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- Tasks: Help clients with mental health needs secure sustainable employment through tailored support.
- Company: Join a dedicated team focused on improving social inclusion and wellbeing for individuals.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, training opportunities, and the chance to make a real impact.
- Why this job: Be part of a rewarding journey that transforms lives and promotes positive change in the community.
- Qualifications: Experience with mental health support, one-on-one client work, and achieving outcomes is essential.
- Other info: This is a fixed-term contract until March 2026, offering a unique opportunity to grow professionally.
The predicted salary is between 31800 - 38000 £ per year.
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
Familiarise yourself with the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model. Understanding its principles and how it effectively supports individuals with mental health needs can give you a significant edge during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the mental health and employment sectors. Attend relevant workshops or seminars to meet potential colleagues and employers, which can help you gain insights and possibly referrals.
✨Tip Number 3
Research local employers who are known for hiring individuals with mental health support needs. Being able to discuss specific companies and their practices during your interview will demonstrate your proactive approach.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss your experience in managing caseloads and supporting clients one-on-one. Highlighting your ability to build relationships and provide tailored support will resonate well with the hiring team.
We think you need these skills to ace IPS Employment Specialist
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure you fully understand the responsibilities and requirements of the IPS Employment Specialist position. Familiarise yourself with the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach and how it applies to supporting clients with mental health needs.
Tailor Your CV: Craft your CV to highlight relevant experience, particularly in working with individuals with mental health support needs. Emphasise any previous roles where you managed caseloads, provided one-on-one support, or worked within mental health services.
Write a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for helping individuals secure employment and your understanding of the challenges they face. Mention specific examples from your past experiences that demonstrate your ability to meet the job's requirements and your commitment to client success.
Showcase Relevant Skills: Highlight skills that are crucial for the role, such as relationship building with employers, job search strategies, and knowledge of welfare advice. Provide concrete examples of how you've successfully used these skills in previous positions.
How to prepare for a job interview at Sovereign & Bale
✨Understand the IPS Model
Make sure you have a solid grasp of the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model. Familiarise yourself with its key principles and how it benefits clients with mental health support needs. This will show your potential employer that you're prepared and knowledgeable about the approach they'll expect you to deliver.
✨Showcase Your Experience
Prepare to discuss your previous experience working with individuals who have mental health support needs. Highlight specific examples where you've successfully supported someone in their employment journey, focusing on outcomes and how you managed challenges along the way.
✨Demonstrate Relationship-Building Skills
Since building relationships with local employers is crucial for this role, be ready to share examples of how you've established connections in past roles. Discuss any strategies you've used to negotiate job opportunities or support clients in overcoming workplace barriers.
✨Prepare Questions for the Interviewers
Think of insightful questions to ask during the interview. This could include inquiries about the team dynamics, the types of clients you'll be working with, or how success is measured in this role. Asking thoughtful questions shows your genuine interest in the position and helps you assess if it's the right fit for you.
