Job Description

Employment Specialist - Connect to Work ,Berkshire

Location

The role will be hybrid but with a base in Berkshire. There will be flexibility but the ability to travel in Berkshire is essential. All travel costs over and above the base will be covered. The salary is 27,976.

Primary Duties and responsibilities:

Your responsibilities will include:

As Engagement Co-ordinator, you will manage and support Customer Engagement at each stage of their Connect to Work journey, but predominantly at the start

Referrals and Enquiries Stage:

Answering questions from customers and stakeholders received via incoming calls and emails. Understanding eligibility for programme, following a detailed set of requirements but also managing the interaction with sensitivity. Keep an auditable record of the process on the Case management System. Manage the structured flow of information between the Connect to Work team and DWP on a daily basis Where needed book introductory meetings with assigned Employment Specialists (including partners) with care and consideration. Cultivate a welcoming environment and be that great first impression for service users. With the support of the system, accurately track programme starts to the programme across each Local Authority and supply chain partners and share as agreed. Manage a 'waiting list' of eligible service users with clarity and care

Other responsibilities will include:

Support the team with co-ordinating and managing customer spend and tracking this process across the whole team and actioning for the Palladium staff. Accurate, clear and time bound records. Support the team with co-ordinating and booking community premises including processing invoices Being a central point for the team and Contract Manager to pull together whereabouts across the geography Co-ordinate a calendar of events to share with Employment Specialists / Service Users to showcase activities across Berkshire Where needed maintain customer records in accordance with data protection requirements so that participant information is safeguarded, and the customer journey is accurately recorded. Assist the team in ensuring a high level of customer engagement or re-engagement and ensure customer records are maintained to reflect contact or attempted contact made.
Any other duties as required

Skills and experience:

Required

Fluent English, spoken and written Friendly and enthusiastic with a passion for working with people Experience of working in a customer focused role or environment A level of independence and professionalism to work independently Detail-oriented with strong organisational skills Proficient use of IT software including Microsoft Office and Excel A 'can do' and flexible attitude to work

Desirable

Have a demonstrated track record of performance and success in customer service, administrative or case-management roles Experience supporting individuals with disabilities, health conditions, or other complex challenges

Key Competencies:

Proactive and solution focused Welcoming, enthusiastic and a confident communicator Communicate a passion for quality and high standards, enthusing others Excellent level of attention to detail in all work - written and verbal communications, planning and preparation and accuracy of information

Able to organise own workload effectively
Confident to learn about any unfamiliar areas of the contract or the team's delivery The determination and drive to want to make a positive difference.

Guiding Principles

Across our offices, our Guiding Principles define who we are and what we stand for. We are looking for candidates that resonate with them: We are One Palladium: We are all accountable, we take responsibility for our actions, and celebrate the positive impact we create. Our business grows when our people grow. We seek out opportunities to develop ourselves, each other, and Palladium. Our strength lies in our differences: We harness our unique strengths by listening to and respecting each other. Making mistakes is part of learning: We admit our mistakes early, help to make things right, and learn from the experience together. We don't exist without results: We're driven by the outcomes we achieve and stay focused on what matters.

Project Overview and Role:

Connect to Work is a UK government-funded initiative that forms part of the Get Britain Working Strategy. It is aimed at supporting individuals with disabilities, health conditions, or other complex challenges in finding and maintaining good, sustainable work. Programme delivery will include both IPS (Individual Placement Support) and SEQF (Supported Employment) approaches, tailoring the service to the individual. Local embedded community support will be key to engagement and delivery, and the contract will work alongside local partners, stakeholders and employers. Individuals can either self-refer or be referred by professionals.

Palladium is responsible for the contract in Berkshire working alongside key partners.

About Palladium -

You would be joining Palladium, a global impact organisation, with 3,000 employees in over 70 countries. We are a mission-driven business, for whom the impact of our work is as important as the commercial return; the common feature of all our work, regardless of contract size, is the requirement that it contributes to positive social and economic impact. We simply call this 'Positive Impact'. For the past 50 years, we have been helping our clients to see the world as interconnected in over 90 countries- by formulating strategies, building partnerships, and implementing programs that deliver lasting positive impact. We are experienced in implementing large, complex programmes supporting skills and employment and are currently delivering 30 programmes for the UK Government.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

- Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

As a Disability Confident employer

, we will ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for this position will be offered an interview. Should you require any reasonable adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or any other circumstance, please let us know.

Safeguarding

- We define Safeguarding as "the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm". We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.



Palladium International is a Real Living Wage Employer.