Employment Specialist - Employment Coach

Employment Specialist - Employment Coach Band 5

Main area Individual Placement and Support Service (IPS) Grade Band 5 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job  

Site Pullman Place (will involved travelling throughout Gloucestershire) Town Gloucester Salary £32,073 - £39,043 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 31/08/2026 23:59

We love what we do and we think you will, too!

At Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (GHC), we provide joined-up mental health, physical health and learning disability services to people of all ages across Gloucestershire. We run community hospitals and provide care and support in people’s own homes and in a range of other locations across the county .

We are on a mission to enable people to live the best life they can and we have a vision to work together to provide outstanding care . We put people at the heart of our services, focusing on personalised care by asking ‘what matters to you ’.

We’re passionate about making sure that everyone can contribute to achieving our mission and w e are continually working to support healthy and happy high-quality team s in all areas of the Trust .

Our application process aims to understand each candidates knowledge, skills and experience. We have found that candidates that use AI to generate their answers can lack specificity and fail to address key criteria outlined in the job description.

It is really important to personalise your application to convey your individual skills, knowledge, and experiences effectively and for us to understand why you are applying for this role with GHC. We discourage over reliance on AI-generated applications as it will lessen your chances of success in securing an interview with us .

We are looking for motivated, people-focused individuals to join our friendly Individual Placement & Support (IPS) Employment Services as Employment Specialists supporting people with serious and enduring mental health difficulties, who are employed when referred to the service.

If you believe in the power of good work to support recovery....
If you’re passionate about helping people build confidence and purpose…
If you enjoy building relationships with local employers…

…then this could be the perfect role for you.

IPS is an evidence-based model that helps people into paid work quickly and sustainably or supports people to retain current work. Although 90% of people with severe mental illness want to work, only 8% are currently in employment — your work will directly help to change this.

What you’ll be doing

This is a highly rewarding, varied and fast-paced role. You will:

Supporting clients

• Manage a caseload of employed people with mental health difficulties, helping them
  retain
  or find alternative paid employment.
• Use a person-centred, strengths-based approach to identify career goals and provide tailored support.
• Help clients identify reasonable adjustments and return-to-work strategies.
• Promote independence, confidence and hope throughout each person’s recovery journey.

Working with employers

• Build strong relationships with local employers across Gloucestershire — including SMEs, public-sector organisations, local retail, hospitality, logistics, green industries, and Gloucestershire’s thriving voluntary sector.
• Proactively approach employers and negotiate reasonable adjustment so clients can return to work after a period of sickness.
• Challenge stigma and build inclusive, supportive workplaces.

Working in partnership

• Work closely with Gloucestershire Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs), DWP Work Coaches, Citizens Advice and local partners.
• Be a key part of a multi-disciplinary service supporting integrated community mental health care.
• Follow the IPS model and maintain high-quality evidence and outcomes.

We have a skilled and dedicated workforce of over 5000 colleagues working in a diverse range of services over 55 sites and within people’s homes. We strive to enable a welcoming workplace culture that builds and celebrates civility, inclusivity and diversity, while providing a sense of belonging and trust.

Annual staff surveys, regular Pulse…