At a Glance
- Tasks: Help individuals overcome barriers and find sustainable employment through personalised support.
- Company: Join St Mungo's, a leading charity dedicated to ending homelessness.
- Benefits: Flexible working, 28 days annual leave, and comprehensive wellbeing support.
- Other info: Diverse and inclusive workplace with strong commitment to equity and professional development.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while developing your career.
- Qualifications: Experience in recruitment or people-focused roles; passion for helping others.
The predicted salary is between 31500 - 38500 £ per year.
Are you passionate about helping people overcome barriers, realise their potential, and build a brighter future through employment? Our Employment Support team operates across London, Bristol, Brighton, Oxford, and Reading, supporting clients from both St Mungo’s and partner organisations to move into sustainable, paid work. We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated professional to join our Individual Placement and Support (IPS) service in Oxford.
What matters most is your ability to build genuine relationships, inspire confidence, and recognise potential where others may not. We work creatively and embrace innovative tools to enhance the support we provide, helping clients explore opportunities, strengthen applications, prepare for interviews, and navigate the modern world of work.
We welcome applicants with transferable skills. If you've worked in recruitment but found yourself most energised by helping candidates realise their potential, rather than simply filling vacancies, this could be the perfect next step in your career.
This role will provide personalised, person-centred employment support to individuals who want to find work or sustain existing employment. Working with a caseload of approximately 25 participants, you will take a holistic approach, helping people identify their strengths, build confidence, overcome barriers, and progress towards their employment goals.
To be successful in this role, you will:
- Be passionate about helping people overcome barriers and create positive change in their lives.
- Bring experience from recruitment, employability, education, housing, support work, health, criminal justice, customer-facing services, or a similar people-focused environment.
- Combine commercial awareness with genuine compassion and empathy, balancing performance targets with a commitment to positive client outcomes.
- Be skilled at building positive, trusting relationships and engaging people in a strengths-based way.
- Be comfortable using innovative tools, including AI, to enhance support and help people navigate the modern world of work.
- Build effective partnerships and work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders to create opportunities and achieve positive outcomes.
- Be able to manage a varied workload, prioritise effectively, and maintain accurate records.
- Demonstrate a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
St Mungo's are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We strongly encourage applications from all under-represented groups.
How to apply: To view the job description and guidance on completing your application form, please click on the ‘document’ tab on the advert page on our website. When you're ready to apply click the ‘Apply Now’ Button to start your online application form.
Closing date: 10am on 11 August 2026
Interview and assessments on: 21 August 2026
Please note: This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must have existing and ongoing right to work in the UK for the duration of employment. Successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of their right to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.
Our purpose is to end homelessness and rebuild lives. It drives everything that we do. For the past 55 years, we have been on the ground every day and every night, supporting people to recover from homelessness and advocating for change. We support around 28,000 people each year and our work means that more than 2,700 people have somewhere safe to stay each night.
We are working hard to create a diverse and fully inclusive culture where all colleagues feel valued, and we welcome applications from all under-represented groups. We believe that equity, diversity and inclusion improves the health, wellbeing and development of our colleagues and helps to ensure everyone feels valued. We know that when diversity, inclusion and wellbeing are prioritised, we are happier, healthier and can ultimately achieve better outcomes for our clients.
We offer a comprehensive package of benefits to our colleagues to ensure wellbeing remains a key priority. Maintaining a good work life balance can be tricky, but with family friendly policies, flexible and agile working options and an incremental annual leave allowance, we are committed to making sure you have the options available as and when you need them.
- Agile working model for suitable roles.
- Supportive flexitime and toil arrangements.
- 28 days annual leave rising to 31 after five years’ service.
- Family friendly leave policies including - maternity, adoption and parental leave.
- Carers leave, and fertility treatment leave.
- Financial wellbeing platform offering loans, advances and saving options.
- Auto-enrolment to pension scheme after six months service with an employer contribution of 6%.
- Employee Assistance Programme and access to SmartHealth app – 24/7 GP appointments, health checks and nutrition advice.
- Cycle to Work scheme and interest free season ticket loans.
- Discount vouchers including gym, retail, food & drink, travel, electricals and more.
At St Mungo’s we are committed to providing development opportunities for all our colleagues. We welcome people with a wide range of experiences and value transferable skills so that we can provide the best support for people experiencing homelessness. That’s why we have a robust induction, training and development programme that supports colleagues throughout their career at St Mungo’s.
- Highly praised internal training courses and access to external learning to build your skills and meet your professional development goals.
- Steps into Management programme to support colleague progression.
- Commitment to continued professional development with access to career development forums, internal mentoring and internal secondment opportunities.
A DBS disclosure check is a requirement for this post and will be undertaken for the successful candidate. Please be advised that all appointments will be made on St Mungo’s current standard Terms and Conditions (T&Cs); this also applies to any internal candidates.
Employment Specialist in Oxford employer: St Mungo's
St Mungo's is an exceptional employer that prioritises the health and safety of its employees and stakeholders, fostering a supportive work culture dedicated to continuous improvement and collaboration. With a strong commitment to high health and safety standards, employees benefit from professional growth opportunities and a meaningful role in making a positive impact on the community. Located in a vibrant area, St Mungo's offers a unique chance to contribute to a safer environment while being part of a passionate team.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Employment Specialist in Oxford
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at St Mungo's.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from St Mungo's!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like St Mungo's, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at St Mungo's or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Employment Specialist in Oxford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to St Mungo's:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to St Mungo's! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at St Mungo's
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
