Recruitment Consultant
Location
Preston
Length of contract
Full time and permanent
Hours
37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday
To be worked between 8am and 6pm (inc 30-minute unpaid lunchbreak)
Pay Scale
£28,000 - £34,000 per annum plus on target bonus
Responsible to
Director
Holiday entitlement
Paid holiday entitlement of 28 days, plus 8 bank holidays (both calculated pro rata for part time employees)
Plus a day’s leave on your birthday, plus a wellbeing day’s leave (not calculated pro rata)
The role
To place ex-offender candidates into sustainable paid employment with local employers
Purpose
We place people with convictions into paid work, so they can build purposeful lives and see their families thrive
Mission
We do this by providing practical employment support, linking them to companies with good jobs
Vision
A society where people’s past convictions don’t define their employment future
Duties and Tasks
There are three main areas of work, all of which are vital to achieving the key positive outcome for the individuals we support: sustained meaningful employment.
1. Job Finder Support
Interviewing ex-offenders, offering one-to-one job coaching to help them into work, and providing ongoing mentoring for the first 12 months in employment.
Ours is a face-to-face, holistic and wraparound service that culminates in our candidates finding good jobs that last, with a wide array of socially inclusive employers on our books. Our job finder support can begin in custody and continue through the gate into the community, or start in the community. Typically, we will work with a person for between one and three months to establish work readiness and will continue to support them for up to a year once they find employment. Many people stay in touch and return to us for their second or third job over a period of years, and we consider our door to be open for as long as support is needed.
You will:
- Conduct one-to-one assessments with job-seeking candidates and, using your professional judgement, accept them directly into our paid-work search services or refer them to partner organisations for pre-employability support where issues such as substance misuse or homelessness remain significant barriers.
- Work with candidates over several weeks and months as a job mentor, meeting regularly to assist in all aspects of their job search.
- Help craft strong CVs and disclosure letters, ensuring candidates understand the facts and disclosure obligations relating to spent and unspent convictions.
- Check that candidates have the correct Right to Work documentation and arrange replacement birth certificates and National Insurance letters where required.
- Book candidates onto relevant training courses with third-party providers, including CSCS cards, HGV driver training and renewable energy qualifications.
- Encourage and support candidates in their own job search activity, including teaching them how to use online job boards and complete application forms.
- Submit candidates for vacancies with our inclusive employer partners and proactively identify additional opportunities on their behalf.
- Organise interviews, ensuring candidates have suitable interview clothing and the financial means to travel to interviews where required.
- Follow up immediately after interviews, helping candidates process outcomes, manage expectations and rebuild confidence if unsuccessful.
- Confirm job starts with both candidate and employer, ensuring candidates have access to any required workwear and travel-to-work support.
- Offer practical assistance as needed, including food parcels, hygiene packs, pre-loaded SIM cards, clothing and utility top-ups.
2. New Employer Engagement
Expanding our network of employers to generate a regular flow of job opportunities and enable more candidates to move into work.
This requires new business development and excellent relationship management. You will identify the roles most sought after by our candidates and focus on employers who demonstrate agility and responsiveness in their hiring processes. Contacts are likely to include business owners, divisional managers and site supervisors rather than social value or EDI teams.
You will:
- Proactively approach local employers advertising roles that match the skills and experience of current candidates, with the aim of securing interviews and recruitment instructions.
- Approach organisations that are not currently recruiting but are likely to offer suitable opportunities in the future.
- Maintain and develop a database of active and prospective employers.
- Take ownership of specific sectors or geographical areas in consultation with colleagues to maximise reach and avoid duplication.
- Visit employers to explain our services, answer questions about employing people with convictions and gain a thorough understanding of the workplace environment.
- Select and submit suitable candidates, advocating for each individual based on your knowledge of their strengths, achievements and progress.
- Positively challenge employer concerns where appropriate and advocate for fair consideration of candidates.
- Disclose offending history and risk profiles appropriately, highlighting personal attributes and workplace strengths while guiding employers through the recruitment process in partnership with the candidate.
3. In-Work Support
Supporting candidates to sustain employment for up to one year after starting work.
Maintaining employment is a key part of the journey. Newly employed candidates, particularly recent prison leavers, can face a range of practical, emotional and lifestyle challenges. The strongest chance of successfully supporting both candidate and employer comes from strong relationships built on trust, honesty and confidence.
You will:
- Advise employers on successfully onboarding new employees during their first weeks and months in work.
- Help employers understand and accommodate any additional support needs, such as housing transitions, medical appointments or probation requirements.
- Be aware of and proactively manage issues relating to media attention around previous convictions, including advising on measures to protect privacy and reputation where appropriate.
- Maintain regular contact with candidates during their first 12 months in employment through phone calls, meetings and ongoing mentoring support.
- Record all candidate and employer interactions, progress and outcomes on the Itris recruitment CRM database.
This is a non-exhaustive list of tasks and may be amended from time to time in line with the needs of the charity.
Our Interview Process
This vacancy will close on 6th September, with applications being shortlisted on 7th September.
If you are successful at the shortlisting stage, you will be invited to attend the first stage of our interview process on Tuesday 8th September, between 4:30pm and 7pm, at our new offices in Preston.
We want our recruitment process to give you the opportunity to get to know The Recruitment Junction (TRJ) just as much as it allows us to get to know you.
The evening will begin with an introduction to TRJ from our CEO and Senior Leadership Team, giving you the opportunity to hear more about who we are, our values. the work we do and what it is like to be part of our team. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions in an open audience environment, allowing you to find out more about TRJ, our work and our organisation. Refreshments will also be provided.
You will then have a short, informal, face-to-face conversation with one of our hiring managers. This is designed to be a relaxed opportunity for us to learn a little more about you, while also giving you the chance to ask questions and decide whether TRJ is somewhere you would like to continue pursuing a career.
Following the first-stage event, we will invite successful candidates for a formal final interview.
Key dates:
- Applications close: 6th September
- Shortlisting: 7th September
- Stage One – Recruitment Evening: Tuesday 8th September, 4:30-7pm
- Stage Two – Formal Final Interview: Wednesday 16th September – time to be confirmed
We hope this approach creates a welcoming and informal first stage, giving you a genuine opportunity to learn more about TRJ, meet members of our team and decide whether we are a fit for each other.
When applying, please read the interview information carefully and ensure you meet the essential criteria outlined in the Job Description.
Registered Charity
11 - 20
Supporting people with convictions into paid employment, breaking down barriers and creating positive, sustainable futures.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
The role
This is an exciting opportunity to join NEYDL’s growing team and help us establish and develop our work with young dads in Sunderland.
As a Senior Young Dads Worker, you will provide direct, intensive support to young dads across Sunderland, working with some of the most disadvantaged young men in the region. You will manage your own caseload, lead peer support activity, work in close partnership with Family Hubs, social care and other local services, and take a lead role in ensuring every young dad you work with is effectively supported from first contact through to positive outcomes.
This is a senior role with real responsibility. Alongside direct delivery, you will take ownership of your project budget, contribute to funder reporting, supervise junior staff and/or volunteers, and develop a designated area of specialism agreed with the senior leadership team. You will be part of a close, supportive team and will play an active role in shaping how NEYDL grows its presence in Sunderland.
What we are looking for
We are looking for someone with experience of working with disadvantaged young people or young families in a direct support role, ideally in a statutory or voluntary sector context. You will be confident working independently and managing a complex caseload, and you will understand the challenges facing young dads and the systems they navigate.
We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of young fatherhood or young parenthood, from individuals with local knowledge of Sunderland communities, and from people from minoritised backgrounds.
What we offer
NEYDL is a close, inclusive and supportive team that actively invests in the development of its staff. We are a non-judgmental organisation built on mutual trust, respect and honesty. If you join us, you will be part of a team that genuinely believes in what it does.
In addition, we offer:
- 7.2 weeks’ annual leave per year, inclusive of statutory and public holidays
- 5% employer pension contribution
- A flexible hybrid working arrangement
- Regular supervision and fortnightly team meetings
- Funded professional development and training
- Mileage paid at 55p per mile for business travel
Job purpose
To provide high-quality, intensive support to young dads and expectant fathers (aged 25 and under) across Sunderland; to lead and coordinate peer support activity; to manage allocated budgets and contribute to funder reporting; and to take an active role in the development of NEYDL’s commissioned services in the region.
Key responsibilities
1. Direct support
- Provide in-person and online 1-to-1 support to young dads and non-birthing people, helping them address key challenges and achieve personal outcomes
- Assess new referrals and manage a complex caseload, prioritising according to need and risk
- Support young dads to attend key meetings with professionals (including child protection, child in need, family court and multi-agency forums)
- Help young dads to access wider opportunities including volunteering, employment, education and community activities
- Support young dads and their families to engage in father and child activities, stay and play sessions, and peer supported recreational activities
- Promote and support access to DigiDAD, NEYDL’s free e-learning platform, and other training and information resources
2. Peer support and group work
- Establish, coordinate and co-facilitate in-person peer support groups for young dads in Sunderland
- Support the development and delivery of parenting, relationship skills and employability sessions in response to community-identified needs
- Support peer moderated video gaming groups as part of DigiDAD Gaming where relevant
3. Induction, onboarding and milestones
- Ensure every young dad is effectively inducted onto the NEYDL service, completing key onboarding steps and baseline self-evaluation measures
- Track and record progress against key milestones throughout the support journey, in line with NEYDL’s evaluation framework
- Ensure all relevant data is recorded accurately and on time in NEYDL’s data management system
4. Budget and targets
- Take ownership of allocated project budgets, monitoring expenditure and liaising with the Programme Manager (Commissioned Services) and Finance Officer as required
- Work proactively to achieve agreed referral rate targets, taking responsibility for building pathways and relationships that generate consistent referrals
- Contribute to the preparation of funder reports under the oversight of the Programme Manager and Fundraiser, providing accurate data and case study material
5. Specialism
- Take on a designated area of specialism within NEYDL, agreed with the Senior Leadership Team (for example, volunteering, safeguarding or environmental programmes)
- Take a lead role within the team in relation to your specialism, contributing expertise and supporting colleagues
6. Management of staff and volunteers
- Line manage junior staff, project workers and/or volunteers as required
- Support staff and volunteers with operational queries and day-to-day delivery
- Contribute to the induction, supervision and professional development of staff and volunteers
- Support the recruitment and progression of young dads into volunteering roles, including as DigiDAD content creators, peer researchers, DADvocates, AmbassaDADS and community leaders
7. Monitoring and evaluation
- Support the effective recording, monitoring and reporting of programme performance via NEYDL’s data management system and evaluation framework
- Comply with all monitoring, evaluation and reporting requirements, both internal and funder-related
- Support the work of NEYDL’s research partners and independent evaluators as required
8. Collaboration and partnerships
- Work in partnership with key stakeholders in Sunderland to improve the service offer for young dads, including Family Hub teams, social care, health, housing, education and voluntary sector organisations
- Build referral pathways and maintain strong working relationships with local services and networks
- Develop and build effective relationships with principal stakeholders, supporters and referral partners
9. Advocacy and engagement
- Represent NEYDL at external events and meetings to raise awareness of the service and influence other organisations
- Promote, campaign and advocate with and on behalf of young men, ensuring NEYDL continues to be a leading voice for positive change
- Work proactively to enable young dads to influence the design and delivery of the service, including supporting their participation in community leadership programmes
- Support the charity’s communications and engagement activity, including contributing content to annual reports, social media and local media
10. Other
- Deputise for the Programme Managers as required
- Report to the Board of Trustees in person or in writing on a quarterly basis as required
11. Standard clauses
- The post holder must carry out their responsibilities at all times with due regard to NEYDL’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategy, policy and statement, and Safeguarding Policy
- The post holder is responsible for ensuring that policies and procedures relating to health and safety in the workplace are adhered to at all times
- The post holder must respect the confidentiality of data stored electronically and by other means, in line with NEYDL’s Data Protection Policy
- This role requires satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance prior to appointment
This job description is not exhaustive. NEYDL reserves the right to reasonably add to or revise it at any time in agreement with the post holder.
