienced Internal Recruitment Team on . is an employee-owned organisation and we continually pride ourselves on our sense of community, both in the incredible work we do throughout UK and Ireland, and internally with our Employee Owners. People are at the front, centre and heart of every service we provide and each decision we make. Location: You will provide our services across Bury St Edmunds, therefore, a full driving licence and access to a vehicle are essential for this role Hours: 37 hours a week. Monday to Thursday 8.30 am to 5pm, Friday 8.30 am to 4.30pm