Job overview

Barking & Dagenham is changing. It Starts Here.

Think you know Barking and Dagenham? Think again. While this small corner of east London might have a reputation for needing development, scratch beneath the surface and you’ll find active communities and a place that consistently punches above its weight. The borough is changing – and changing for the better. And It Starts Here.

Yes, the borough has its challenges. But it’s on the cusp of something exciting. With one of the youngest populations in the country, ambitions are high and rightly so. 98% of our schools are rated Good or Outstanding and every year more of our talented teenagers get into Russell Group Universities and hotly sought after apprenticeship schemes.

We have award winning parks, centuries old manor houses full of relics and artifacts you can go and see, and the ruins of one of Anglo-Saxon England’s most powerful and wealthiest religious sites. We’re even bringing beavers and white storks to the borough to help rewild the local landscape and boost biodiversity.

Over the past few years, we’ve been working hard to improve how we deliver services and support our community. From tackling inequality to making sure our services are the best they can be, we’re focused on what matters most to local people. 

We’re creating the conditions for people to thrive – so everyone can enjoy a good quality of life, feel proud to call this place home, and be part of something bigger.  

#ItStartsHere – with our streets, our schools, our neighbourhoods. And with your application to join our determined team who are passionate about doing what’s best for the future of Barking and Dagenham. 

As an Investors in People Gold Award employer, we’re serious about supporting our staff. From flexible working, professional training and career development to wellbeing initiatives, we want our people to feel valued and supported in everything they do.

Our values, known as DRIVE, shape how we work: Deliver our best every day – and do what we promise.
Respond in a prompt, positive way to our community’s needs.
Inspire others with our attitudes and actions.
Value people for who they are and what they can do.
Engage with others to improve our resilience and flexibility We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences.
We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences.

Role

Our well-established and highly regarded job brokerage service is seeking a dedicated professional with strong experience in supported employment to work on our Connect to Work programme. B&D Works (formerly known as the Job Shop) provides employment advice, training, and job opportunities to local people looking for work. We are recruiting a Job Broker who can deliver lifechanging employment support for people with health conditions/disabilities and from disadvantaged groups. As a Job Broker, you will play a vital role in transforming the lives of the individuals you support, while contributing to a fairer and more inclusive society.
You will join a committed and passionate team operating in a diverse and fast paced environment. We pride ourselves on offering a safe, supportive workplace built on the belief that everyone deserves a fair chance, regardless of their circumstances. By developing residents’ skills and confidence, we help them unlock their potential and take positive steps forward.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, and an enhanced DBS check will be required paced environment. We pride ourselves on offering a safe, supportive workplace built on the belief that everyone deserves a fair chance, regardless of their circumstances. By developing residents’ skills and confidence, we help them unlock their potential and take positive steps forward.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, and an enhanced DBS check will be required for the successful applicant. We are looking for a self-motivated, enthusiastic team player who aligns with the Council’s core values: Deliver our best every day, and do what we promise Respond positively and promptly to the needs of our community Inspire others through our actions and attitudes Value people for who they are and what they can achieve Engage with others to strengthen resilience and flexibility

Responsibilities

Delivering a service to users

  1. To manage a caseload of approximately 25 service users at any one time who are currently unemployed, have SEN and/or autism and who wish to return to work.
  2. To provide interventions for service users, these will be carried out in community venues or other appropriate settings to meet and exceed job outcome targets for service users.
  3. Build relationships with various internal and external teams to generate referrals and create a collaborative working partnership where employment support is integrated early in.
  4. Build a multi-disciplinary approach to the return to work. e.g. social skill development, budgeting, travel training, as well as understanding the role and reasonable adjustments needed etc.
  5. Prepare individuals for a return to work by understanding their skills, aspirations and goals through vocational profiling and action planning with a focus on rapid job search with the service user, whilst utilising local support networks to help them overcome their barriers to employment.
  6. To negotiate and secure employment, work experience placements and training opportunities for service users in collaboration with Jobcentre Plus, LBBD, or directly with employers. Spend time getting to know local employers, in order to negotiate job opportunities that meet each individual’s strengths, needs, abilities and preferences. Source job opportunities for service users through tailored job search and regular contact with employers.
  7. When placing service users with employers, ensure that the quality of work environments are explored, including potential for workplace adjustments that will accommodate individual strengths, skills symptoms and coping skills.
  8. Support wider team by exploring ‘job carving’ i.e. carving small slices of work from the duties other staff do not have time to do.
  9. 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 ensure job retention.
  10. To provide in work support to service users once they have returned to work to assist them in sustaining employment; and maintain a professional relationship with the service users of the programme and with key internal and external stakeholders, with particular attention to confidentiality and the maintenance of boundaries. Ensure that effective monitoring and evaluation systems are adhered to and keep abreast of changing practice within vocational rehabilitation
  11. To adhere to administrative and data capture protocols which record the progress of individuals, and to keep accurate and complete records of casework and to ensure that all relevant policies are implemented such as information governance, safeguarding etc.
  12. To undertake mandatory training as required and to actively participate in own continuous professional development
  13. To regularly collect and promote service user good news stories and case studies.

The person

Applicants should refer to the attached Job Description for the Person Specification.