Employment Specialist (Merton)

We areHestia. We make a difference.

At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for an Employment Specialist to play a pivotal role in our Employability Services in Merton.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

You will support a caseload of 20 25 clients to find competitive and sustained employment. Around 20% of referrals will be to assist clients to remain in work if struggling, or return to work, if off sick. Employment Specialists will follow the 8 principles of IPS, adhere to the IPS Fidelity Scale and achieve monthly targets and KPIs with the required administration and compliance.

What do I need to bring with me?

You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

You will bring experience delivering or managing employment services, ideally within mental health or primary care settings, alongside IPS training or a willingness to complete it. You will have proven experience managing teams, including supervision, coaching, mentoring, and performance management, with a strong track record of achieving service targets and quality standards. With excellent stakeholder engagement and partnership-building skills, you will be confident improving systems and processes to enhance service delivery. You will demonstrate strong IT capability across Microsoft Office and database systems, alongside excellent written and verbal communication skills, with confidence presenting to a range of stakeholders. A person-centred approach, strong customer service ethos, and a solid understanding of employment and mental health barriers are essential, along with knowledge of safeguarding, equality and diversity, data protection, health and safety, the Equality Act 2010, employment law, and a commitment to continuous professional development.

Interview Steps

We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.

• Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
• Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based.

Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Safeguarding Statement

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

Important Information for Candidates

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.