Employment Specialist

Purpose:

The role will work with Norfolk residents in the Connect to Work project, managing a caseload of project participants who have barriers to finding work, supporting them to secure sustainable paid employment. 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.

The role will include managing a wide range of partner relationships, supporting referrals and resident pathways from a breadth of health, community and voluntary sector settings. Context:
The Connect to Work project (CtW) is managed by Norfolk County Council Employment & Skills department. Connect to Work is a voluntary programme to help tackle economic inactivity by providing a specific form of support targeted at the right people at the right time, based on their individual circumstances. Participants must be both eligible and suitable for the provision. Connect to Work will deliver the evidence-based Supported Employment model, place, train, and maintain , building on the existing DWP funded Supported Employment programmes;
Local Supported Employment (LSE) and Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) and delivering over a 5-year period . Good quality work provides people with income, social interaction, and a sense of fulfilment and purpose among many other benefits. Its known that work has a positive effect on peoples physical and mental health, and their wellbeing, while unemployment often has a harmful impact.

Connect to Work will take a collaborative, locally led approach to tackling Hidden Unemployment across Norfolk. The aim for the project is to transform lives and make a difference for disabled people, people with health conditions and other complex barriers to employment, helping them to get into and on in work. Key Deliverables include: Key Deliverable
1) participant engagement & IPS journey to paid, competitive work Key Deliverable
2) employer engagement, job development & inclusive practice Key Deliverable
3) in-work support, retention & progression key deliverable
4) partnership integration, referrals & community presence key deliverable
5) performance, data quality, safeguarding & governance

Person Specification:

You will be a tenacious and resilient practitioner with strong emotional intelligence and the ability to build relationships of trust  will be able to operate independently, and will have a good understanding of the needs and strengths of people experiencing physical and/or mental health issues and disabilities. You will have experience delivering employment support programmes. Other Essential criteria includes:
Strong emotional intelligence, with the ability to engage and build trusting relationships er standing of trauma-informed practice and its application within employment support. Knowledge of the needs, barriers, and strengths of people with health conditions and/or disabilities. Experience delivering IPS or supported employment approaches, with a track record of achieving outcomes. Proven experience providing employment support, including employer engagement and job brokering.

Ability to build and sustain strong relationships with employers, health professionals, and community partners. Well-developed local networks and understanding of Norfolks communities, employers, and services.

Experience of working within or alongside VCSE, health and primary care settings. Demonstrable resilience, persistence, and tenacity in overcoming barriers to employment. Ability to work independently, manage a caseload proactively, and use initiative to achieve outcomes. Understanding of the Equality Act 2010 and its implications for employment and workplace adjustments. Ability to use ICT tool such as Excel, CRM systems etc.

Strong applications will evidence the following:
Knowledge of welfare benefits and their interaction with employment. Ability to influence employers to develop or adapt job opportunities specifically for participants with health needs About Future Projects:
Fut…