Employment Specialist | Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Overview

The opportunity is for someone to cover Maternity Leave as an Employment Advisor within the Employment Support Team, sitting in the Talking Therapies services. The team works alongside the Talking Therapies service operating out of St Helens, Halton, Knowsley and Liverpool. This vacancy supports the Knowsley branch of the service.

The Employment Support team currently comprises Employment Advisors, Senior Employment Advisors and an Employment Support Team Manager. The post holder will receive both Caseload Review Supervision and Line Management to support in their role.

The post holder will provide skills-based interventions, information, advice, guidance and practical support to help people receiving NHS Talking Therapies to remain in work, return to work and gain work.

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check.

Since 2015 the Work & Health Unit has invested to increase the number of Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies to ensure that people with anxiety and depression receive combined psychological treatment and employment support to improve mental health and employment outcomes.

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across the region. We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and offer high secure mental health facilities. We are committed to delivering safe, effective and equitable care and to transforming services to improve quality and reduce costs.

Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.

Principal Responsibilities

1. The Employment Specialist will be required to manage a caseload of between 20-25 people at any one time who have experienced severe mental health issues and are either currently unemployed or require support to retain their current employment.
2. The Employment Specialist will deliver the Talking Therapies approach, working directly with all relevant stakeholders.
3. The Employment Specialist will maintain a professional relationship with service users and stakeholders, with particular attention to confidentiality and professional boundaries.
4. To adhere to mandatory administrative and data capture protocols when recording the progress of individuals and to keep accurate case records using the appropriate electronic notes systems.
5. To act independently, using judgment and initiative to develop an understanding of the needs and potential career aspirations of job seekers.
6. The Employment Specialist will support service users to gain and retain paid employment.
7. To sensitively gather information to develop a shared vocational profile and an identified Job Notion or CV for each job seeker, handling complex or sensitive information as required.
8. When seeking employment, to commence rapid job search within 30 days of referral while leveraging local support networks to overcome barriers to employment.
9. To research the labour market and build relationships with local employers to negotiate job opportunities that meet individual strengths and needs.
10. To source meaningful paid job opportunities for service users through tailored job search and regular employer contact, including opportunities in the hidden labour market.
11. To undertake job analyses and workplace assessments to ensure suitable work environments and potential for workplace adjustments.
12. To provide specialised advice to employers concerning employment for job seekers with varying clinical needs.
13. To provide specialist education and support to employers, including negotiating adjustments and return-to-work strategies, and ongoing contact to ensure job retention.
14. To develop workplace introduction strategies with a comprehensive package of individualised support for service users returning to work.
15. To provide ongoing individualised support to service users and employers after return to work to sustain employment.
16. To offer high-quality support to employed service users at risk of losing employment, providing advice and advocacy to negotiate return or termination of employment support focused on the user’s desired outcome.
17. To monitor longer-term career development with ongoing input as required.
18. To manage cases involving disciplinary hearings, phased return-to-work plans and mediation between employers and employees where appropriate.
19. Build relationships with clinical teams to generate referrals and integrate employment support into mental health treatment.
20. Adopt a multi-disciplinary approach to return to work, involving clinical staff when relevant to manage symptoms, medication reviews and rehabilitation needs.
21. With appropriate consent, communicate with carers, families, employers and other professionals on behalf of the service user as required.
22. Provide reports and liaise with employers regarding occupational health and HR to negotiate resolutions, particularly when mental health deteriorates.
23. Ensure all mandatory training is completed and up to date; participate in role-specific training offered by external organisations.
24. Familiarise with Health and Safety at Work Act obligations and ensure safety for self and others.
25. Ensure that relevant policies are implemented, including information governance and safeguarding.
26. Regularly collect and promote service user employment stories at recovery events.
27. Engage in innovative approaches to challenge discriminative recruitment practices.
28. Provide cover/support to localities with high referrals, complex cases, or disruptions due to illness or vacancies.
29. Assist service users in accessing benefits and better-off calculations prior to gaining employment.
30. Match service users’ skills with volunteering opportunities that can lead to paid employment.

This advert closes on Tuesday 16 Sep 2025