Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Develop effective working relationships with a range of external agencies who might support individuals’ employment goals, e.g. local colleges, training providers, trade unions and external support services

Maintain a professional relationship with clients and with key internal and external stakeholders, with particular attention to confidentiality and appropriate boundaries

Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of Jobcentre Plus provision, benefits, and national/local employment and social support options 

Adhere to administrative and data capture protocols, recording client progress accurately and completely 
Ensure that effective monitoring and evaluation systems are followed, adapting to best practice in employment advice 
Undertake mandatory training as required
Actively participate in own continuous professional development 

Ensure implementation of relevant policies such as information governance, safeguarding etc.

To appropriately escalate any concerns following the identification of risk and to follow the EA Risk Policy.

Conduct employment assessments with clients to then support them to develop personalised, realistic employment action plans that align with their therapy goals and recovery journey

Provide high-quality information, advice, and guidance on employment rights, reasonable adjustments, workplace wellbeing, and returning to work

Maintain accurate records of employment outcomes and soft goals using service-approved systems

To offer at least one early appointment and one late appointment per week and Saturday working on occasion if required.

Communicating and Relationship Skills 

Provide and receive complex information in relation to a client’s employment situation, where messages could constantly change

Use negotiating, empathetic, and motivational skills to support clients discussing sensitive or complex material, ensuring consent and professionalism is maintained

Work collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders, keeping all parties informed. Signpost clients to appropriate community and employability services.

Provide the person with appropriate tools to enable them to ensure that their needs are met within the workplace. Support to either self-advocate or source an appropriate advocate

Regularly collect feedback from clients 

Use IT systems confidently and effectively 

Adapt communication to overcome barriers and ensure engagement, including use of interpreters when required

Analytical and Judgemental Skills

Able to work independently and use initiative in varied and challenging situations 

Assess and make judgments within the service to gather information and apply creative problem solving where there are a range of options. Apply creative problem solving to meet service requirements and tailor employment advice to client needs

Planning and Organisational Responsibilities

To assist and contribute to complex service improvement or employment-related projects by supporting the development of workstreams, gathering feedback, and planning delivery in collaboration with project leads and clinical teams

Manage own time efficiently within service 

Prioritise casework and workload with appropriate support and supervision

Facilitate timely, person-centred SMART action plans with clients

Physical Skills

Have and demonstrate competent keyboard skills, fast paced and accurate at note taking

To be able to multitask while taking calls from patient i.e. data entry onto system

Employment in this post is subject to a Disclosure & Barring Service criminal records Disclosure.  The post holder may be required to undertake a Disclosure application at any time during employment.

To be able to travel between bases 

Responsibilities for Patient Care (duties and/or leadership)

Assess and provide non-clinical support to people with common mental health problems in the self-management of their recovery and progress toward personal and employment-related goals

Make decisions on suitability of new referrals, adhering to the department’s referral protocols

Keep coherent records of all client activity in line with service protocols and use these records and client outcome data in service decision making

Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the overall number of client contacts offered and sessions carried out per week in order to minimise waiting times and ensure service delivery remains accessible and convenient

Work collaboratively with talking therapies clinicians providing low/high intensity interventions to clients who are unemployed, at risk of unemployment or looking to change roles. 

To develop and maintain the integration of Employment support within the wider Sheffield NHS Talking Therapies service and for EAs to be integrated in to clinical teams.

Deliver client-led employment appointments identifying job goals, individual strengths, and barriers 

Record and report on caseload progress, including soft outcomes

Promote employment support and circulate related resources as part of the employment team 

Staff are expected to observe the highest standards of care and conduct and to engage constructively with managers, colleagues, patients/service users/carers and others in the course of their duties

Responsibilities for Policy and Service Development Implementation

Full understanding of relevant Trust policies and procedures e.g. Fire, Health & Safety, Data Protection/Security of Information 

Contribute to the reviewing, developing and monitoring of departmental policy relevant to the service area and impacting on other areas

Implement policies and procedures relevant to own work area

Engage with local service initiatives, acknowledging best practice and policies and procedures, which influence the local and national agenda

Responsibilities for Finance Physical Resources 

Use office equipment and resources in an appropriate manner, reporting faults following the recognised organisational procedure

Follow trust policy for submitting expenses 

Maintain safe and clean working environments 

The post holder does not have financial responsibilities

Responsibilities for Human Resources (Management, Leadership and Training)

Actively engage in personal development planning through 1:1 line management, CPD, mandatory training, supervision/group supervision/peer supervision, and reflective practice 

Commitment, if required, to complete national training programme for EAs. 

Support less experienced staff through mentoring, shadowing, and sharing best practices

Participate in team activities and knowledge sharing

Responsibilities for Information Resources

Stay informed of legislation relevant to the role

Comply with Data Protection Act, Freedom of information and Records Management Policy.

To maintain a high standard of notes on the online computer system IAPTus in line with the clinical record keeping policy. 

Ensure all data is stored in line with trust policy

Occasionally create reports in relations to meeting service KPI’s

To ensure all data/information is kept confidential

Responsibilities for Research and Development

Contribute to local and national evaluation/research projects of Employment Advice services 

Undertake research to stay current on employment, mental health, and labour market trends 

Monitoring own caseload performance against service targets. Contribute to service learning through feedback, reflective practice, and performance monitoring

Freedom to Act

Work autonomously while attending regular supervision 

Required to act independently within appropriate occupational guidelines, deciding when it is necessary to refer to their manager.

Works within Trust policies and codes of conduct.

Use initiative to manage time and workload effectively