Employment Specialist - Lancashire in Preston

The Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) Employment Specialist will demonstrate the core values of Supported Employment, empowering participants to gain employment whilst delivering the 5 stages of Supported Employment: Customer Engagement; Vocational Profiling; Employer Engagement; Job Matching and providing In-Work Support/Career Development. This role is community based, covering the north of Lancashire. Ideally, candidates will be based in the Lancaster/Morcambe area.

Supporting vulnerable adults with a variety of health conditions, disabilities and other barriers to meaningful employment, you will engage with a variety of stakeholders and advocate on behalf of your caseload by promoting equality and gaining employment opportunities. We are looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic individual who is deeply passionate about supported employment and truly believes in its power to transform lives. The ideal candidate will have a strong desire to drive meaningful change, empowering individuals to unlock their potential and achieve sustainable employment opportunities. If you are motivated by the opportunity to make a real difference and contribute to positive life‑changing outcomes, we want to hear from you.

Supporting a caseload through the 5 stages of Supported Employment. You will be expected to build rapport and trust with your caseload, ensuring they have choice and control over their journey and being an advocate on their behalf. Adhere to the SEQF quality framework. Develop a comprehensive vocational profile and conduct a detailed job analysis to identify support needs, ensuring tailored interventions are provided to help individuals achieve their employment goals. Provide job‑matching services by identifying suitable employment opportunities that align with the client’s skills and preferences while meeting the needs of the employer. Deliver one‑to‑one pre‑employment support. Offer on‑the‑job support to clients, including job coaching, workplace adjustments, and mentoring, to ensure a smooth transition into employment and long‑term retention. Provide benefits calculations and disclosure support. Meet and exceed KPIs. Ensure compliance by accurate data entry, completion of contractual and internal documentation and provider guidance. Engage with a variety of stakeholders (Partners & Employers) to advocate on behalf of your caseload. Facilitate integration with local communities and their partners, ensuring that employment support is seamlessly woven into the broader network of local services and resources to optimise outcomes and opportunities. Engage with community organisations to promote the programme and generate referrals. Use a range of recruitment activities to match and market participants to relevant vacancies and/or potential employers (e.g. Labour Market Analysis). Engage and work with employers to ‘job carve’ positions, negotiate work trials and provide support (e.g. training in systematic instruction or supporting development of natural sources of support). Identify and work with partner services to signpost participants to effectively support barriers and develop support networks and coping strategies. Provide mentoring support, advice and guidance to both participants and employers to ensure sustained employment and incorporate reasonable adjustments where possible. Support development of ‘circles of support’ for participants to support individual aspirations. Promote a zero rejection philosophy of Supported Employment to stakeholders.

Strive for the best quality standard (accurate record keeping/following SEQF). Gain feedback from stakeholders; work with the team to improve the service. Seek feedback from participants, employers, and other stakeholders to inform continuous improvement efforts. Identify and implement innovative approaches to improve service delivery and participant outcomes. Reflect on personal performance and engage in professional development activities to enhance skills and knowledge. Collect and analyse data to monitor the effectiveness of the programme, identifying areas for improvement.

Internal

• Line Manager
• Central Teams
• Labour Market Analyst
• Borough Integration Managers
• Employer Engagement Specialist
• Fidelity Officer

• Participants
• Commissioners
• Partners (e.g. referral sources; partners who can support participants)
• Employers
• Circles of Support

• Familiarity with systems including MS Outlook, Teams and OneDrive.
• Numeracy and literacy skills.
• Experience of working to Quality Standards and associated KPIs.
• Creative problem‑solving skills.
• Experience of organising a workload and managing priorities.
• Experience of people development in an individual and/or group environment.
• The ability to work independently and demonstrate self‑management.
• Experience of working as part of a team.
• A genuine passion for empowering individuals with disabilities or barriers to employment, supporting them to achieve their full potential through meaningful work opportunities.
• A strong commitment to delivering person‑centred support and achieving positive, life‑changing outcomes.
• The ability to inspire confidence, self‑belief and motivation, helping individuals build resilience and achieve their goals.
• A deep sense of purpose and motivation to make a real difference in others’ lives by fostering independence and empowerment.
• Committed to transforming lives and making a meaningful impact through dedicated and compassionate support.

• Experience of supporting participants through Supported Employment contracts and/or experience of working in an employability related area supporting vulnerable adults.
• Ability to coach individuals within their role – to support developing healthy work behaviours and reach their maximum potential and career development (if experience is lacking, willingness to learn is expected).
• Welfare‑to‑Work Sector specific qualification (e.g. Supported Employment Techniques, Level 3 Certificate for Supported Employment Practitioners, NVQ 3 L3 in Employment related services). If these qualifications are not held, willingness to develop/train in the field is required.

• Motivated and adaptable.
• Experience in sales, promotional or influencing roles.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills, specifically active listening, questioning and building relationships.
• Participant‑focused with realistic goal‑setting.
• Stakeholder & communication skills (relationship building, negotiation and persuasiveness).
• Quality focus – creative and innovative input to build standards.
• Integrity.
• Willingness to learn.
• Teamwork – active, proactive team member.
• Empathy.
• Ability to manage conflict, demonstrate resilience and manage time effectively.

MAXIMUS is committed to developing, maintaining and supporting a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the recruitment process. We know that feeling included has a dramatic impact on personal wellbeing and are working to ensure that no job applicant receives less favourable treatment due to any personal characteristic. We are a Disability Confident Leader, thanks to our commitment to the recruitment, retention and career development of people with disabilities and long‑term conditions. The Disability Confident scheme includes a guaranteed interview for any applicant with a disability who meets the minimum requirements for a job. Where reasonable, MAXIMUS will review and consider adjustments for those applicants who express a requirement for them during the recruitment process.

Salary £29,000 – £32,000 per annum.