Job overview

Change Grow Live are a charity dedicated to the belief that we can make a difference to our Service Users lives, offering support and respect in a safe environment, treating each service user as an individual and working with them to find the right treatment and care options. 

Our core values are ‘Be open, be compassionate and be bold,’ and our team members apply these daily to achieve our mission of helping people change the direction of their lives, grow as individuals, and live life to its full potential. 

Where: Romford
Full Time Salary Range: £35,220.59 – £37,184.91 dependent on experience (pro rata for part time hours)
Full Time Hours: 37.5 hours per week 
Allowances: £2,195.72 Outer London Weighting (pro rata for part time hours)
Contract Type: Fixed Term until 31st March 2026

What We Offer:

  • 25 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays. Additionally, you’ll receive one extra day of annual leave for each year of service during your first five years, therefore you will enjoy 30 days of leave after five years with us.
  • Paid ‘Wellness’ hour each week, ‘Wellness’ hub, and Employee Assist Programme
  • Contributory pension scheme
  • Great benefits incl. discounts for shopping, cinema, holidays, etc.
  • A supportive team passionate about their work
  • Training, career development & progression opportunities
  • Generous Refer a friend scheme for successful candidates

If you’re excited about this opportunity, apply now and be part of our transformative journey at Change Grow Live.

Please review the attached Job Description and Role Specifics for a detailed outline of responsibilities and Person Specification.

If you require sponsorship, please note that this role is not eligible for a Health and Care Worker visa. You may be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route but must meet the minimum salary requirements for the role. You can find out more here Skilled Worker visa: Overview – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Role

We have an exciting opportunity for an Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Senior Employment Specialist with the skills and experience to lead a team of Employment Specialists to deliver a high fidelity IPS service, enabling Service Users to access and sustain paid employment as part of their recovery goals. You will manage a team covering the Tri-borough IPS Team (Havering, Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham) and work within the local community drug and alcohol treatment teams by maintaining positive and integrated relationships and supporting positive recovery outcomes through employment. This position will provide support across all three boroughs.

Responsibilities

IPS forms a fundamental commitment in the Government’s Drug Strategy and will be implemented in all treatment services in England. This evidence-based employment support model helps service users secure preference-led paid work, proven to be more effective than any other form of employment support. The Tri-borough IPS Team, including 1 Senior Employment Specialist and 3 Employment Specialists, offers support within structured treatment services to individuals motivated to find paid work

In this role:

  • Effectively manage a high-quality service that adheres to the principles of IPS best practice.
  • Monitor and manage performance of the IPS Employment Specialists – guide them individually on best practice and achieving individual and team job outcome targets.
  • Create a culture of continuous improvement.
  • Identify training needs of staff and arrange appropriate training to support with continuous professional development.
  • Support the design and delivery of in-house staff training and development (including facilitating peer learning and best practice).
  • Involve service users in co-production of service developments where possible.
  • Coordinate the work of Employment Specialists in relation to building relationships with employers to effectively access the hidden labour market, external agencies and delivery of job seeking groups.
  • Produce regular monitoring reports for internal and external stakeholders, including commissioners.

Join us and play a pivotal role in setting up this integrated service. 

The person

The Senior IPS Employment Specialist will play a vital role in leading the service, you’ll collaborate closely with key stakeholders to promote the service across Essex.

About You:

  • Educated to degree level, or with equivalent relevant work experience.
  • Strong communication skills for building effective relationships.
  • Proficiency in team management and support strategies.
  • Aptitude in data collection and reporting for IPS services.
  • Ability to engage and manage staff effectively.
  • Dedication to assisting individuals in securing paid employment.
  • Experience in engaging employers and cultivating partnerships.
  • Firm belief in supporting all individuals to access paid employment.
  • Proven ability to connect with individuals, especially understanding challenges faced by those affected by substance misuse.