Employment Specialist

You will be based in the area above, however you will be required to attend the Civic Offices, Portsmouth city council, Portsmouth on occasions. DBS Disclosure at basic level will be required prior to any offer of employment and this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Service Portsmouth City Council's Employment, Learning and Skills deliver a wide range of DWP & DFE funded programmes. The programmes we work on provide support to residents within local communities; many of whom are either long term unemployed, have a disability or health condition, including mental health issues, or have other barriers as to why gaining sustained employment is proving to be a challenge. Services include relevant interventions for young people and other excluded or vulnerable groups to provide local communities with an inclusive workforce. Your New 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; to assist them in securing sustainable paid employment in line with their preferences. You will deliver the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach (for which training will be given); 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.

You will have experience of talking to employers and helping people into work. You will conduct employer engagement to negotiate job opportunities that meet each individual's strengths, needs, abilities and preferences. You will be able to manage and support a caseload of clients and review progress, pre and post-employment. You will also have the proven ability to build rapport with people and especially understanding issues for people affected by substance misuse or similar conditions. You will maintain an inclusive equality & diversity approach at all times. You will have the ability to work on own initiative and within a team, flexibility to cope with the varying demands of the role and be 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, work placements 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.
Desirable
• Relevant experience in an employment/recruitment/training role
• Relevant qualifications or the willingness to work towards including:
IAG level 4 or 6