Recovery Worker

Recovery Worker

SSJ&I Alcohol and Drug Service

Southampton

22 Hours per week, Permanent

Salary Scale: 22 – 26 (£16,045.73 – £18,171.41 per annum, pro rata (£26,986 – £30,561 FTE)

About Us

This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic Charity and Housing Association. The Society of St James (SSJ) has been working in Hampshire for over 50 years, delivering high impact, person-centred, accommodation services to adults and young people experiencing homelessness, problematic substance use and mental health problems. We believe that every person is of worth and we are prepared to take risks to house and support the most at risk and socially excluded members of society.

The Impact You'll Make

In this role, you will provide high-quality, person-centred support to individuals experiencing substance use and/or complex needs, enabling them to reduce harm, improve wellbeing, and make sustainable life changes. Operating within our Alcohol & Drug Service and outreach settings, you will deliver evidence-based extended brief interventions, manage a dynamic caseload, support clients through clinical treatment pathways (including OST, detox, and rehab), and undertake assertive community/hostel outreach to reach vulnerable individuals.

Who We're Looking For

Working for SSJI as a Recovery worker. We are looking for a trauma-informed, compassionate, and resilient individual who is deeply motivated to empower people with complex needs. You will be an innovative problem-solver with strong professional boundaries, self-awareness, and the confidence to build meaningful, non-judgmental relationships with service users who may be ambivalent or resistant to support.

Working part time 3 days per week.

Essential Skills and Qualities

• Substance Use & Harm Reduction Knowledge: Sound understanding of substance use, harm reduction principles, overdose prevention, and recovery pathways.
• Assertive & Outreach Engagement: Experience or strong understanding of assertively engaging individuals with complex, high-risk needs across varied outreach settings.
• Trauma-Informed & PIE Practice: A compassionate, trauma-informed, and Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE) approach to managing complex and challenging behaviors.
• Caseload & Risk Management: Proven ability to manage a caseload, conduct comprehensive strength-based assessments, and construct robust risk management and safeguarding plans.
• Multi-Agency & Advocacy Skills: Experience working collaboratively with statutory and voluntary partners (e.g., healthcare, probation, housing, MASH) to coordinate integrated care.
• Relational & Boundary Focus: Ability to build trust quickly while consistently maintaining clear, safe professional boundaries.
• IT & Administrative Competency: Strong IT skills with experience maintaining accurate, timely digital case management records and reporting requirements (such as NDTMS).

What we can offer you

We value and recognise our staff, offering some generous benefits, as well as the satisfaction of helping people at risk:

• A competitive annual leave entitlement of 25 days rising to 30 days, plus public holidays
• Flexible working options
• Buying additional annual leave
• Comprehensive induction and training
• Counselling, financial, personal support and health and wellbeing services via our Employee Assistance Programme
• Company cycle to work scheme
• Discounted laptops and computers with Jamie’s Computers
• Electric Car Scheme
• Blue Light Card 

SSJ are an equal opportunity employer and we encourage applicants from all backgrounds and walks of life.

At SSJ, we recognise the benefits of a supported workplace. SSJ is affiliated with Unite the Union. To learn more about their membership benefits or to sign up, you can visit their official website.

Application closing date: Monday 7^th December 2026 

Due to the high number of expected applicants, we do reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier.

Should you not hear from us within 14 days of the closing date, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.