ROLE DESCRIPTION:
Good Work IPS Employment Specialist

Role title:

Grade:

Contract end date:
Annual Leave:

Working
relationships:
Location:

Good Work Individual Placement Support Employment
Specialist
Pay scale - NJC Pts. 20: £32,597 – 28: £39,152 per annum (pro
rata)
Role funded until March 2027
27 days per annum (pro rata)

Reports to: Workforce Development and EDI Manager
Line Manages: IPS Peer Support Consultant
Hybrid: Remote, based at our Manchester HQ & community
locations across Manchester (may include GM locations)

Hours of work:

37.5 hours per week, with some evening and weekend work as
required

Role Summary:

Date:
Version:
Author:

You will work with a caseload of young people who have mental
health support needs, to assist them in securing sustainable paid
employment in line with their preferences.  Alongside the Peer
Consultant your role is to empower young people and advocate on
their behalf in employment.
You will deliver the Individual Placement and Support (IPS)
approach (for which training will be given), providing person centred
advice and guidance to young people.

An important part of the role is to build positive relationships with
local/national employers to enable young people to move into
suitable paid employment.  This role also includes
providing support to employers in embedding good practice for
employees around emotional health and wellbeing.

We require someone who can work on their own initiative and
has confidence and expertise in networking to be able
to promote the IPS project to employers around the benefits of this
model of work.
V1 06/10/2017 / V2 12/02/2025
FINAL
V3 Katrina Garg, Karina Nyananyo and Al Baldwin

Main Responsibilities of IPS Employment Specialist

1.0   Core Responsibilities:

1.1 Manage  a  caseload  of approximately 20 young  people who  have  mental  health

support needs who are motivated to start/return to work.

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1.2 Deliver the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach for which training will
be given. Click the link for further info –  https://ipsgrow.org.uk/careers/why-work-in-
ips/ips-employment-specialist/

1.3 Meet and support young people to understand their key skills, aspirations and goals
through completing  a  Vocational  Profile  and  produce  an Action  Plan  to  help  them
obtain and sustain competitive employment. This may include support with their job
search,  CV  production,  application
interview techniques and  career
development.

forms,

1.4 Assess

the  person’s  support  needs  related

include
benefits/welfare  advice,  disclosure  of  mental  health  symptoms  etc,  and  provide
support & guidance.

to  work  which  may

1.5 Attend relevant meetings including team meetings and whole team meetings as an

embedded IPS practitioner.

1.6 Source job opportunities for young people through tailored job searches and regular

contact with employers to explore employment opportunities.

1.7 Provide  education  and  support  to  employers,  as  agreed  with  the young  person,
which  may  include  negotiating  adjustments,  return  to  work  strategy  and  on-going
contact with the employer to ensure job retention.

1.8 Build  relationships  with 42nd  Street colleagues/teams  to  engage  and  generate

referrals and create collaborative working partnerships.

1.9 Once  employment  has  been  secured  continue

through regular
contact, effective monitoring and
people and employers to help sustain employment.

to  provide  quality  service
to young
support
in-work

1.10  Manage  a  peer  consultant  and  work  with  them  to  develop  a  framework  for
employers  to  help  them  meet  the  needs  of  young  people  with  mental  health
difficulties.

2.0 Relationship Management:

Establish positive and integrated relationships with the various teams, employers and other
service providers. This includes:

2.1  To build and maintain employer relationships and maintain employer engagement

database.

2.2  Arrange regular  meetings with  young  people to  monitor  and  review  progress  pre-

and post-employment.

2.3 Network and build relationships with employers, to negotiate job opportunities that

meet everyone’s strengths, needs, abilities and preferences.

2.4 Understand and challenge  inequalities experienced  by  young  people  and  address
existing discrimination, whilst ensuring a process of learning for the organisation.

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2.5 Work  with  employers  to  promote  the  service, identify job  opportunities  and
ensure appropriate strategies are in place to reduce barriers in the workplace – this
can  include  exploring ‘hidden’  job  opportunities  further  to  create  employment
opportunities.

2.6 To develop effective working relationships with a range of external agencies who can
help young  people to  achieve  their  employment  goals.  This  may  include  local
colleges and training providers.

3.0   Other:

3.1 To adhere to administrative and data capture protocols which record the progress of
young people, and to keep accurate and complete records of casework.

3.2 To work independently, reliably and deliver consistently to deliver an effective IPS
practice model.

3.3 To work confidently with the Marketing and Comms manager to ensure the effective
marketing of the IPS project.

3.4 Ensure that effective monitoring and evaluation systems are adhered to and keep
abreast of changing themes through working closely with the 42nd Street data,
monitoring and evaluation team.

3.5 To support the Peer Consultant to consult with young people for the ongoing
development of the IPS project.

3.6 To collect quarterly case studies based on young people’s journey within the IPS
programme.

3.7 Ensure that all relevant policies are implemented such as information governance,
safeguarding etc.

3.8 Partake in continuous learning about mental health conditions, their impact and how
they can be managed and undertake mandatory training as required.

3.9 Work flexible hours as required.

4.0

Location:

4.1

The Space, 87-91 Great Ancoats Street, Manchester, M4 5AG.

The principal responsibilities are not an exhaustive list of duties, only a general guide to the
post. In consultation with the Chair, the duties may change from time to time to reflect the
changing needs of the service.

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Qualities:
Good Work IPS Employment Specialist

   CRITERIA

ESSENTIAL

DESIRABLE

1.0   Essential qualities

The successful individual will have:

1.1   Qualifications and training

•  Educated to a degree/diploma level or equivalent
experience (Youth Work, Social Work, Teaching,
Psychology)

1.2   Experience

•  2 years' experience of working with young people with

mental health support needs, (or a similar group) within
health, youth service, children’s services or the voluntary
sector

•  Experience of working with young adults on a one-to-one

basis

•  Experience of caseload management

o  Experience of managing multiple tasks at any

one time

o  The ability to engage with employers

•  Experience of working alongside funders/commissioners
to influence decision makers on behalf of young people
Identifying and contacting employers to ensure
partnership working and maintenance of employer
relationship.

•

•  Brokering the relationships between young people and

employers to ensure the positive employment experience
for all.

•  Experience of working confidently and proactively to

influence decision-makers

1.3   Knowledge

•  An understanding of the employment needs, and

challenges faced by people who experience mental
health difficulties

•  Knowledge of a broad range of networks and

organisations to create employment opportunities for
young people

•  Developing a knowledge of a broad range of occupations

and jobs

•  Able to use IT and tools such as MS Word, PowerPoint

and Excel

o  Ability to use Excel confidently and develop
presentations with the data gathered.

X

X

X

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1.4   Skills

•  Good motivational, listening, communication and

networking skills with both young people and employers.
•  Confidence in your interpersonal skills and ability to build

X

rapport with a range of people including young
people, employers and funders/commissioners.

•  Good organisational ability
•  Proven experience of meeting and exceeding outcomes

and targets

•  Ability to build close, trusting and productive relationships

•

with young people
 Understand the importance of working collaboratively
within the various 42nd Street teams to ensure the
success of the project

•  Ability to work independently and use initiative to develop
and promote a service to referrers, young people and
employers

1.5   Personal qualities

X

•  Non-judgemental and trustworthy
•  Empathy with the needs of those with mental health

support needs

•  Passion and drive to make a positive difference to

people's lives

•  Highly motivated with a genuine belief that someone with

a mental health condition can find paid employment
•  Resilient and tenacious to not give up despite setbacks

and frustrations

•  Self-aware of personal strengths and weaknesses and

actively invest in personal and professional development

•  Willingness to travel within Greater Manchester

2.0   Desirable qualities

The successful candidate will have:

2.1   Qualifications and training
•  Trained in IPS approach
•  Level 3 Diploma in Employability Services Sector

Qualification

•  QCF in Advice & Guidance (Level 3)

2.2   Experience

•  Experience of supporting people to obtain or keep work
•  Experience of working within mental health services
•  Personal lived experience of recovery from mental health

difficulties

•  Previous experience of delivering a service using the IPS

model is a bonus

2.3   Knowledge

•  Knowledge of the benefits agency and all disability/

employment related benefits

2.4

Skills

•  Outstanding interpersonal skills and ability to build

rapport with a range of people

•  Good organisational ability
•  Natural ability to build close, trusting and productive

relationships with people

•  Team orientated and works collaboratively within a

mixed-disciplinary team

X

X

X

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3.0

3.1

Time Commitment:
The successful individual will be able commit to the following:
 Evening and weekend work when necessary

3.2

Full time hours

X

X

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