IPS Grow Fidelity Assurance Lead

We are seeking Independent Placement & Support (IPS) professionals based across England and Wales with current or recent experience working within an IPS service, with a solid understanding of the IPS model and its practical application. The Connect to Work fidelity assurance contract offers a unique opportunity to strengthen and elevate the impact of IPS across the national work and health landscape. We are seeking ambitious, adaptable and purpose-driven individuals who are motivated by delivering change at scale and improving people’s lives through high-quality, evidence-based practice.

A key responsibility of this role is coordinating and undertaking fidelity reviews for the Connect to Work supported employment programme. The postholder will conduct on-site IPS fidelity reviews, produce clear and insightful fidelity reports, and facilitate local Communities of Practice (COPs) to promote shared learning and continuous improvement. Following fidelity reviews they will support the development of action plans that enhance performance, embed best practice, and ensure high-quality outcomes for people accessing IPS. Post holders will receive comprehensive training to build the skills and knowledge required to become a confident and effective IPS fidelity reviewer. A mix of remote and on-site work across England and Wales is required, and a commitment to national travel is essential (associated costs are paid for). Attendance at quarterly organisational events and regular team days in London is required.

About IPS Grow: IPS Grow is part of Social Finance. It grew out of our health and employment programme and the Mental Health Employment Partnership (MHEP) – the first IPS Social Impact Bond. IPS Grow is designed to support the expansion of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services in mental health, primary care, and drug and alcohol teams across England. The programme is led by Social Finance in partnership with the Centre for Mental Health. It is funded by NHS England (NHSE), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID). A core element of the programme is the expert delivery of detailed IPS fidelity reviews by a team of IPS professionals, enabling providers to deepen their understanding of fidelity requirements and strengthen employment outcomes for their clients.

Responsibilities

• Quality assurance and fidelity reviews

• Train to become a fidelity reviewer and conduct regular fidelity reviews across IPS services.
• Guide services through the fidelity review process, ensuring each stage is well-coordinated, timely, and delivered to a high standard.
• Produce impactful, concise and accurate fidelity reports within agreed timescales.
• Ensure active, measurable fidelity action plans are implemented.
• Maintain clear and consistent communication with services throughout the fidelity review process to support understanding, preparation, and smooth delivery of fidelity reports, COPs, and action plans.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels, including accountable body representatives, adapting style and approach to achieve clarity, build understanding, and support the intended outcomes of the assessment process.
• Work with services and key stakeholders to identify case studies that showcase impact and support the national promotion of the fidelity assurance process.

• Use insights from fidelity reports to shape the content and focus of localised COPs, ensuring sessions address priority themes and deliver maximum impact for services.
• Facilitate localised in person COPs that encourage shared learning, reflective discussion, and continuous improvement.
• Support the delivery of national webinars and workshops in line with wider team objectives.

Person Specification

• Successful candidates will be able to demonstrate IPS experience and expertise:

• Demonstrable experience working within an IPS service with a solid understanding of the IPS model, the fidelity scale, and their practical application.
• Applicants with experience in roles such as Employment Specialist, Team Leader, IPS Trainer, or other IPS-related positions would all be well-suited to this role.

• Proven experience delivering high-fidelity IPS practice, with an understanding of how strong adherence to the fidelity model directly contributes to improved employment outcomes.

• Experience working in a fast-paced, performance-driven environment, consistently delivering high-quality outputs at volume while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.

• Manage workloads and competing priorities efficiently and meet deadlines consistently while maintaining detail focused high-quality output.
• Driven by a core belief in evidence-based employment support and integrity to the IPS model.
• Takes a structured approach to solving problems and develops creative and innovative solutions to overcome challenges.
• Highly organised and meticulous, with strong attention to detail and a consistent ability to produce accurate, high-quality work.

The role involves significant travel to undertake fidelity reviews as well as meeting with IPS Grow team members from across England and Wales.

Working at Social Finance

The fixed salary for this position is £39,000 per annum. Working for a mission driven organisation is more than just what we pay though, it’s about our culture, our approach and what else we offer. We actively encourage applications from under-represented and minoritised groups, including those with lived experience of the social issues we are working to address. We are an equal opportunities employer. We support a range of flexible working options and welcome UK based applications from outside of London/the Southeast so far as they can meet the in-person meeting requirements for the role. We can also accommodate secondments and part-time working.

We work on some projects where our clients may require different levels of DBS checking for our employees. Candidates deemed suitable for a role after interview will be asked to declare any unspent convictions to ensure that we are able to resource them to projects appropriately.

How to Apply

We use Applied, an application platform developed by the Behavioural Insights Team, to record your application. Applied uses behavioural and data science to improve hiring decisions and minimise unconscious bias in the recruitment process. You will be asked to respond to situational based questions which will allow you to express your ability. Your answer to each question will be viewed in isolation. Please therefore ensure there is enough detail in that single response, without any references to your other responses.

NB: While we are asking for your CV, please note that we will not be viewing your CV during the initial sift process, other than to confirm IPS experience (completed by HR). The selection panel will not have access to your CV, so it is therefore essential that you respond to each question fully.

Apply for this position by clicking the link below or by copying and pasting the address. https://app.beapplied.com/apply/sgzjkdx5yi

Closing date for applications: Monday 16th February 2026 — 9am

First stage 30-minute telephone Zoom interviews will take place: 26th and 27th February 2026. Face to face interviews will take place: 3rd and 4th March 2026. Should you require any reasonable adjustments to allow you to attend, please highlight this when you are invited.

If you would like more information about the role, please email. Sign up to our mailing list for regular updates. We will keep your data secure and won’t share it outside of Social Finance, ever.