Job Description

Internal applicants who wish to be considered for a secondment opportunity should discuss with their line manager the suitability of a possible secondment.
Are you looking for a career where you can make a positive difference to the lives of people with Mental Health Difficulties?
Do you believe you have the skills to support people back into employment?
Are you passionate that occupation can support a person's wellbeing?
If so these roles may be just what you're looking for!
(1 Employment Specialist based at Pullman Place, Gloucester and 1 based in Cheltenham)
For people who need Mental Health support, getting back into work is a vital step on their recovery journey. The evidence backs this up and although 90% of people with Severe Mental Illness want to work, only 8% of them are in paid employment. This is why we are looking for people to join our friendly Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Service, as an Employment Specialist.
Main duties of the job
This is an incredibly rewarding role - you will have the opportunity to transform the lives of your clients, to give them hope, direction and support their recovery journey. This is also a challenging role, so you'll need to be resilient, empathetic and dedicated to finding clients employment that is right for them. As a people person, you will build a good rapport with your clients, gaining a real understanding of their key skills, their aspirations and their career goals. You will also spend time building productive relationships with employers, in order to identify and negotiate job opportunities in the hidden labour market.
We welcome people from a range of backgrounds and with a variety of experience for this role. We will train you on the Individual Placement & Support (IPS) approach, giving you the tools you need to provide expert support and advice to clients, while also building positive relationships with employers and changing perceptions around mental health.
About us
We have a skilled and dedicated workforce of over 5000 colleagues working in a diverse range of services over 55 sites and within people's homes. We strive to enable a welcoming workplace culture that builds and celebrates civility, inclusivity and diversity, while providing a sense of belonging and trust.
Annual staff surveys, regular Pulse surveys and other engagement opportunities provide our people with lots of opportunity to tell us about their experiences of working with us. In the latest staff survey, 61% of colleagues gave us their views. It was great to hear that:

• 72% of colleagues would recommend the Trust as a place to work, ranking us 1st for Provider Trusts in the South West region on this question.
• 76% would recommend the standard of care provided in our services if a friend or relative needed treatment, also ranking us 1st in the South West region.
• 81% said that care of patients and service users is the Trust's priority, compared with an average in comparable NHS Trusts in England of 64%

This high-level overview shows we are in a healthy position, with higher scores than average for comparable organisations, alongside a great response rate, indicating good staff engagement. However, we also know we have plenty of room for improvement in many areas. To that end, we continue to prioritise and invest in our commitment to genuinely becoming a Great Place to Work with consistent top-quartile performance in the annual staff survey and Pulse surveys.
Details
Date posted
04 July 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 5
Salary
29,970 to 36,483 a year per annum
Contract
Fixed term
Duration
2 years
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
327-25-555
Job locations
Countywide
Pullman Place, Great Western Road,
Gloucester
GL1 3NF
Job description
Job responsibilities
You will be required to:
Proactively manage a caseload of people, who have experienced Mental Health Difficulties, to either find and maintain paid employment, or to retain existing employment.
Follow the IPS model, collate evidence and participate in Fidelity Reviews.
Identify and meet the employment goals of clients by providing individually tailored programmes, using a person-centred approach.
Work within a multi-disciplinary environment and liaise closely with a variety of stakeholders i.e. Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and Citizen Advise
Work proactively at Employer Engagement and research the labour market and spend time getting to know local employers, in order to negotiate job opportunities.
Support Service Users and employers to identify reasonable adjustments and return to work strategies, to ensure job retention.
Act independently, using own judgement, knowledge and initiative.
The qualification, training & experience requirements for the role are underlined in the /Person Specification.
Gloucestershire Health and Care is committed to embedding and providing personalised care through all of its services as part of our high-quality care strategy. The purpose of personalised care is to empower people to lead the lives they want to live. Personalised care starts with a conversation with people about what matters to them. It builds on what people can do, as well as addressing their health needs. Including new ways of working and delivering care, emphasising that we need to make effective use of the full range of our peoples skills and experience to deliver the best possible patient care. So we want to know What Matters to You and that you will share our values and join us on this very important journey.
Please refer to the Additional Information attachment before submitting your application. Job description
Job responsibilities
You will be required to:
Proactively manage a caseload of people, who have experienced Mental Health Difficulties, to either find and maintain paid employment, or to retain existing employment.
Follow the IPS model, collate evidence and participate in Fidelity Reviews.
Identify and meet the employment goals of clients by providing individually tailored programmes, using a person-centred approach.
Work within a multi-disciplinary environment and liaise closely with a variety of stakeholders i.e. Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and Citizen Advise
Work proactively at Employer Engagement and research the labour market and spend time getting to know local employers, in order to negotiate job opportunities.
Support Service Users and employers to identify reasonable adjustments and return to work strategies, to ensure job retention.
Act independently, using own judgement, knowledge and initiative.
The qualification, training & experience requirements for the role are underlined in the /Person Specification.
Gloucestershire Health and Care is committed to embedding and providing personalised care through all of its services as part of our high-quality care strategy. The purpose of personalised care is to empower people to lead the lives they want to live. Personalised care starts with a conversation with people about what matters to them. It builds on what people can do, as well as addressing their health needs. Including new ways of working and delivering care, emphasising that we need to make effective use of the full range of our peoples skills and experience to deliver the best possible patient care. So we want to know What Matters to You and that you will share our values and join us on this very important journey.
Please refer to the Additional Information attachment before submitting your application.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Educated to degree level or equivalent level of knowledge
• Experience or knowledge of recruitment/employment
• Knowledge and experience of Recovery and Social Inclusion principles

Experience
Essential

• Experience of working in supported employment services
• Experience of working with people with Mental Health problems or a similar service user group
• An understanding of employment and challenges for people who have Mental Health experiences

other
Essential

• Flexibility to travel within the region
• Full driving license with access to own vehicle for business purposes

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Educated to degree level or equivalent level of knowledge
• Experience or knowledge of recruitment/employment
• Knowledge and experience of Recovery and Social Inclusion principles

Experience
Essential

• Experience of working in supported employment services
• Experience of working with people with Mental Health problems or a similar service user group
• An understanding of employment and challenges for people who have Mental Health experiences

other
Essential

• Flexibility to travel within the region
• Full driving license with access to own vehicle for business purposes