Employment Specialist in Salford

The Growth Company (GC) Employment, Justice and Health team is looking for a dedicated Employment Specialist to join us on our Individual Placement and Support (IPS) service. The Employment Specialist will actively engage with individuals with a mental health condition, ensuring that through the delivery of a multi‑channel, multi‑agency and multi‑place service model, participants are enabled and empowered to successfully complete their personal journey into and progression within the working environment. We are continuing to expand our services that support people with health and mental health conditions and are particularly keen to hear from you if you have experience in employability, employer engagement, health or mental health sectors.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of clients who are motivated to start or return to work, supporting them through the IPS approach to overcome work, skills and health barriers and secure sustainable employment.
• Provide IPS support to clients who are currently employed but struggling to retain their job due to their mental health.
• Meet with clients to identify their skills, aspirations and goals by completing a Vocational Profile and developing an Action Plan.
• Provide support with job search, CV writing, application forms, interview preparation and career development.
• Build effective working relationships with clinical teams to generate referrals and promote employment as a positive intervention, attending weekly multidisciplinary meetings as an embedded IPS practitioner.
• Source suitable job opportunities through tailored job searches and proactive engagement with local employers, including exploring hidden and advertised vacancies.
• Provide ongoing in‑work support to both clients and employers, including negotiating reasonable adjustments and return‑to‑work strategies to help sustain employment.
• Ensure all participant records, documentation and data entered into the CRM system are accurate, compliant and maintained in a timely and respectful manner.
• Develop and maintain strong partnerships with employers and external agencies, including training providers and community organisations, to support individuals in achieving their employment goals.

Qualifications

• Strong interpersonal, communication, and negotiating skills.
• Able to work in a target‑driven environment, focusing on achieving job outcomes and sustained employment.
• Confident in engaging with employers and building effective professional relationships.
• Experience supporting individuals with multiple and complex needs, including mental health conditions and disabilities.
• Adaptable and resilient, able to manage challenging situations and changing priorities.
• Supporting clients to secure and sustain suitable employment.
• Engaging with employers and developing business opportunities.
• Providing guidance, advice, and counselling to individuals.
• Working with disabled people or similar client groups in health, social care, or voluntary sectors.
• Understanding the issues affecting individuals with multiple barriers to employment, including mental health, housing, and substance misuse.
• Trained in, or willing to undertake training in, the IPS approach.

EEO & Accessibility

We are committed to increasing workforce diversity and offer a guaranteed interview to applicants who meet the essential criteria and either have a disability or are from a diverse ethnic community. If this applies to you, you can request consideration under this scheme during the application process. Your request will be shared only with the Hiring Manager and Internal Recruitment Team. We also aim to make our recruitment process inclusive and accessible. If you need reasonable adjustments or have any general enquiries at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact or call us on 0161 237 4447. We are proud to support the Ban the Box campaign, which helps people with convictions access job opportunities. As part of this, we have removed questions about convictions from the initial application stage.