Employment Specialist Team Lead - Blaenau Gwent & Torfaen

Job description and person specification

Role : Connect to Work Employment Specialist Team Lead

Location: Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen (an area- based role focused on community outreach )

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Reports to: Connect to Work Service Manager, Head of Supported Employment

Key relationships:

Connect to Work service manager, primary care teams, clinical teams, adult social care, health and voluntary sector partners, cohort - specific partner organisations, local charitable organisations, local employers, training providers, organisation managers, human resources, user groups, VCS organisations, local colleges, local employment services and Jobcentre Plus.

About the role:

We are recruiting a Supported Employment Team Leader to deliver the Connect to Work programme across Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen. Funded by the Department for Work and Pensions as part of a national initiative, the programme provides specialist, high-quality supported employment for participants with learning disabilities, severe mental illness, other disabilities, autism, long-term health conditions and other complex needs. Delivery emphasises person-centred planning, community-based support and sustainable employment outcomes.

Job Purpose:

Lead and manage the Connect to Work Supported Employment team, with accountability for operational delivery in line with a high-fidelity supported employment model. Oversee team management, supervision and personal development, partnership development, performance monitoring and quality assurance. Manage team and individual performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and programme targets. Where required, manage a small caseload of particularly complex cases alongside these leadership responsibilities.

Overview of main responsibilities:

Lead and support Employment Specialists to deliver high-quality, trauma-informed supported employment, with pastoral care that supports participants’ employment goals. Ensure one-to-one and group support is provided at accessible community locations across Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen, with coordinated support targeted at those facing the most significant barriers to employment.

Monitor and report KPIs and programme targets for the Supported Employment team and commissioned providers, ensuring expectations are clear and performance management supports high-quality delivery. Provide regular one-to-one support and hold team meetings, caseload reviews and performance reviews to identify underperformance and agree service improvements. Use monitoring and evaluation systems to accurately capture and report performance indicators. Work with Employment Specialists and service management to develop vocational support services, using regular delivery monitoring and consultation, feedback and co-production with service users to shape continuous improvement.

Ensure the team accurately completes programme registration, records support activity and records and verifies outcomes so that Connect to Work delivery runs smoothly. Provide training and oversight to build staff proficiency, maximise efficiency and maintain compliance with recording and verification requirements. Use regular monitoring, spot-checks and data compliance reviews to ensure data collection is robust and meets high-fidelity supported employment quality assurance requirements.

Design and implementation of effective engagement strategies in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring that services are targeted to residents most in need of support to engage with specialist employment and training services. Development of robust referral routeways and co-ordination of resident engagement activity to ensure programme registration KPIs and targets are met.

Lead delivery of local employer engagement strategy for Connect to Work, involving employers, the local authority and partner services. Support Employment Specialists to build and maintain strong, inclusive relationships with employers and placement hosts, opening up and securing work experience, paid employment and training opportunities. Ensure these opportunities are appropriate to participants’ needs and goals and meet programme quality expectations.

Responsible for effective promotion, marketing and communications of the Connect to Work programme in Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen, utilising a range of marketing assets and tools including social media, flyers and posters, and in-person meetings to raise the profile of the programme, secure partner and resident engagement, and communicate project success and good news stories.

Promote, develop and maintain positive relationships with colleagues, stakeholders and communities to support effective collaboration, strategic priorities and team outcomes. Liaise with stakeholder leads, senior practitioners and managers across services on the ongoing implementation of an evidence-based supported employment model.

• To provide field mentoring to employment staff to enable them to further develop their practice and increase outcomes.
• To work with client keyworkers and clinical staff, cohort specific partner teams, including through case conferencing, to ensure that clients receive appropriate support from everyone involved in their care during the return to work process.
• To provide advice and support to employers, as agreed with the individual, which may include negotiating adjustments and on-going contact with supervisors to ensure job retention.
• To assess individual support needs related to work which might typically include help with benefits, travel to work, managing health and work etc.
• To work flexibly on occasion as required by clients and employers, which may require some working out of normal office hours.
• To participate in your own Connect To Work management supervision, objective setting/appraisal, and professional development plan.
• Provide regular Connect to Work employment professional supervision to Employment Specialists, including group supervision, and oversee their professional development plans.

Research and development

• To keep abreast of changing practice within vocational rehabilitation, and to disseminate within the team and, where relevant, service(s).

Management of resources

• To work with the service manager to work with internal and external stakeholders and partners to maximise the effective and efficient use of resources in the delivery of vocational support services.
• Support the service manager with safeguarding responsibilities with regard to incidences of child welfare or vulnerable adults concern, all staff have responsibility to: a) familiarise and engage with each partnership areas safeguarding policy and procedures b) report concerns to their line manager and /or the Designated Person for Safeguarding Children in the partner agency c) ensure the confidentiality of matters relating to child protection and only circulate personal information on a need to know basis; d) avoid placing themselves in a vulnerable situation that may lead to allegations; and e) immediately report any allegations to their line manager.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

If selected for interview for this role, you will need to clearly demonstrate a passion for supporting individuals with complex needs/barriers in various aspects of their lives, as well as a strong understanding of Connect to Work/supported employment programmes, through pre-interview research or direct experience.

As a team lead you also need to demonstrate the ability manage people across a broad geographical area, or the skills required for this.

Thorough interview preparation is essential.

In return for all you’ll bring to Intuitive Thinking Skills, we’re offering a competitive salary range along with the following benefits:

• 26 days annual leave + Bank Holidays (opportunity to buy/sell additional days)
• Company Pension Scheme
• Sick Pay
• Smart casual dress code
• Annual Company Events
• Annual bonus scheme/salary increase (business dependent).

Inclusive Recruitment and Accessibility

Intuitive Thinking Skills is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. We welcome applications from candidates with a range of backgrounds, experiences and working styles. Candidates are encouraged to let us know if they require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process. Applicants do not need to meet every desirable criterion to apply; we are interested in relevant skills, potential and values alignment as well as direct experience.

Compliance

It is the responsibility of all staff to abide by organisational policies to ensure compliance with relevant standards e.g. ISO 27001 (Information Security), ISO 9001 (Quality) and ISO 14001 (Environmental) as well as adhering to statutory duties in relation to safeguarding, Prevent and health and safety.

City

Blaenau Gwent & Torfaen (Community Based)

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