IPS Employment Specialist

Job Category:
Customer Support/Client Care

Employment can provide more than an income. For someone experiencing serious mental illness, the right job can strengthen confidence, independence and recovery.

As an IPS Employment Specialist, you will work alongside NHS clinical teams across Mid Essex, supporting people to find and sustain competitive paid employment that reflects their preferences and strengths. You will manage a caseload, meet people in community and clinical settings, build relationships with employers and work towards job‑start and sustainment outcomes.

This is a mobile role with daily travel across Mid Essex, not a home-based or single‑office position. Full training in Individual Placement and Support (IPS) will be provided.

• To be considered, your CV and application must clearly demonstrate:
  Experience providing one‑to‑one advice, guidance or practical support to adults or young adults, with evidence of helping people work towards clear outcomes.
• Evidence of building trust, motivating people and maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
• Experience managing a caseload, appointments or competing priorities while maintaining accurate records and reliable follow‑through.
• Confidence communicating with different people and professionals, including a willingness to approach employers and develop new relationships.
• Evidence of working towards outcomes, targets, tasks or agreed objectives and continuing when progress is difficult.
• Evidence of commitment, reliability and consistently delivering high standards of work.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office and digital record or case‑management systems, with the ability to learn new systems.
• Ability to present your recent employment history clearly, including explaining gaps or short‑term roles during the previous five years.
• A valid driving licence, reliable access to a vehicle for work and appropriate business‑use insurance, enabling regular travel throughout Mid Essex.

• Employability, careers advice, welfare‑to‑work or supported employment experience.
• Experience supporting people with mental health conditions, disabilities or other barriers.
• IPS, NHS, clinical‑team, recruitment or employer‑engagement experience.

Previous IPS experience is not required. We are particularly interested in people who can bring strong advice, employability or relationship‑building skills and want to develop specialist expertise in mental health employment support.

IPS
- Individual Placement and Support - is an evidence‑based approach that helps people experiencing serious mental illness move into competitive paid employment. If somebody wants to work, you help them start a rapid, personalised job search rather than putting them through lengthy pre‑employment activity.

You will complete vocational profiles, understand each person's goals and job preferences, support applications and interviews and help them consider disclosure, workplace adjustments and managing health at work.

You will work as part of an NHS clinical team, attending multidisciplinary meetings and communicating appropriately with clinicians about wellbeing and risk.

Employer engagement is equally important. You will approach businesses directly, including employers who do not already know you, understand their workforce needs and uncover advertised and hidden opportunities. You need to be comfortable initiating conversations, hearing "no" and trying again.

Your support continues after somebody starts work, helping participants and employers resolve difficulties and sustain employment.

You build trusted…