IPS Employment Specialist

Job summary

The Individual Placement and Support service within BDCFT is expanding.

We are looking to recruit an additional Employment Specialists to join our award winning service, and to work within the Craven District, as well as Wharfedale and Keighley.

You will work closely with Wharfedale Airedale and Craven Alliance (WACA) in these communities, as well as the community mental health team and partners.

This role will be community based, working with clients with severe and enduring mental health needs, using the evidenced based model of Individual Placement and Support, supporting individuals into sustained paid employment.

If you are:

• Passionate about mental health recovery
• Passionate about supporting people into sustainable employment
• Want to work in the Craven area

then this role could be perfect for you.

You would be joining an expanding team with strong leadership and passionate colleagues, working as a team within Primary Care Networks and Community Mental Health Teams

You will receive regular comprehensive caseload management from your team leader, group and peer supervision opportunities, a detailed induction, mentoring from experienced colleagues and a real sense of team.

Closing date: 30th August 2026 at midnight

Shortlisting date: 31st August 2026

Interview date: 23rd September 2026

Main duties of the job

You will be responsible forworking with clients (managing a caseload) who have severe and enduring mental health needs, to assist them in securing sustainable paid employment in line with their preferences.

Delivering the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach,providing person centered advice and guidance to clients whilst building positive relationships with local employers to enable clients to move into suitable employment.

Building positive relationships with local employers to enable clients to move into suitable employment.

Working with individuals and groups in a variety of settings across Bradford District Care Trust in collaboration with health and social care professionals within the Community mental health teams, Primary Care Networks as well as outside agencies and employers.

Working directly with employers to secure employment opportunities, and subsequently to provide ongoing support according to both service users and employer's needs.

Holding specific responsibility and autonomy for delivering of contract Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) within an allocated team.

About us

Everything we do is underpinned by our core values:-

We Care - We act with respect and empathy, and always value differenceWe Listen - We understand people's views and respond to their individual needsWe Deliver - We develop and provide excellent services and support our partnersWe will consider a variety of flexible working arrangements to enable staff to balance their work and home lives and support staff by offering a fantastic range of benefits including:

Increase mileage rates for > 4500

A wide range of health and wellbeing support packages

A range of internal and external development and learning opportunities

Plus many more.

We are also proud to pledge our support to the Armed Forces and hold a Bronze Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.BDCFT is dedicated to environmental and social sustainability by delivering on the commitments within our Green Plan. All staff are actively encouraged and supported to participate in training and to identify and implement sustainable quality improvement across all service areas and activities.

Please note that the Trust reserves the right to close the vacancy before the closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received. It is in the candidate's best interest to apply as soon as possible.

Job responsibilities

Please read the attached Job description and person specification for more details about this role.

Right to Work in the UK

Applicants should be aware that for any individual who requires a visa to work in the UK, the Trust provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles only. This is an essential requirement of the role, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you are unable to meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.

Prior to your appointment you will be asked to provide confirmation of your right to work and reside in the UK. During your continued employment with the Trust, you have a personal responsibility to notify your manager as soon as possible should there be any changes to your right to work status.

Regrettably, if the role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Trusts eligibility criteria, the Trust are unable to extend your employment beyond the expiration of your current visa. The Trust is not responsible or liable for ensuring that your employment continues after this period.

As a condition of continuous employment, it essential you maintain the legal right to work in the United Kingdom throughout the duration of your employment with Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT). Any change in your right-to-work status, including but not limited to visa expiration, revocation, or denial of renewal, may impact your eligibility for employment with the Trust. It is your responsibility to promptly inform your Line Manager of any changes in your right-to-work status immediately and to provide necessary documentation for verification purposes. Failure to obtain or renew your visa in a timely manner is a breach of employment conditions and will result in termination of your employment. We appreciate your attention to this matter and your commitment to fulfilling this requirement promptly.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level, or equivalent experience

Desirable

• Certificate in supported employment or equivalent.

Training

Essential

• Willing to participate in relevant courses and training as required

Desirable

• Training in supported employment (Particularly the IPS model).

Experience

Essential

• Experience/understanding of working with people with mental health support needs, or a similar client group within health, social services or the voluntary sector.
• Awareness of evidence base of IPS and some experience of delivering interventions that focus on vocational skills.
• Experience of working with someone on a one-to-one basis and facilitating activities that focus on recovery.

Desirable

• Experience of supporting people with mental health conditions to obtain paid work.
• Experience of meeting and exceeding outcomes and targets
• Experience of partnership working, negotiation and liaison with other agencies.

Knowledge

Essential

• An awareness of the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model.
• Knowledge of employment and disability related benefits
• An understanding of the employment needs, and challenges faced by people who experience mental health difficulties .

Skills

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build rapport with a range of people
• Ability to work independently (without direct supervision) and use initiative to develop and promote a service
• Ability to adapt activities to be appropriate for the needs of the individual client
• Ability to prioritise and plan own workload
• Good organisational ability
• Ability to negotiate with employers on behalf of service users
• Acces to a vehicle to meet the demands of the role

Attitude and Approach

Essential

• Self-aware of personal strengths and weaknesses and actively invest in personal and professional development
• Highly motivated with a genuine belief that someone with a mental health condition can find paid employment .
• Resilient and tenacious to not give up despite setbacks and frustrations