Job Description

Location

Wigan

Company

Employment

Contract type

Permanent/ Full- time

Salary

Up to 27,100 per annum

Closing Date

26/05/2025

Ref No

4637





The Employment team at The Growth Company

(GC)

is currently recruiting for a passionate and driven Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Employment Specialist.



In this vital role, you will work closely with participants, providing tailored support to help them secure and sustain meaningful employment. IPS is internationally recognised as the most effective model for supporting individuals with mental health conditions into paid work. If you're motivated by the opportunity to make a real difference in people's lives through employment, this could be the perfect role for you. We offer comprehensive training, regular supervision, and ongoing support to help you develop and succeed in your IPS practice.



We are continuing to expand our services that support people with health and mental health conditions. We are therefore particularly keen to hear from you if you have experience of working in either employability, employer engagement, the health or mental health sectors.

Key Responsibilities

Manage a caseload of motivated clients, supporting them on their journey into sustainable employment using the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model. Support individuals in work who are struggling to retain employment due to mental health challenges, helping them maintain their roles successfully. Build strong partnerships with clinical teams to encourage referrals and promote employment as a key part of mental health recovery. Assess and address individual needs, offering guidance on issues such as benefits, mental health disclosure, and other work-related concerns. Engage proactively with local employers to build networks and identify opportunities tailored to clients' skills and aspirations. Conduct personalised job searches, uncovering both advertised and hidden vacancies to match clients with suitable roles. Provide ongoing employer support, including negotiating reasonable adjustments, developing return-to-work strategies, and ensuring long-term job retention.

About you

Strong understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with multiple barriers to employment, including those affecting long-term job retention. Good awareness of local support services that assist people with complex needs such as debt, substance misuse, and housing issues. Knowledge of the local job market, including a broad range of occupations and employment opportunities. Warm, empathetic, and approachable communication style, with the ability to build trust and supportive relationships that empower individuals toward sustained employment.

Skills Required

Excellent interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills, with the ability to build strong relationships and influence positive outcomes. Proven ability to thrive in a target-driven environment, maintaining a strong focus on achieving and sustaining successful job outcomes. Effective employer engagement skills, with the confidence to build partnerships and identify suitable employment opportunities. Training in the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model is desirable and considered an advantage.
Safeguarding the welfare of all individuals, including vulnerable adults and young people is a core priority at GC, and we expect all staff to uphold this responsibility. All Education and Skills appointments are subject to Safer Recruitment Procedures, including a DBS check and a professional social media check, carried out by Due Diligence Limited (DDC Ltd) at no cost to the successful candidate.



Please note: It is a legal offence to apply for a role involving regulated activity if you are on the Barred List.



We are committed to increasing workforce diversity and offer a guaranteed interview to applicants who meet the essential criteria and either have a disability or are from a diverse ethnic community.



If this applies to you, you can request consideration under this scheme during the application process. Your request will be shared only with the Hiring Manager and Internal Recruitment Team.



We also aim to make our recruitment process inclusive and accessible. If you need reasonable adjustments or have any general enquiries at any stage or the recruitment process, please contact careers@growthco.uk or call us on 0161 237 4447.



Examples include:


Meeting the hiring manager or touring the venue in advance Extra time for tasks Interview questions shared beforehand Accessibility software or equipment for assessments
We're proud to support the Ban the Box campaign, which helps people with convictions access job opportunities. As part of this, we've removed questions about convictions from the initial application stage.



GC is committed to fostering a culture of flexibility and agile working. Many roles will increasingly support full agile arrangements. If you require more permanent flexibility, we encourage you to discuss this during your interview so your request can be considered early in the process.



All GC colleagues will work inline with the Health & Safety at work act and the GC Health & Safety Policy.