Employment Specialist

Are you ready to lead a high-performing IPS team and help transform lives through employment? Join Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust as a Senior Employment Specialist and support Employment Specialists to deliver high-quality, recovery-focused employment support for people accessing secondary mental health services., This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced IPS practitioner or team leader who is passionate about helping people with mental health challenges achieve their employment aspirations through the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model. Since 2019, our Employment Support Service has continued to grow, supporting increasing numbers of people into sustainable employment and demonstrating the powerful connection between work, recovery and improved health outcomes. As a Senior Employment Specialist, you will provide leadership, guidance and support to a team of Employment Specialists, ensuring the delivery of a high-quality, recovery-focused service that consistently meets IPS fidelity standards and achieves positive employment outcomes for service users. You will play a key role in supporting service development, continuous improvement and partnership working across mental health and community services. You will lead and support a team of Employment Specialists embedded within Community Mental Health Teams across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Working closely with clinical colleagues and the Employment Support Service Team Lead, you will help ensure the delivery of a high-quality IPS service that supports individuals receiving specialist mental health care to gain and sustain meaningful employment. This role combines leadership with service development responsibilities. Alongside supporting staff performance and service delivery, you will contribute to fidelity reviews, quality improvement initiatives and the ongoing development of the service to ensure it remains responsive to local needs and aligned with IPS best practice. You will support Employment Specialists to build strong relationships with local employers, understand local labour market opportunities and utilise the hidden job market to create meaningful employment opportunities for service users. Please note that although the base listed on the advert is Trust Headquarters, your role will be embedded within one of our community mental health teams across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Every effort will be made to accommodate preferences; however, this cannot be guaranteed.Responsibilities Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading and managing a team of Employment Specialists working within Community Mental Health Teams.
• Providing effective line management, supervision, coaching and professional support to team members.
• Working collaboratively with the Employment Support Service Team Lead to ensure the service continues to develop and deliver positive outcomes for service users.
• Ensuring the service is delivered in line with IPS fidelity standards and best practice principles.
• Supporting fidelity reviews, audits and quality improvement initiatives to drive excellent service delivery and outcomes.
• Monitoring service performance and employment outcomes, using data to identify trends, opportunities and areas for continuous improvement.
• Supporting staff to achieve individual and team performance targets while maintaining a person-centred and recovery-focused approach.
• Supporting Employment Specialists to develop effective employer engagement strategies, build relationships with local employers and maximise opportunities within the local labour market.
• Supporting, where required, recruitment processes to maintain appropriate staffing levels.
• Planning for periods of staff absence and coordinating caseload cover to ensure continuity of support for clients.
• Reallocating urgent appointments and managing caseloads where necessary during periods of leave or sickness.
• Building positive working relationships with clinical teams, employers and external partners to achieve the best outcomes for service users.
• Promoting recovery-focused practice and ensuring individuals are supported to achieve their employment goals in line with IPS principles
  
  All substantive appointments (excluding medical staff) are subject to a six-month probationary period.
• Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.
• Any DBS check required for this role will be arranged by the Trust., We are looking for someone who is passionate about the transformative impact employment can have on recovery and wellbeing.
The successful candidate will:
• Have experience working with people accessing secondary or tertiary mental health services.
• Have experience supporting people to achieve employment, recovery-focused or vocational goals.
• Have previous leadership experience, including line management, supervision, mentoring or coaching responsibilities.
• Have an understanding of HR process.
• Possess a strong understanding of the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model and the principles of high-fidelity IPS delivery.
• Demonstrate excellent communication, organisational and relationship-building skills.
• Have experience working collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams.
• Be able to build effective relationships with employers, clinical teams and external partners.
• Have experience supporting performance management, quality improvement or service development activities.
• Be passionate about supporting people to achieve their employment aspirations and improve their wellbeing through work.
• Demonstrate a commitment to delivering high-quality, person-centred and recovery-focused employment support.
  
  Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT) provides community health, mental health and learning disability services for people of all ages across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
Our 6,500 colleagues work across over 100 locations, from inpatient wards to community settings, delivering care and support to more than one million people. We are committed to creating a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively promote equality, diversity and inclusion, and warmly welcome applications from all backgrounds, particularly those from underrepresented groups.