Ips employment specialist jobs

About Working Well Trust 

Working Well Trust is a mental health and employment charity in London. All of our projects share the aim of improving the lives of people with mental health support needs, learning disabilities and/or complex issues through training and employment. 

We are now recruiting an IPS Employment Advisor to join our Connect to Work service across Enfield. This is a full-time, permanent role working 35 hours per week, following the principles of the IPS model to support people into paid employment. 

This role is specific to being co-located on site with probation services within Enfield. Candidates must be willing to undergo a vetting form including digital ID verification technology, right to work checks, proof of identity, proof of address and a DBS. Due to the nature of the role, the successful candidate with need to include contact details for prior workplaces and personal references.

Previous experience/understanding of probation services and MAPPA restrictions are essential to the role.

What you’ll be doing 

If you were working with us, your days would be varied and people-centred. You would manage a caseload of clients with mental health support needs, people experiencing homelessness, and people with offending histories, offering one-to-one support to help them secure and sustain employment that matches their preferences. 

You would provide person-centred guidance using the IPS approach (training is provided), helping clients build confidence, prepare for work, and navigate challenges that may arise. A key part of the role involves engaging employers, promoting the value of our service, and identifying suitable job opportunities.

You would work closely with external teams, contributing to an integrated approach to recovery through employment. This includes attending team meetings, coordinating support, and maintaining clear, client-led communication. The role also involves working to agreed targets while maintaining a high-quality, supportive service. 

What you’ll need 

You do not need previous employment support experience. What matters most is that you bring: 

• A genuine desire to support people with mental health support needs and/or learning disabilities to achieve their employment goals. 

• Motivation to help people from all backgrounds move into meaningful work. 

• Confidence speaking with a wide range of people, from clients to employers. 

• Strong organisation skills, with the ability to multitask and manage your workload. 

• Willingness to learn the IPS model and become confident approaching employers. 

We welcome applications from people with lived experience of mental health, personally or through a close contact. 

What we offer 

• 30 days annual leave plus public holidays (FTE) 

• Paid company closed days at the end of the year (FTE) 

• Flexible, paid Wellbeing Hour every fortnight (FTE) 

• 6% employer pension contribution 

Working Well Trust is an equal opportunities employer and Confident about Disabilities. 

What’s next 

Before you apply, please note the following: 

• We actively recruit and carefully review all applications. Due to rapid service expansion, we have onboarded 20 external hires in the last six months. 

• To ensure we can best support the people and communities we serve, we progress applications only where candidates provide meaningful answers to the screening questions. 

• Career development is real here: in the past year, 10 colleagues have progressed internally into Senior roles, Project Lead, Team Lead, and Operations Manager positions. We value ambition and celebrate progression. 

• If you require any reasonable adjustments at the interview stage, for example due to a disability, learning difficulty or health condition, please let us know in advance so that we can make appropriate arrangements.

If you are ready to help us build a service that supports people into meaningful work, click Apply to submit your CV and answer the screening questions. Telephone and final interviews will be confirmed. 

Start your application today and take the next step in a rewarding career. 

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.

About you

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.

Job Type: Permanent, Part Time 21 Hours
Location: Field Based, covering Thanet, Folkestone, Hythe & Romney Marsh, Canterbury, Dover, Deal and Ashford
Salary: £14,726.95

Make a real difference every day

At Rethink Mental Illness, we believe that everyone severely affected by mental illness deserves the opportunity to live a fulfilling life — and having meaningful employment can be a crucial part of that journey.

We’re looking for an IPS Employment Specialist to join our East Kent IPS Service covering Thanet, Folkestone, Hythe & Romney Marsh, Canterbury, Dover, Deal and Ashford. You’ll work one‑to‑one with people who want to find or return to paid employment, helping them identify their goals, build confidence, and secure roles that align with their skills and aspirations.

This is a Part Time (21 Hours) role with a salary of £14,726.95 pro rata.

This is a rewarding, dynamic role where no two days are the same. You’ll work in the community, meet people where they are, and build strong relationships with employers and local partners to open real opportunities within the hidden labour market.

What you’ll do

As an Employment Specialist, you will:

• Work alongside individuals to understand their employment goals and create personalised vocational plans.
• Support people to find and keep paid work that reflects their strengths, interests and ambitions.
• Build and maintain relationships with employers, identifying opportunities and advocating for reasonable adjustments where needed.
• Provide in‑work support to help individuals thrive in their roles.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the IPS team and local services to ensure consistent, recovery‑focused support.
• Promote the value of employment in mental health recovery across your allocated East Kent area.
• Maintain effective records, manage referrals, and contribute to the smooth running of the service.

What you’ll bring

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has experience supporting people into employment or helping others overcome barriers to work.
• Understands mental health challenges and has experience in social care, support services or community-based roles.
• Can build positive relationships with a wide range of people, including employers, colleagues and service users.
• Is empathetic, proactive and comfortable working independently across a dispersed geography.
• Is organised, flexible and able to respond calmly to unexpected challenges.
• Has strong awareness of risk management, safeguarding and confidentiality.
• Holds — or is working towards — a Level 3 qualification relevant to care, community mental health or social support (or equivalent experience).

Experience delivering community projects, facilitating training, or developing workshops is desirable but not essential.

Why join us?

Joining Rethink Mental Illness means becoming part of a charity that believes in people’s potential. You’ll receive:

• Regular supervision and access to learning and development
• Supportive, values-driven colleagues
• Opportunities to shape services and empower individuals
• The chance to make a direct, life‑changing impact

Ready to make a difference?

If you’re passionate about supporting people with mental health challenges to achieve their employment goals, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply today and help create a better future for people living with mental illness in East Kent.

We are Hestia. We make a difference.

At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for a Employment Specialist to play a pivotal role in our Employability Services in Haringey.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

We are seeking a dedicated and adaptable professional to manage a caseload of up to 20 clients, supporting individuals with mental health conditions into meaningful employment using the IPS model. The ideal candidate will work closely with clinical teams, contribute to multi-disciplinary care planning, and build strong relationships with employers to tailor job opportunities. Strong organisational and communication skills are essential for managing referrals, job retention support, and compliance with NHS and Hestia protocols. The role also requires accurate KPI tracking, benefit guidance, and flexibility to work across various settings. A commitment to professional development, collaboration, and client-centred outcomes is key.​

What do I need to bring with me?

You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

Someone who is a self starter and comfortable with a lone working environment, you will have strong empathy skills and an eye for detail. You should have experience of supporting people in a job search and have made an impact on this. To succeed you would need to have worked in a target environment and used to meeting and exceeding targets.

Interview Steps

We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.

• Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
• Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based.

Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Safeguarding Statement

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

Important Information for Candidates

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.

Employment Specialist

Make a real difference every day and join an organisation that believes that everyone severely affected by mental illness deserves the opportunity to live a fulfilling life and having meaningful employment can be a crucial part of that journey.

We’re looking for an IPS Employment Specialist to join the East Kent IPS Service covering Thanet, Folkestone, Hythe & Romney Marsh, Canterbury, Dover, Deal and Ashford.

Position: Employment Specialist

Salary: £24,544.91 pro rata (actual £14,726.95)

Location: Hybrid, covering Thanet, Folkestone, Hythe & Romney Marsh, Canterbury, Dover, Deal and Ashford

Hours: Part Time 21 Hours

Contract: Permanent

Closing Date: 7 August 2026

About the Role

You’ll work one to one with people who want to find or return to paid employment, helping them identify their goals, build confidence, and secure roles that align with their skills and aspirations.

This is a rewarding, dynamic role where no two days are the same. You’ll work in the community, meet people where they are, and build strong relationships with employers and local partners to open real opportunities within the hidden labour market.

What you’ll do

As an Employment Specialist, you will:

• Work alongside individuals to understand their employment goals and create personalised plans.
• Support people to find and keep paid work that reflects their strengths, interests and ambitions.
• Build and maintain relationships with employers, identifying opportunities and advocating for reasonable adjustments where needed.
• Provide in work support to help individuals thrive in their roles.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the IPS team and local services.
• Promote the value of employment in mental health recovery across your allocated East Kent area.
• Maintain effective records, manage referrals, and contribute to the smooth running of the service.

About You

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has experience supporting people into employment or helping others overcome barriers to work.
• Understands mental health challenges and has experience in social care, support services or community-based roles.
• Can build positive relationships with a wide range of people.
• Is empathetic, proactive and comfortable working independently across a dispersed geography.
• Is organised, flexible and able to respond calmly to unexpected challenges.
• Has strong awareness of risk management, safeguarding and confidentiality.
• Holds, or is working towards a Level 3 qualification relevant to care, community mental health or social support (or equivalent experience).

Why work here?

Joining the team means becoming part of a charity that believes in people’s potential. You’ll receive:

• Regular supervision and access to learning and development
• Supportive, values-driven colleagues
• Opportunities to shape services and empower individuals
• The chance to make a direct, life changing impact

Ready to make a difference?

If you’re passionate about supporting people with mental health challenges to achieve their employment goals, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today and help create a better future for people living with mental illness in East Kent.

About the Organisation

You will be joining a values-led organisation committed to improving lives and driving meaningful social change. The team works collaboratively to influence public attitudes, shape policy and ensure that important issues remain high on the national agenda.

Benefits include:

• Inclusive Culture: Join staff networks that champion diversity and inclusion.
• Wellbeing Support
• Recognition & Rewards
• Flexible Working & Generous Leave: Starting at 25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays and your birthday off), with options to buy or sell extra days.
• Learning & Development: Grow your career with structured onboarding and training opportunities.
• Financial & Family Support: Contributory pension scheme, enhanced family leave, and travel benefits like season ticket loans and cycle-to-work schemes.
• Referral Bonus: Earn up to £300 for introducing someone to our team.

We recognise and support staff networks and support groups for our ethnically diverse and LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter.

The charity is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcome, valued and able to thrive. Applications are encouraged from people of all backgrounds, including those with lived experience of mental ill health, people who are LGBTQIA+, neurodivergent, disabled or living with a long-term health condition, and people from ethnically diverse communities.

Other roles you may have experience of could include Mental Health, Mental Health Support Worker, Mental Health Caseworker, Employment Coach, Employment Mentor, Employment Advisor, Career Coach, Career Mentor, Career Advisor, Recruitment, Recruiter, HR, Social Welfare, Social Outreach.

Please note this role is advertised by the recruitment agency acting for the client – Not For Profit People. #INDNFP

Employment Specialist - Medway and Gravesham

Location:  Medway

Salary:  Up to £28,000, depending on experience

Vacancy Type: Permanent

About The Role

Are you passionate about helping people unlock their potential through meaningful employment?

We’re looking for a motivated Employment Specialist to support people living with mental health conditions, long-term physical health conditions, or disabilities to move into work that suits their skills, strengths, and ambitions.

Working across Medway and Gravesham, you’ll deliver the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model as part of the Connect to Work programme. This evidence-based approach focuses on helping people move into competitive employment quickly, with personalised support that continues once they start work. Full IPS training will be provided, so if you bring the right passion and people skills, we’ll equip you with the rest.

Due to the nature of the role, all applicants must hold a valid UK driving licence and have access to a vehicle.

 What you’ll be doing

You’ll manage a caseload of around 25 participants who are motivated to start or return to work, providing personalised support from first meeting through to sustaining employment.

Your role will include:

• Identifying participants’ skills, strengths, and career aspirations
• Creating Vocational Profiles and tailored Action Plans
• Supporting with CV writing, job searching, applications, and interview preparation
• Delivering one-to-one and group coaching to build confidence and employability skills
• Helping participants overcome barriers including benefits concerns, health disclosures, or workplace adjustments

You’ll also play an important role in connecting participants with opportunities in the local labour market.

• Build strong relationships with local employers across North and East Kent
• Identify opportunities in both the advertised and hidden job market
• Match participants to suitable vacancies and coordinate interviews
• Work with employers to promote inclusive recruitment and reasonable adjustments

This role is highly collaborative and community-focused. You’ll work closely with clinical teams, community organisations, training providers, and employers to ensure participants receive holistic support.

Once someone starts work, your support doesn’t stop. You’ll continue to provide in-work coaching and guidance, helping participants settle into their role, build confidence, and sustain long-term employment.

About you

We’re looking for someone who is passionate about people and motivated by helping others achieve their goals. You may come from a background in:

• Health or wellbeing services
• Employability or welfare-to-work programmes
• Adult skills, training, or education
• Recruitment or employer engagement

You’ll also bring strong relationship-building skills, the ability to motivate and coach individuals, and confidence working independently within the community.

If you’re looking for a rewarding role where you can make a real difference in people’s lives through employment, we’d love to hear from you.

About Us

We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.

We are committed to our cause and the work we carry out as a charity. Equally the wellbeing and the employees who work for us are also important. Joining us an employee, we will offer you the following benefits - 

• Flexible working
• Training and development opportunities
• Simply Health Cashback Scheme (optional)
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme 
• Cycle to work scheme
• Crisis Loan Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme
• 3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata'd for part time employees)
• Access to Blue Light Card
• 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays 
• Contributory Pension Scheme – Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years’ service and up to 9% thereafter 
• Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary) 
• Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)

Please note that we may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Forward Trust, please click apply to be redirected to our website to complete your application.