Employment Specialist

Job overview

We are seeking an Employment Specialist to join our well-established team in Kingston.  You will have the opportunity to proactively manage a caseload of people who have experienced mental health problems who are unemployed and/or currently off work. This role enables you to deliver the Individual Placement and Support approach - an evidence-based model of vocational rehabilitation for people with mental health problems.

Working directly with all relevant stakeholders, including the service user, IRH staff, GPs, Employers, Human Resources and Occupational Health services to enable people experiencing mental health issues to gain, retain and sustain employment.

Main duties of the job

You will also work with a close and supportive vocational team, sharing experiences, challenges and achievements with regular peer support and supervision while having an active role in the development and evolution of our successful vocational rehabilitation service.  Our vocational team works with a collaborative coaching style, helping each other to grow and develop, which helps contribute to feeling valued and empowered while also receiving regular professional support and supervision.

Agile and flexible working:

As one of the few Trusts in London we are proud to offer flexible and agile working as part of our new ways of working, and we are happy to talk flexible working at the interview stage. In this role you will be able to work Monday to Friday in the time frames from 9am to 5pm giving you the very best of good work life balance.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To manage a caseload of a maximum of 25 service users at any one time who are currently off work / unemployed and who wish to return to work.
• To be integrated with South Kingston IRH being responsible for those service users who want to return to employment.
• To meet regularly with IRH staff to co-ordinate and integrate employment support into health treatment and care plans.
• To support care co-ordinators to discuss employment being a realistic goal with service users at the assessment stage, at care plan reviews etc.
• To prepare individuals for a return to work through assessing each person’s individual employment needs through vocational profiling/assessment.
• To proactively undertake job development with employers based on the service users preferences to secure employment opportunities for service users.
• To proactively engage and work with employers to retain employment opportunities for service users.
• To provide education and support to employers, as agreed with the individual, which may include negotiating reasonable adjustments, return to work strategy and on-going contact with the employer to ensure job retention.
• To provide individualised, support to individuals once they have returned to work to assist them in sustaining employment.
• To provide outreach services as necessary to individuals when they appear to disengage from the service.  Maintain some contact with individuals even without a vocational focus if necessary to sustain engagement.
• To assess individuals support needs related to work which might typically include help with benefits, travel to work, graded return to work etc.
• To develop good working relationships with other organisations that are better able to help individuals to achieve their employment goals for example, Jobcentre Plus providers (Work Programme, Work Choice, Access to Work) , local colleges and training providers.
• To deliver individual employment outcomes in line with service outcomes as set by commissioners in line with Trust key performance indicators.