Employment Specialist

Connect to Work Employment Specialist

Location: Hampshire - Basingstoke, Fareham, Gosport, Havant & Hayling Island

Salary: 29,556 - £35,413 per annum depending on skills and experience

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Please note: This is a 100% community-based role. A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle are essential.

About the Role

We are looking for passionate and proactive Employment Specialists to join an expanding team-working for a fantastic organisation on the Connect to Work programme. You'll be supporting individuals with health conditions, disabilities, and complex barriers to employment to achieve sustainable paid work. Working within the evidence based Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model, you will provide tailored, person centred employment support focused on rapid job search, employer engagement, and long term job retention. This is a fully community based position where you will manage your own diary, meeting participants across Hampshire and building strong relationships with local employers, support services, and healthcare professionals. You will manage a caseload of up to 25 participants, helping people identify their strengths, overcome barriers, and move towards meaningful employment outcomes.

Key Responsibilities: Person Centred Employment Support

• Deliver tailored one to one employment support in line with IPS principles.
• Support participants to identify career goals, strengths, aspirations, and barriers to work.
• Develop personalised employment action plans and vocational profiles.
• Support individuals to secure and sustain suitable paid employment.
• Provide ongoing in work support to improve retention and progression outcomes.

Employer Engagement & Partnership Working

• Build and maintain strong relationships with local employers across Hampshire.
• Promote inclusive recruitment practices and workplace adjustments.
• Match participants with suitable job opportunities aligned to their skills and preferences.
• Work collaboratively with healthcare professionals, support agencies, and community partners.
• Represent the service at networking events, partnership meetings, and local forums.

Performance & Quality

• Manage a caseload of up to 25 participants while delivering high quality outcomes focused support.
• Achieve and exceed performance and sustainment targets.
• Maintain accurate and timely participant records and employer engagement activity.
• Ensure all delivery meets IPS fidelity standards and quality expectations.

Community Based Delivery

• Effectively manage a flexible diary to maximise face to face participant engagement.
• Travel regularly across Basingstoke, Fareham, Gosport, Havant, and Hayling Island.
• Deliver support within community settings, employer sites, and partner locations.

Essential Criteria

• Proven experience supporting individuals with barriers to employment.
• Experience within employability, supported employment, recruitment, welfare to work, or related services.
• Strong understanding of person centred support and employment focused interventions.
• Experience building relationships with employers and external stakeholders.
• Ability to manage a caseload and achieve performance targets.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organisational skills.
• Resilient, adaptable, and able to work independently in a community based role.
• Full UK driving licence with access to a vehicle insured for business use.

Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge or experience of the IPS model.
• Experience supporting individuals with health conditions, disabilities, or complex needs.
• Understanding of welfare benefits, employment law, or vocational rehabilitation.
• Existing employer networks within Hampshire.
• Experience working within publicly funded employability programmes.

What's on Offer

• Salary up to £35,413 per annum
• Flexible, autonomous community based working
• Opportunity to make a genuine impact within local communities
• Supportive and collaborative team environment
• Ongoing training and professional development

For a confidential discussion or to apply, please contact Tiff Bennett on or email .