Job overview

Who we are

At Via, our mission is to provide the best health and wellbeing support to as many people as possible, helping them to change their lives for the better.

Last year, we supported over 11,000 people across the UK affected by alcohol and drug use. Everything we do is driven by our values:

  • Care. Care for people is at the heart of everything we do.
  • Be human. We are accessible, genuine and humble. Always learning.
  • Do the right thing. We’re open, honest and inclusive. We get things done.

    • We want to recruit the very best talent. We believe in nurturing a positive workplace culture where our colleagues feel valued, recognised, empowered, and supported.

    Employment can be a powerful part of someone’s recovery journey. As an IPS Employment Specialist, you’ll be a key part of that transformation—helping people rediscover purpose, confidence, and independence through work.

    Every day is different, but your impact will be consistent. You’ll:

  • Provide one-to-one, tailored employment support to people in recovery.
  • Work closely with clinical teams, support workers, and community partners to ensure a joined-up approach.
  • Build relationships with local employers to create inclusive job opportunities.

    • You don’t need to be an expert in recovery, we’ll provide full training.

    What matters most is that you:

  • Are compassionate, proactive, and a great communicator.
  • Believe in people’s potential to grow and succeed with paid work.
  • Want to make a real difference in your community.

    • The Service

    We’re proud to deliver IPS (Individual Placement and Support) a proven, evidence-based model that helps people with mental health and/or substance use challenges achieve their employment goals.

    But don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what some of our clients have said:

  • “I had been drifting and my confidence had sunk… IPS helped change my life.”
  • “I got the help I was looking for… I found work after 17 years of being unemployed.”

If you want to learn more about what a career is like working in IPS, see this link – Why work in IPS? – IPS Grow

You will work across Islington borough. All reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed. There will be a hybrid approach to working.

Deadline: 16/07/2026 at midnight

Salary: £32,612.00 – £37,002.00 per annum, including London Weighting where applicable

Vacancy type: Permanent

Working hours: 37.5

Our IPS Team Leader, is happy to talk through this role, what a typical day might look like, development opportunities, and Via’s national network. You can reach Cleo Brown at Cleo.Brown@viaorg.uk

Role

  • To work within the Via values of Care, Be human and Do the right thing. Support and collaborate with all colleagues and engage with the wider organisation.
  • To promote and deliver positive, inclusive and anti-discriminatory practices in line with Via policies, professional and sector requirements, and legislative frameworks.
  • To act on all Safeguarding concerns so that all statutory and organisational Safeguarding responsibilities are met and that all learning is shared.
  • To observe professional integrity and candour at all times and with all people.
  • To comply with all organisational policies and procedures including GDPR and all Health and Safety policy and guidance, taking responsibility for your own safety and contributing to that of colleagues and others as applicable.
  • To regularly participate in one-to-one / supervision sessions, objective setting and review, training, practice and learning forums.
  • A commitment to learning and to continuously improve everyone’s knowledge and skills.
  • To work flexibly to enable the delivery of effective services. This may include flexibility across sites or flexible hours and any other duties that may reasonably be required of you within your role.

Responsibilities

  • To work within the Via values of Care, Be human and Do the right thing. Support and collaborate with all colleagues and engage with the wider organisation.
  • To promote and deliver positive, inclusive and anti-discriminatory practices in line with Via policies, professional and sector requirements, and legislative frameworks.
  • To act on all Safeguarding concerns so that all statutory and organisational Safeguarding responsibilities are met and that all learning is shared.
  • To observe professional integrity and candour at all times and with all people.
  • To comply with all organisational policies and procedures including GDPR and all Health and Safety policy and guidance, taking responsibility for your own safety and contributing to that of colleagues and others as applicable.
  • To regularly participate in one-to-one / supervision sessions, objective setting and review, training, practice and learning forums.
  • A commitment to learning and to continuously improve everyone’s knowledge and skills.
  • To work flexibly to enable the delivery of effective services. This may include flexibility across sites or flexible hours and any other duties that may reasonably be required of you within your role.

The person

We welcome people from a range of backgrounds and with all kinds of life experience, but here’s what we’d like you to have:

  • Passion for and understanding of working with substance misuse services or with other socially excluded or vulnerable groups.
  • Experience of working with people on a one-to-one basis, offering motivation and support.
  • Belief that all service users can enter and retain paid employment.
  • A strong and adaptable communication style with excellent verbal and written skills including record keeping and report writing.
  • Demonstratable experience of building effective relationships with people from differing backgrounds.
  • Great team working, and interpersonal skills. Demonstrating a highly cooperative approach to supporting colleagues and the whole team to deliver Service objectives, as well as in communicating with key stakeholders.
  • Demonstrable commitment to working in partnership with other professionals such as criminal justice agencies, community groups and other stakeholders to achieve good outcomes for our service users.
  • Excellent IT skills including use of Microsoft Office programs and digital meeting platforms and systems.