Specialist jobs in Bristol

Job Role: Specialist Drug & Alcohol Support Worker (Domestic Abuse)

Salary: £26,200 per year

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Contract Type: Permanent

Location: Bath

Additional Information:

• • Monday to Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm
  • Full UK driving licence, access to own vehicle and business insurance required
  • Role requires travel across BANES as part of service delivery

About Alongside

Alongside is the new name for Julian House.

We work with people experiencing social exclusion across the South and West of England, providing outreach, accommodation and support. Our clients may be sleeping rough, fleeing abuse, rebuilding after trauma, leaving prison, recovering from addiction, or trying to settle safely in a new community. Whatever their starting point, we work alongside people to help build safety, stability and independence.

If you'd like a real sense of job satisfaction, great career prospects and a competitive benefits package, you could be who we're looking for!

About the Role

As a Specialist Drug & Alcohol Support Worker, you'll be part of our Renew Domestic Abuse Service, supporting individuals who have experienced domestic abuse and are living in short-term emergency refuge accommodation.

This specialist role focuses on working with clients who are experiencing challenges relating to drug and alcohol use alongside domestic abuse. You'll provide person-centred support, helping individuals identify their goals, access specialist services, improve their wellbeing, and move towards greater independence and safety.

Working closely with partner agencies, you'll play a key role in ensuring clients receive coordinated support that addresses both substance misuse and the wider impact of domestic abuse. This is a rewarding opportunity to make a genuine difference to people at a critical point in their lives.

What You'll Be Doing

• • Carry out comprehensive needs and risk assessments and develop tailored support plans.
  • Provide one-to-one support to clients experiencing domestic abuse and substance misuse challenges.
  • Build strong partnerships with specialist drug and alcohol services and make referrals where appropriate.
  • Work alongside external agencies to coordinate support and advocate for clients when needed.
  • Maintain accurate records and ensure safeguarding concerns are identified and acted upon appropriately.
  • Support clients to build confidence, improve wellbeing, and achieve positive outcomes.

Please note: Job descriptions are not exhaustive, and the successful candidate may occasionally be asked to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the responsibilities of the role.

Please note: Job descriptions are not exhaustive, and the successful candidate may occasionally be asked to take on other duties that align with the key responsibilities outlined.

You can view the full job description by clicking here.

What We're Looking For

• • Experience supporting people with complex needs, including substance misuse and/or mental health challenges.
  • Knowledge and understanding of domestic abuse and its impact on survivors and their children.
  • Ability to build positive, empowering relationships and support clients to make informed decisions.
  • Strong communication, assessment, record-keeping and partnership-working skills.
  • Full UK driving licence, access to your own vehicle and willingness to travel for work purposes.

There are many great reasons to join our team!

• • Access to our Rewards Platform, which includes an Employee Assistance Programme and Health Cash Plan
  • 27 days annual leave, including an extra day off for your birthday, plus bank holidays – increasing up to 30 days after 4 years of continuous employment
  • 30% staff discount at our charity shops
  • A generous and competitive pension scheme
  • A supportive culture where staff feedback is highly valued and regular supervisions with line managers are conducted
  • Great opportunities for career development and free monthly training sessions from experienced facilitators
  • Blue Light Card eligibility, offering discounts on thousands of brands
  • Reflective Practice sessions from objective, external facilitators

Our Ethos

As an Equal Opportunities employer, we have an Equality and Diversity Action Plan in place demonstrating our commitment to creating an inclusive culture. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and cultures, especially groups that are underrepresented in the workplace. We also welcome applications from those with lived experience.

We embrace flexibility and are proud to be a Disability Confident and Mindful employer, as well as an Armed Forces Covenant Supporter.

If you have any special access requirements or other support needs throughout the application process (including interview), please contact us so that we can let you know how we can support you. We accept CVs and applications in all formats.

DBS Checks

We welcome applications from people with lived experience. All applicants working with our clients will be expected to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. A criminal conviction will not necessarily prevent you from becoming an employee; the decision will depend on the type of offence and its relevance to the role.

External Affairs and Strategy Specialist

Location:  Home Based, Expectation of travel
Working Hours: 37
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: £38,960.00 - £48,960

Flexibility in terms of hours and possible part time hours to be considered.

Please note: The salary listed reflects the full earning potential for this role. Starting salaries depend on experience and progression within the band. 

About Waythrough 

Waythrough was formed in 2024 following the merger of Humankind and Richmond Fellowship. Together, we’ve created one of the largest mental health and social support charities in England. 

Every year, we support around 125,000 people through nearly 200 services – and it’s all made possible by our 3,500 brilliant staff and volunteers.

Make a real difference in your community 

Are you passionate about helping others live safer, healthier, more independent lives? Join our team at Waythrough and support people facing challenges around mental health, substance use, housing or domestic abuse. This is more than just a job – it’s a chance to build meaningful relationships and create lasting change. 

About the Role

As the External Affairs and Strategy Specialist, you will help shape Waythrough’s external influence, ensuring the organisation understands and responds to an increasingly complex political, policy and social environment. Working closely with senior leaders, you will support strategic decision-making, build key partnerships and drive campaigns and policy projects that create positive change for the people we support.

This is a home-based role with some travel required, including attendance at our joint All Party Parliamentary Group (five or six times per year), and service visits, team away days and wider meetings as required. . You will work closely with colleagues across the organisation, particularly the Communications team, to ensure our external voice is informed, impactful and rooted in lived experience.

Key Duties

• Monitor and interpret political, policy and sector developments, identifying emerging risks, opportunities and trends.
• Build strong relationships across Waythrough to identify subject matter experts and ensure external positions are informed by operational and lived experience.
• Lead and coordinate elements of national campaigns, maintaining momentum and working collaboratively with Communications colleagues to maximise impact.
• Brief senior leaders on external affairs issues and provide high-quality research, papers and recommendations to support organisational decision-making.
• Represent Waythrough at parliamentary groups, policy alliances, external forums and partnership meetings.
• Develop policy submissions, consultation responses, speeches, presentations and campaign materials.
• Build and maintain relationships with senior stakeholders, including parliamentarians, sector bodies and partner organisations.
• Ensure the voices of the people we support remain central to all advocacy, policy and campaign activity.

About You

You are a confident and proactive relationship builder who thrives in a complex and fast-moving environment. Working as part of a small team, and with support and coaching from the Director, you'll be comfortable seeking out expertise across the organisation, collaborating with a wide range of colleagues and influencing senior stakeholders.

You have excellent communication skills, a strong understanding of politics and policy, and the confidence to work closely with directors and executive leaders. You can balance multiple priorities while maintaining focus on what matters most, and you are motivated by ensuring that campaigns, policy positions and external messages are genuinely informed by the experiences and voices of the people we support. Above all, you'll bring initiative, curiosity and a willingness to get stuck in and make things happen.

What We Offer

We value the people who make a difference every day. Alongside meaningful work, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package:

• 27 days’ annual leave, rising to 32 after 1 year (plus bank holidays)

• Pension scheme with 4.5% employer contribution, matched up to 6.5%

• Life assurance (3× annual salary)

• Enhanced sick pay and family-friendly pay

• Birthday leave and the option to buy up to 5 extra days’ annual leave

• Professional fee reimbursement for relevant qualifications

• 24/7 online GP access and Employee Assistance Programme

• Recognition and long service awards via our Way to Go and Aspirations portals

• £500 Recommend a Friend bonus

• Cycle to Work scheme and Credit Union membership

• Discounts via Blue Light Card, Charity Discounts, Extras and Tickets for Good

• Free will writing service and wellbeing initiatives throughout the year.

Inclusion and accessibility 

Waythrough is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities, especially those with lived experience of the issues we support. 

We have signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme  - all applicants are welcome, and adjustments can be made to enable fair participation.