IPS Employment Specialist (EPC East)

Ware, Cheshunt, Bishops Stortford | Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation Trust

Permanent contract

Could you help people experiencing severe mental illness find meaningful employment and take an important step forward in their recovery? Join Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust as an IPS Employment Specialist and support people across East Hertfordshire to secure and sustain paid work through the evidence-based Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach.

Deadline: 13th October 2026

• East of England
• Full-time

Job overview

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of ‘Outstanding’ from the Care Quality Commission.

Our family of over 4,000 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:

Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.

You will work as a member of the multi-disciplinary Community Team. As an IPS Employment Specialist (ES), you will be responsible for providing Individual Placement Support (IPS) for all Service Users who are currently unemployed who express a desire to gain paid employment as part of their recovery goals. You will carry a caseload of up to 25 service users, providing a high quality employment service service to adults of all ages who have a mental health challenge.

Whilst we welcome all applications from all suitable candidates, unfortunately, we will not be offering sponsorship for this role.

At Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation Trust we are looking for people to join us who share our values and those of the NHS.

You will work intensively with a defined caseload of Service Users who have a severe and enduring mental health condition which impacts on their ability to gain work. You will assist them to obtain and sustain paid employment that is consistent with their goals, utilising the eight principles of Individual Placement Support (IPS).

• To carry a case load of Service Users with severe mental illness who are currently off work / unemployed, receiving specialist mental health services and who wish to return to work.
• Focus on rapid job search with the service user, whilst utilising local support networks to help them overcome their barriers to employment.
• Source job opportunities for service users through tailored job search and regular contact with employers.
• When placing service users with employers, ensure that the quality of work environments is explored, including potential for workplace adjustments that will accommodate individual strengths, skills symptoms and coping skills.
• To develop effective working relationships with a range of external agencies who might be better able to help individuals to achieve their employment goals for example, local colleges, training providers and external supported employment services
• To provide education and support to employers, as agreed with the individual, which may include negotiating adjustments, return to work strategy and on-going contact with the employer to help with any new or reoccurring issues in relation to mental health and job sustainability.
• To provide individualised support to service users once they have returned to work to assist them in maintaining employment.
• Meet and exceed job outcome targets for service users

For full details of the role and responsibilities please see attached job description and person specification.

The person

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Educated to a degree level or equivalent
• IPS trained
• Additional relevant training in areas of employment, mental health, coaching
• Job Retention Training
• Considerable experience of working with adults with MH difficulties in a health or social care setting
• Significant experience working in a role delivering employment support.
• Supervision of junior staff
• Experience of partnership working, negotiation and liaison with other agencies
• Knowledge of disability and special needs issues, policies and legislation in relation to employment
• Understanding of the principles and practice of IPS
• Knowledge of employment law
• Team orientated and work collaboratively within a mixed-disciplinary team
• Experience of partnership working, negotiation and liaison work with other agencies
• Experience of opening up job opportunities with a range of employers
• Ability to work with key IT tools such as MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Ability to build rapport with a range of people
• Ability to provide and receive sensitive information regarding services users care and social situation
• Ability to negotiate and persuade appropriately prospective employers of benefits of offering work opportunities to Service Users.
• Active listening skills, ability to ask perceptive questions that tease out important information .

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