Employment Specialist - CtW Harrow & Hounslow

We are Hestia. We make a difference. At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for two Employment Specialists to play a pivotal role in our Connect to Work service, one in Harrow and one in Hounslow.

An Employment Specialist helps people with mental health conditions, disabilities, or other barriers to find, keep, or return to work. They manage a caseload of clients, provide one-to-one support such as career guidance, CV writing, job searching, interview preparation, and workplace coaching, while also building relationships with employers to create job opportunities and arrange workplace adjustments when needed. They track client progress, maintain accurate records, and work closely with healthcare and community services to help clients achieve sustainable employment outcomes.

What do I need to bring with me? You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

The essential skills for this Employment Specialist role are:

• Ability to build trusting relationships with clients
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Knowledge of supporting people with mental health conditions or other barriers to employment
• Ability to motivate and coach people towards work goals
• Good organisation and time management
• Experience managing a caseload
• Confidence engaging with employers and partner organisations
• Accurate record-keeping and administration skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and databases

Being empathetic, person-centred, self-motivated, and committed to equality and diversity are also important personal qualities.

Interview Steps: We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.

• Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
• Face to face interview: Now you will have a face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based. Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: Our service users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer: Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Safeguarding Statement: Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

Important Information for Candidates: If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed. We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.