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- Tasks: Help clients with mental health needs find and sustain employment in the community.
- Company: Join a dedicated team focused on improving social inclusion and wellbeing through employment.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hands-on experience, and training in the IPS approach.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on people's lives while building relationships with local employers.
- Qualifications: Experience with mental health support, one-on-one client work, and achieving outcomes is essential.
- Other info: This is an in-person role based in Dover, not suitable for remote work.
The predicted salary is between 28400 - 34000 £ per year.
Position: IPS Employment Specialist
Location: Barnet
Salary: £31,800 – £38,000
Type: FTC 1 Year until March 2026
Working with clients, health professionals, service providers and employers, IPS Employment Specialists are focused on making sure a person’s journey into employment, with associated improved social inclusion and wellbeing is as easy as possible. You will work with clients (managing a caseload) who have mental health support needs, to assist them in securing sustainable paid employment in line with their preferences. Your role will be to 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
You will work with people on their individual employment journey from vocational profiling to the point where they no longer require face to face in work support. The six key stages on a typical journey are: outreach/referral; vocational profiling; action planning; job search activities (including working on a one to one basis with employers to match people with appropriate employment); job placement and coordinating support whilst in employment; managing withdrawal of support as the in work support is no longer required.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Manage a caseload of around 20 clients who have mental health support needs who are motivated to start/return to work.
- Deliver the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach for which training will be given.
- Meet and support clients to understand their key skills, aspirations and goals through completing a Vocational Profile and produce an Action Plan to help them obtain and sustain competitive employment. This includes support with their job search, CV production, application forms, interview techniques and career development.
- Assess client’s support needs related to work which may include benefits/welfare advice, disclosure of mental health symptoms etc., and provide support & guidance.
- Attend weekly clinical team meetings as an embedded IPS practitioner.
- Source job opportunities for clients through tailored job search and regular contact with local employers to explore hidden as well as advertised employment opportunities.
- Provide education and support to employers, as agreed with the individual, which may include negotiating adjustments, return to work strategy and on-going contact with the employer to ensure job retention.
- Build relationships with colleagues in clinical teams to engage and generate referrals and create collaborative working partnerships with clinical staff (promoting employment as a positive intervention in the recovery journey).
- Once employment has been secured continue to provide quality service through conducting regular visits, effective monitoring and in-work support to clients and employers to help sustain employment.
- Spend time getting to know local employers, in order to negotiate job opportunities that meet each individual’s strengths, needs, abilities and preferences.
- To challenge inequalities experienced by clients and address existing discrimination, whilst ensuring a process of learning for the organisation
- Work with employers to promote the service, identify job opportunities and ensure appropriate strategies are in place to reduce barriers in the work place – this can include exploring ‘job carving’ i.e. carving small slices of work from the duties other staff do not have time to do.
Required Skills and Experience
- Experience/understanding of working with people with mental health support needs, or a similar client group within health, social services or the voluntary sector
- Experience of working with someone on a one-to-one basis
- Proven experience of meeting and exceeding outcomes and targets
- Experience of managing multiple tasks at any one time
- Previous experience of working assertively to influence decision makers
- Experience of supporting people to obtain or keep work
- Experience of working within mental health services
- Previous experience of delivering a service using the IPS model
IPS Employment Specialist employer: Sovereign & Bale
Contact Detail:
Sovereign & Bale Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land IPS Employment Specialist
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarize yourself with the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model. Understanding its principles and how it applies to your role will not only help you in interviews but also demonstrate your commitment to the position.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with local employers and mental health professionals in Dover. Building relationships in the community can give you insights into job opportunities and the specific needs of clients, which is crucial for this role.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your experience working with individuals who have mental health support needs. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've helped clients achieve their employment goals in the past.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your ability to manage a caseload effectively. Highlight any previous experiences where you successfully balanced multiple clients' needs while achieving positive outcomes, as this is a key aspect of the role.
We think you need these skills to ace IPS Employment Specialist
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the IPS Model: Familiarize yourself with the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach. Highlight any relevant experience or understanding of this model in your application to demonstrate your suitability for the role.
Tailor Your CV: Customize your CV to reflect your experience working with individuals who have mental health support needs. Emphasize your skills in managing caseloads, providing one-on-one support, and achieving positive outcomes.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for helping clients secure sustainable employment. Include specific examples of how you've supported individuals in similar roles and how you can contribute to the team.
Highlight Relationship-Building Skills: In your application, emphasize your ability to build relationships with clients, employers, and clinical teams. Provide examples of how you've successfully collaborated with others to achieve common goals.
How to prepare for a job interview at Sovereign & Bale
✨Understand the IPS Model
Make sure you familiarize yourself with the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach. Be ready to discuss how you would implement this model in your work with clients, as well as any relevant experiences you have had in similar roles.
✨Showcase Your Client-Centric Approach
Prepare examples that demonstrate your ability to work closely with clients who have mental health support needs. Highlight your experience in creating personalized action plans and how you've successfully supported individuals in their journey to employment.
✨Build Relationships with Employers
Think about strategies you've used to build relationships with local employers. Be prepared to discuss how you would negotiate job opportunities and create tailored solutions that meet both client needs and employer expectations.
✨Demonstrate Your Organizational Skills
Since you'll be managing a caseload of around 20 clients, it's crucial to showcase your organizational skills. Discuss how you prioritize tasks, manage multiple responsibilities, and ensure that each client receives the attention they need to succeed.
