IPS Employment Specialist

Job description

JOIN THE GROUNDWORK TEAM

We’re passionate about creating a future where every neighbourhood is vibrant and green, every community is strong and able to shape its own destiny and no-one is held back by their background or circumstances. We specialise in the following services and are committed to creating added social value through our delivery:

• Community engagement
• Landscape design & build
• Training & coaching for employment
• Early intervention to support health & wellbeing
• Safe & sustainable business support

As a Disability Confident employer we offer a guaranteed interview to applicants with a disability who meet the essential criteria for the role. As a Gold Award Employer Recognition Scheme holder with the Armed Forces Covenant we also offer a guaranteed interview to veterans who meet the essential criteria for the role.

At Groundwork we ensure that we provide a safe environment for adults, children and young people to take part in any activity or service that we organise. We are committed to creating a culture that promotes safeguarding and the welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk.

Our safer recruitment practices support this by ensuring that there is a consistent and comprehensive process of obtaining, collating, analysing and evaluating information from and about candidates to ensure that all the people we appoint are suitable to work with our children, young people and adults.

If you want to work in a values driven team that makes a real difference to individuals and communities in Greater Manchester, read on.

GGM operates a graded pay scheme which permits salary progression within grade subject to appropriate performance level. Our normal policy is to appoint at base of grade.

Permanent

36 hours 40 minutes hours per week

Based at Groundwork offices in Trafford Park or Ashton-under-Lyne and/or community base within Greater Manchester.

We aim to support a healthy work-life balance. As such we operate a flexi-time system and part-time and flexible working options are available. We are happy to discuss preferred working arrangements with candidates within the parameters of the role requirements.

Overview of the Post

You will be part of an established team delivering the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach, for a caseload of clients. You will be providing person centred advice and guidance for clients to support them to secure and sustain appropriate employment outcomes. You will be responsible for building positive relationships with local employers, to source suitable vacancies and enable clients to move into and sustain employment. You will work with a range of stakeholders in addition to the IPS and Groundwork teams including service managers, clinical teams, user groups, training and employment schemes, local colleges, local employers, JCP and other partner agencies.

Delivery

• Recruits and manages a caseload of services users, who have a disability or mental or physical health condition, providing an individually tailored programme of person-centred advice and guidance to enable them to secure and then sustain employment outcomes.
• Ensures delivery of a high quality, community-based service for your caseload that meets fidelity standards, delivers positive outcomes for service users and achieves contractual KPI’s and outcomes.
• Source job opportunities for clients through tailored job search and regular contact with local employers, in line with fidelity standards to explore hidden as well as advertised employment opportunities.
• Provide in work support for service users, and their employer, to ensure job sustainment

Business & Service Development

• Manage and develop relationships to both generate referrals and ensure effective delivery of all aspects of IPS service, including attending regular MDT clinical team meetings and building relationships with colleagues in clinical settings
• Develop effective working relationships with a range of external agencies who can help individuals to achieve their employment goals.
• Build and maintain employer relationships to support job retention, including supporting employers to implement reasonable adjustments and return to work strategies. Challenge inequalities experienced by clients and address existing discrimination, whilst ensuring a process of learning for the organisation.
• Identifies opportunities
• Uses internal and external data in vocational recovery field, and shares learning within team to inform service development and practice

Financial & Resource Management

• Plans for effective use of resources within service delivery
• Responsible for managing project budget relating to caseload

People Management & Development

• Shares specialist skills and knowledge with others
• Embeds culture and values through own behaviours and providing supportive challenge to others

Internal Management

• Embeds policy and procedure at project level
• Supports delivery of business improvement priority plans within IPS service area
• Supports organisational needs/development as required

To apply for this role, please download the documents found here https://www.groundwork.org.uk/jobs/employment-specialist-ips/ and return them to gmrecruitment@groundwork.org.uk