Employment Specialist

Catch22 exists to help build a society where everyone has a good place to live, good people around them, and a fulfilling purpose. We call these our '3Ps'.

We achieve this in two ways. First, we improve lives on the frontline through delivery of public services. Secondly, we use our knowledge to change 'the system', to fix the complex web that can trap and disempower those it was set up to help. With the heart of a charity and the mindset of a business, we are uniquely placed to deliver on this challenging agenda.

The Catch22 Employability division provides skills and employability provision on a range of programmes, both public and corporate funded. We pride ourselves on supporting the most disadvantaged in society to improve their prospects resulting in improved social mobility and sustainable positive change.

Our Employability division is expanding due to the procurement of a new Liverpool Connect to Work contract, and we therefore look to welcome an Employment Specialist into our experienced team. This role is often referred to as a career coach.

You will report into a Team Leader within the Catch22 Employability division.

 As an Employment Specialist, you will play a vital role in supporting individuals facing barriers to employment, education and training to achieve their career aspirations and build brighter futures. The Supported Employment Specialist will deliver high-quality, person-centred employment support in line with the SEQF fidelity model. This role is focused on enabling people with disabilities, learning difficulties/disabilities, neuro-diverse conditions, poor mental health or individuals from other disadvantaged and/or complex backgrounds to prepare for, secure, and sustain meaningful paid employment aligned with their goals, while promoting inclusion, independence, and long-term wellbeing.

The role combines one-to-one support, employer engagement, collaboration with multidisciplinary mental health teams/community organisations and promote integration with Region’s Employability network.

Key duties:

• Deliver personalised, strengths-based employment support to individuals facing barriers to employment, education and training.
• Build trusted relationships with participants to identify aspirations, develop vocational goals and support progression into sustainable outcomes.
• Apply supported employment principles, including vocational profiling, job matching, rapid job search and in-work support, to achieve positive participant outcomes.
• Work collaboratively with employers, referral partners and community organisations to create opportunities and remove barriers to progression

Please click here to see the full job description and person specification

We will need you to have:

• Five GCSEs or equivalent at Grade C/4 or above
• Knowledge of supported employment principles and employer engagement techniques.
• Qualification in Supported Employment/IPS or work towards achievement within 9 months
• Experience with learning disabilities/ASD/mental health/complex health challenges and/or disadvantaged groups

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience delivering supported employment services
• Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) skills – IEP Level 2/3
• Understanding of welfare benefits and employment legislation

Salary: £30,000

Contract: Full time | Permanent (37 hours per week)

• Accredited SEQF level 3 qualification - delivered by The Busy Group
• 28 days annual leave + bank holidays, rising to 33 days with service.
• Pension scheme with matching contributions of up to 4%
• Access to discounted shopping opportunities and employee assistance programme

See the benefits of working for Catch22 here.

Unless otherwise stated, interviews will be arranged as suitable candidates are identified, so early application is strongly advised.

We aim to review applications as quickly as possible. However, due to the volume of interest we receive, we may not be able to contact all applicants individually. If you have not heard from us within two weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been successful this time.

At Catch22 we value equality, diversity and inclusion. We are wholeheartedly committed to the principle of equality of opportunity, both as an employer and as a provider of services. Diversity and Inclusion is part of what we do every day, working to deliver our vision to build a strong society where everyone has good people around them, a purpose, and a good place to live.

Catch22 is committed to rigorous safeguarding and safer recruitment practices; ensuring that every individual within the organisation has been safely and appropriately checked.

Please note, we will conduct an online search as part of our due dilligence checks for successful candidate(s). This will involve a search of all publicly available information online and in social media. 

Catch22’s Commitment to Ban the Box

Catch22 is proud to have “Banned the Box”. This means that we do not ask for candidates to disclose criminal convictions at the application stage. Instead, we invite disclosures at interview stage, and encourage them at the offer stage. Please see our statement of commitment on hiring people with convictions for more information.