Employment Specialist

JOB PURPOSE Employment Specialist As a Connect to Work Employment Specialist, you will play a vital role in supporting individuals who face significant barriers to employment, including those with mental health conditions, disabilities, and other additional needs. Working within a person-centred and strengths-based framework, you will empower clients to build confidence, develop skills, and access meaningful and sustainable employment opportunities.

You will work collaboratively with local employers, health professionals, training providers, and community organisations to create inclusive pathways into work.

Your role will involve providing tailored advice, coaching, and advocacy to help individuals overcome challenges, navigate the job market, and thrive in the workplace. This role is central to promoting social inclusion, reducing inequalities, and improving wellbeing through employment. You will contribute to Newport City Council?s commitment to fairness, opportunity, and community resilience by ensuring that no one is left behind in the journey to work.

KEY RESULT AREAS Employment Specialist To provide a one to one advocacy and supported employment service to Connect to Work participants who are experiencing significant barriers to employment which can include:
Homelessness, victims of abuse, severe mental health conditions or additional learning needs. To have individual responsibility for mentoring a monitored caseload of participants, acting as an advocate for each individual and being an integral part of a multi-disciplinary team to support the individuals with their goals both personal and professional. To adhere to the strict fidelity and quality assurance requirements of the Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) model of supported employment, ensuring participants have a structured and monitored pathway whilst on programme.

Employment Specialist To work with key stakeholders, service delivery partners, statutory and non-statutory organisations to promote the support available to those hardest to reach. Employment Specialist To provide flexible support to the programme in the area and work occasional unsocial hours, providing a personalised participant led service to maximise accessibility to Connect to Work for the identified eligible individuals. To provide a zero-rejection employment service, undertaking vocational profiling with participants in line with guidelines and developing a robust plan of action for the duration of their time on project.

To work closely with external service providers such as Aneurin Bevan Health Board, places of refuge, drug and alcohol support services, mental health practitioners, specialist learning facilities and other relevant bodies as and when required. To work closely with the Employer Liaison Officer to ensure they enable participants to achieve sustained employment alongside your guidance and expertise. To provide information, advice and guidance regarding the support available from the programme to key stakeholders and participants.

To undertake work with other team members in supporting participants to prepare for training and employment, create smooth transitions for participants to other services in the work and skills department when needed. To identify alternative employment options, guided by the participants vocational profile to ensure appropriate vacancies are sourced in line with requirements. To verify job outcomes through evidence or employer contact and to be responsible for ensuring all participants outcomes are recorded accurately and beyond this support the participant & employer with up to 6 months of support whilst in work to ensure employment is sustained.

To maintain participants files and data via (paper & database) to 100% accuracy at the first, and every subsequent instance of completion. To follow prescribed filing and data accuracy requirements to ensure the confidentiality of participant information and a robust audit trail for internal and external review. To accurately report against targets to the programme manager so this information can be shared with all stakeholders involved i.e. Department of Work & Pensions.

This job description sets out the main result areas of the post at the date when it was drawn up. Such duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the post or the level of responsibility. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot in themselves justify a reconsideration of the grading of the post.

PERSON SPECIFICATION Employment Specialist ESSENTIAL DESIRABLE Employment Specialist Qualifications Employment Specialist Educated to a minimum of NVQ level 4 or equivalent Advice & Guidance Qualification Supported Employment Qualification or willing to undertake on appointment Knowledge Employment Specialist Understanding the support needs of individuals with serious mental health conditions, individuals with disabilities, Veterans, individuals who are victims of abuse,…