Job summary
- Main area
- Mental Health Support Role
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 5
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (office hours)
- Job ref
- 333-D-MK-MH-1277
- Employer
- Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Queensway Clinic,
- Town
- Milton Keynes
- Salary
- £31,049 - £37,796 per annum (pro rata P/T)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 05/10/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 04/11/2025
Employer heading
IPS Employment Specialist
NHS AfC: Band 5
CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.
Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference. We’re proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.
We are recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ only the best people, and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.
We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles. For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page
Become part of our team. We care for you as much as you care for others.
CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.
Job overview
IPS Employment Specialist
We have a great opportunity for another dynamic Employment Specialist to join our Individual Placement and Support Employment Services Team in Milton Keynes. The post will be based in the community Mental Health Hub which operates across 3 sites in the area.
We are looking for an individual who is highly motivated, organised, has excellent time management with experience of supporting people to access paid employment (we are interested in those with skills which could be transferred to this role). we are also looking for the right qualities and aptitudes. These include a passionate belief that anyone with a mental health condition can work, is a self-starter with initiative, a commitment to team work and ability to work in line with an evidenced based model and Key performance indicators.
You will need to promote employment and raise expectations that people accessing the mental health service can find and keep paid employment. You will have individual and team targets and will receive professional supervision and support from an Employment Team Leader, a clinical supervisor and local peers. You will also be expected to spend a significant amount of time in the community providing intervention to our clients, negotiating job opportunities via the hidden labour market, as well as networking with local agencies.
Main duties of the job
Using the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model you’ll be:
Supporting and motivating individuals with mental health conditions to access and sustain paid employment. Supporting the clients through Vocational profiling, CV production, interview techniques, assessing the financial implications of work, negating adjustments and managing their health at work. Sourcing job opportunities for your clients through regular contact with local employers within the community. Promoting employment and raising expectations around the ability of service users to access paid employment, breaking down the barriers for them.
Working for our organisation
Working for Central North West London NHS Trust
You will also be part of the Trust-wide Employment Services Team which comprises of over 40 people.
You will receive a number of staff benefits working for CNWL Trust, this includes an attractive pension scheme, a range of staff networks, travel discounts, employee assistance programme and discounts at hundreds of retailers nationwide.
This role is an excellent opportunity to start a long-term career within the mental health sector, develop your skills and a gateway to the vast number of opportunities within CNWL.
Apply today to become an IPS Employment Specialist and make a real difference!
Please note: Salary can only be negotiated where there is a minimum of 2 years experience within employment support.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Who are we looking for?
Firstly, you will need either a degree-level education or relevant work experience, such as in the health and social care or employment sectors. Alongside having strong and persuasive communication skills, excellent time management and exceptional organisational skills. Also, the ability to initiate and develop relationships with a variety of individuals and be able to engage employers using a variety of methods such as via the telephone or face-to-face in the community.
It would also be helpful (but not necessarily essential) if you have experience of working with people with mental health support needs (or similar groups) OR have experience working in employment support services (or equivalent), this can include working with people on a one-to-one basis, offering motivation and support, or engaging with a range of stakeholders. We are actively interested in individuals who have experience using a persuasive communication style or promoting a service to a variety of audiences, this can include marketing, recruitment, or sales roles.
Having a driving licence and access to a car is essential for this role
Person specification
Previous experience (paid/unpaid)
Essential criteria
- Experience of communicating and working with people on a one-to-one basis within a support setting
- Experience of working within diverse communities.
- Experience of building relationships and communicating with a range of different partners/organisations
- Experience of supporting people to obtain or keep work
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working with people with mental health difficulties or a similar client group within the health, social services, or voluntary sector
- Experience and knowledge of the benefits agency and disability/ employment related benefits
Skills, knowledge and abilities
Essential criteria
- An understanding of working within the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model
- Good verbal and written communication skills.
- Good presentation, negotiation, and marketing skills. negotiation skills
- Ability to initiate and develop relationships with employers and other agencies whilst being astute to their needs.
- Ability to work independently, reliably, and consistently
- Working knowledge of a broad range of occupations / jobs and recruitment practice
- Basic word processing/computing skills
- Excellent time management and organisational skills
- Ability to provide vocational assessments and profiling
Desirable criteria
- An understanding of the Equality Act 2010.
- An understanding of the employment needs and difficulties of people who experience mental health challenges
- Basic counselling and coaching skills.
Attitudes, aptitudes, personal characteristics
Essential criteria
- Ability to see solutions rather than problems.
- Ability to work in strength-based ways.
- Driving Licence
Education and Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Educated to a degree level (in any sector) OR equivalent workplace experience, this can include one or more of the below: • Experience within the health and social care sector. • Experience within employment support services
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Michelle Jacobs
- Job title
- Milton Keynes IPS Employment Services Team Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01908724931
- Additional information
Please contact Michelle Jacobs if you would like to have an informal chat about the role
If you have problems applying, contact
- Address
-
Recruitment
CNWL NHS Foundation Trust. MKHQ
The Open University. Charles Pinfold
Kents Hill
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA
- Telephone
- 01908 724986
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