IPS Employment Specialist

IPS Grow; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A community-focused organization is seeking an IPS Employment Specialist to help individuals with mental health needs secure meaningful employment. This role involves managing a caseload of clients, providing job coaching, and collaborating closely with local employers. Ideal candidates will have experience working with similar client groups and possess strong communication and organizational skills. The position is full-time and offers a rewarding career path within a supportive environment.

Benefits

22 days of holiday, increasing to 30 after 5 years

Health benefits including gym membership option

Leadership development programs

Flexible working hours

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Willingness to complete training in the IPS approach.
• Experience working one-to-one with clients.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks.
• Understanding of the employment challenges faced by mental health clients.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of clients with mental health needs.
• Provide job coaching and support to clients.
• Source job opportunities and build employer relationships.
• Attend clinical meetings and collaborate with mental health teams.

Skills

Experience working with mental health support needs

Strong communication skills

Motivational interviewing

Organizational skills

Interpersonal skills

Tools

MS Word

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

Do you want to make a genuine difference and transform someone’s life? Join Pure Innovations as an IPS Employment Specialist and make a real difference by helping people with mental health needs into meaningful work.

Deadline: 20th January 2026

• North West
• Full-time

Job overview

We are looking for a motivated, passionate self-starter who wants to kickstart or continue a career in the supported employment sector. This position, with on-the-job training, is a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference and support those with mental health needs across Greater Manchester.

Why Join us?

• Rewarding career pathways and progression opportunities with an award-winning organisation, which puts people first (not profits).
• Full Induction, training & Development programmes.
• Leadership development program recognised by the Chartered Management Institute.
• Flexible working hours (subject to the needs of the service).
• 22 days holiday rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service (pro rata for part-time staff) + Bank Holidays.
• Health Benefits including Simply Health cover, dental treatment plan cover or gym membership up to £200 per year. (after completion of probationary period).
• Bonus birthday holiday after 5 years’ service.
• Company events and fun days out.
• Discount at Catering Outlets and Pure Innovation products.
• Employee Assistance Programme- 24-hour helpline for support and advice.
• Nest pension scheme-salary sacrifice basis. Pure also makes a 3% contribution to the scheme.
• Mental Health at work first aiders to offer guidance and support when required.
• Refer a friend recruitment scheme.

Role

You will work with clients (managing a caseload) who have mental health support needs, to assist them in securing sustainable paid employment in line with their preferences. You will deliver the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach (for which training will be given); providing person centred advice and guidance to clients, whilst building positive relationships with local employers to enable clients to move into, and stay in, suitable employment.
You will work as part of a mental health team within the NHS, maintaining positive and integrated relationships, fostering a holistic approach to recovery through employment.

Responsibilities

This is an exciting and dynamic role, where no one day is the same and you’ll be making a genuine difference to people’s lives. Using the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model you’ll be:

• Managing a caseload of around 20 clients who have mental health support needs who are motivated to start/return to work.
• Regularly meeting with clients to listen, help them identify their best job match, reflecting on their skills and aspirations, providing support including CV production, interview techniques
• Provide in-work support, assessing each client’s work-related needs, designing a return-to-work strategy, and ensuring job retention with ongoing contact.
• Sourcing job opportunities for your clients through regular contact with local employers within the community.
• Work as part of a mental health team to promote employment and raise expectations around the ability of service users to access paid employment, breaking down the barriers for them.To develop risk assessments for clients with complex and historical clinical risk.
• Assess client’s support needs related to work which may include benefits/welfare advice, disclosure of mental health symptoms etc, and provide support & guidance.
• Attend weekly clinical team meetings as an embedded IPS practitioner, providing updates on caseload progress at each meeting.
• To present to the clinical team during monthly business meetings, sharing updates on the IPS services performance.
• 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 ensure job retention.
• Build relationships with colleagues in clinical teams to engage and generate referrals and create collaborative working partnerships with clinical staff (promoting employment as a positive intervention in the recovery journey).

Please see full Job Description.

The person

• Willing to complete training in the IPS approach.
• Experience/understanding of working with people with mental health support needs, or a similar client group within health, social services, or the voluntary sector
• Experience of working with someone on a one-to-one basis
• Experience of managing multiple tasks at any one time
• Experience of working assertively to influence decision makers
• An understanding of the employment needs, and challenges faced by people who experience mental health difficulties
• Developing a knowledge of a broad range of occupations and jobs
• Able to use IT and tools such as MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel
• Good motivational, communication and listening 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
• Ability to work independently and use initiative to develop and promote a service