Job overview

Thames Reach runs projects and services that help to end homelessness in London. We work directly with homeless people on the streets and in hostels. We work to prevent vulnerable people from becoming homeless. We help formerly homeless people get their lives back on track. We help people find work and access training and volunteering opportunities.

Is our mission easy? No, but we never give up on people. Last year we helped more then 10,000 people.

Is our work rewarding? Yes, in every sense. We’re listed as one of the top 100 Best Workplaces in the UK. There’s no better place to develop or transfer your skills and build a fulfilling career.

Role

The area of Prevention supports vulnerable people by providing them with skills, housing advice, accommodation, and tenancy sustainment support. All the services within the area of prevention work to help people transition towards leading independent lives.

We are looking for a Senior Employment Specialist to join the Lambeth Individual Placement Support Service team.

As a Senior Employment Specialist, you will be responsible for:

  • Providing exceptional support to people with mental health issues into suitable and sustainable employment.
  • Assertively engaging with people from referral, into work and beyond for sustainment, offering comprehensive support in skills identification and practical guidance.
  • Playing a crucial role in supporting sustained success for people and employers post-employment.
  • Establishing relationships with key stakeholders in mental health teams, with employers and skills providers for effective referrals and successful outcomes whilst supporting senior managers to compile monthly and quarterly data for reporting submissions.
  • Ensuring accurate data collection, recording and maintenance of an up-to-date case management system.
  • Managing volunteers and support the induction process as and when required and attending regular meetings with Mental Health teams

Responsibilities

To succeed as a Senior Employment Specialist Support, you will have:

  • Knowledge and experience of providing employment support to vulnerable people.
  • Experience with communicating and building relationships with diverse stakeholders.
  • To be able to empower and motivate people to help build confidence and resilience.
  • To be organised, have good time-management skills, and be able to keep clear and up-to-date records.
  • Experience of working independently.
  • Excellent IT and administrative skills.

The person

  • Strong record and good understanding of the issues involved in delivering effective
  • support services to a range of vulnerable people.

  • An understanding of a range of approaches to key working and case working with service
  • users and the implementation of different agendas, such as personalisation.

  • An understanding of the complex issues contributing to homelessness and the impact on
  • the lives of individuals and a depth of understanding of the needs and aspirations of
    homeless people which is based either on your own personal experience of being
    homeless or professional work or voluntary experience.

  • Knowledge, understanding or experience of supporting and supervising casework
  • practice of support workers, trainees, students, or volunteers.

  • Ability to work independently using own initiative whilst remaining accountable to line
  • management.

  • An understanding of the importance of supportive relationships and fulfilling lives, and
  • especially sustainable work in developing resilience and preventing homelessness.

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the potential to present information
  • to a wide audience.

  • The ability to establish good working relationships with service users, colleagues, other

stakeholders externally and to work well within a team.