Employment Specialists

We have an exciting opportunity for 2 full time (37.5 hours) and one part time (20 hours) Employment Specialists to join our Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Employment Services Team in Milton Keynes. This role focuses on supporting people with severe mental health conditions into paid employment. We are seeking individuals who have experience managing a caseload and supporting people into work.

The successful candidate will be highly motivated, organised, and demonstrate excellent time‑management skills. We are looking for someone with the right values and attributes, including a strong belief that anyone with a mental health condition can work, the initiative to work independently, a commitment to effective teamwork and the ability to work within an evidence‑based model meeting key performance indicators.

In this role, you will actively promote employment and raise expectations that people using mental health services can secure and sustain paid work. You will work towards individual and team targets and will receive support from an Employment Team Leader, a clinical supervisor, and local peers.

The post requires significant community‑based work, providing direct support to clients, developing job opportunities through the hidden labour market, and building strong networks with local agencies and employers.

Please note:

Salary can only be negotiated where there is a minimum of 2 years experience within employment support. Firstly, you will need either a degree‑level education or relevant work experience, such as in the Health and Social Care, Education, Human Resources or Employability. Alongside having strong and persuasive communication skills, excellent time management and exceptional organisational skills, it is important to have the ability to initiate and develop relationships with a variety of individuals and to engage employers using a variety of methods such as via the telephone or face‑to‑face in the community.

Having a driving licence and access to a car is essential. This role cannot be carried out remotely. Please read the attached person specification carefully and ensure your application and specifically the supporting statement demonstrates the requirements of the role.

• Supporting and motivating individuals with mental health conditions to access and sustain paid employment.
• Supporting clients through vocational profiling, CV production, application support, interview techniques, assessing the financial implications of work, negotiating reasonable adjustments and managing their health at work.
• Sourcing job opportunities for clients through regular contact with local employers within the community and breaking down barriers for our clients.
• Working for Central North West London NHS Trust.
• Being part of the Trust‑wide Employment Services Team which comprises over 40 people and is rapidly growing.

• Degree‑level education or relevant work experience in Health and Social Care, Education, Human Resources or Employability.
• Strong and persuasive communication skills, excellent time management and exceptional organisational skills.
• Ability to initiate and develop relationships with a variety of individuals and to engage employers using a variety of methods such as telephone or face‑to‑face in the community.
• Driving licence and access to a car.
• Minimum of 2 years experience within employment support for salary negotiation.

You will receive a number of staff benefits working for CNWL Trust, including an attractive pension scheme, a range of staff networks, travel discounts, employee assistance programme and discounts at hundreds of retailers nationwide.

This role is an excellent opportunity to start a long‑term career within the mental health sector, develop your skills and a gateway to the vast number of opportunities within CNWL.