Employment Specialist - Supported Employment - Connect to Work - Essex

• Job Category
• Community Wellbeing
• Location
• Essex, United Kingdom
• Salary
• £29,556 - £35,413
• Closing date
• 24/04/2026
• Ref
• 0
• Contract type
• Permanent
• Total hours per week
• 37.5
• Description
• “Shaw Trust promotes team spirit, inclusiveness and it is an organisation where everybody is somebody. I am proud to be part of this great organisation.”

  At Shaw Trust we believe everyone has the right to live a decent and dignified life and an opportunity for rewarding work. We are a social purpose organisation challenging inequality and breaking down barriers to enable social mobility.

  For us being part of the solution is about creating the conditions for this to happen, advocating and delivering services that make a real difference. Working in partnership not competition, we are part of an eco-system of purpose-led organisations, striving for a fairer, more equal society centred on opportunity for all.

  Purpose

  Working with clients, health professionals, service providers, and employers, Supported Employment Specialists ensure that a person’s journey into employment along with improved social inclusion and wellbeing, is as smooth as possible.

  You will support individuals with a disability, learning disability, or autism to secure sustainable paid employment aligned with their preferences. Your role involves delivering the Supported Employment approach, underpinned by the Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF), for which full training will be provided. This includes offering person-centred advice and guidance to clients while building positive relationships with local employers to create suitable employment opportunities.

  This is a target driven role. These targets are derived from contract obligations of: Starts On Programme, Job Entries, Job Retention, compliance to Fidelity delivery model (SEQF)

  As an SEQF Employment Specialist, you must be an effective communicator, passionate about supporting disabled people, and committed to transforming lives through sustainable employment solutions.

  You will work with people on their individual employment journey from vocational profiling to the point where they no longer require face to face in work support. The six key stages on a typical journey are: outreach/referral; vocational profiling; action planning; job search activities (including working on a one-to-one basis with employers to match people with appropriate employment); job placement, job coaching and coordinating support whilst in employment; managing withdrawal of support as the in-work support is no longer required by the client.

  2 Vacancies

  North Essex - Colchester, Clacton, Harwich, Braintree & Whitham

  
  South Essex – Southend on Sea, Thurrock, Basildon, Grays, Rayleigh & Canvey IslandEssential:

  You will have:

  • Proven experience of meeting and exceeding outcomes and targets (E)
  • Experience of managing multiple tasks at any one time (E)
  • Previous experience of working assertively to influence decision makers (E)
  • An understanding of the employment needs, and challenges faced by disabled and neurodivergent individuals (E)
  • Working knowledge of a broad range of occupations and jobs (E)
  • Able to use IT and tools such as MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel (E)
  • Natural ability to build close, trusting and productive relationships with people (E)
  Download the Job Description for full details.Location:

  These are peripatetic roles based in the community up to 5 days a week and includes meeting with participants, generating referrals, clinical integration and employer engagement.

  Employee Benefits

  As an employee of Shaw Trust as well as positively impacting people’s lives, you will have access to the following benefits:

  • 25 days annual leave per year (plus bank holidays), with incremental increases post 3 years’ service up to 28 days, and the option to purchase additional holiday
  • 2 days paid volunteering leave each year
  • An enhanced pension scheme after 6 months
  • Life Assurance at 3 times your annual salary rate
  • Access to a suite of learning and development opportunities including paid for apprenticeship and masters’ levels qualifications, and management development programmes
  • Opportunities to connect with our employee diversity networks (LGBTQ+ Support Network, Racial Equality Network, Disability Equality Network, Women’s Network, Neurodiversity Peer Support Network, Menopause Peer Support Group, The MANaging Network, The Young Professionals Network and Back to Work Support Group)
  • Health and Wellbeing initiatives including internal support, employee assistance programme and health cash plan
  Join a diverse and inclusive organisation

  Shaw Trust is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive working environment, where every employee, regardless of their background or lived experience, feels that they belong and can progress in their career.

  In addition;

  • We are proud to be certified as an employer who meets the National Equality Standard, the accepted standard for inclusiveness in business across the UK.
  • We are Disability Confident Leaders, support the guaranteed interview scheme and use of the government’s Access to Work scheme.
  • We are proud to hold the menopause friendly accreditation, hosting a regular Menopause Peer Support Groups providing a safe space for colleagues share experiences or ask questions.
  • Living our values, we are keen to reflect the diversity of UK society at every level within our organisation.

  We welcome applications from all sections of the community including from people with lived experience and/or knowledge of disability or social exclusion.

  If you have accessibility requirements and/or would like further information about the role, please contact:

  Resourcing@shaw-trust.org.ukShaw Trust reserve the right to close this vacancy early if sufficient applications are received.

  #LI-SHAW

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