Employment Specialist Team Lead - Blaenau Gwent & Torfaen

Location:

Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen (an area- based role focused on community outreach )

Hours:

37.5 hours per week

Reports to:

Connect to Work Service Manager, Head of Supported Employment

Connect to Work service manager, primary care teams, clinical teams, adult social care, health and voluntary sector partners, cohort - specific partner organisations, local charitable organisations, local employers, training providers, organisation managers, human resources, user groups, VCS organisations, local colleges, local employment services and Jobcentre Plus.

We are recruiting a Supported Employment Team Leader to deliver the Connect to Work programme across Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen. Funded by the Department for Work and Pensions as part of a national initiative, the programme provides specialist, high-quality supported employment for participants with learning disabilities, severe mental illness, other disabilities, autism, long-term health conditions and other complex needs. Delivery emphasises person-centred planning, community-based support and sustainable employment outcomes.

Lead and manage the Connect to Work Supported Employment team, with accountability for operational delivery in line with a high-fidelity supported employment model. Oversee team management, supervision and personal development, partnership development, performance monitoring and quality assurance. Manage team and individual performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and programme targets. Where required, manage a small caseload of particularly complex cases alongside these leadership responsibilities.

Lead and support Employment Specialists to deliver high-quality, trauma-informed supported employment, with pastoral care that supports participants’ employment goals. Ensure one-to-one and group support is provided at accessible community locations across Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen, with coordinated support targeted at those facing the most significant barriers to employment.

Monitor and report KPIs and programme targets for the Supported Employment team and commissioned providers, ensuring expectations are clear and performance management supports high-quality delivery. Provide regular one-to-one support and hold team meetings, caseload reviews and performance reviews to identify underperformance and agree service improvements. Use monitoring and evaluation systems to accurately capture and report performance indicators. Work with Employment Specialists and service management to develop vocational support services, using regular delivery monitoring and consultation, feedback and co-production with service users to shape continuous improvement.

Ensure the team accurately completes programme registration, records support activity and records and verifies outcomes so that Connect to Work delivery runs smoothly. Provide training and oversight to build staff proficiency, maximise efficiency and maintain compliance with recording and verification requirements. Use regular monitoring, spot-checks and data compliance reviews to ensure data collection is robust and meets high-fidelity supported employment quality assurance requirements.

Design and implementation of effective engagement strategies in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring that services are targeted to residents most in need of support to engage with specialist employment and training services. Development of robust referral routeways and co-ordination of resident engagement activity to ensure programme registration KPIs and targets are met.

Lead delivery of…