Connect Employment Specialist

• Full time position preferred but would consider part time position
• Fixed Term contract to the end of the programme – 31 st March 2029
• Salary range: £25,989 - £28,142 per annum for 37 hours per week
• 30 days annual leave, excluding bank holidays
• The role will impact on the lives of Somerset residents with complex barriers to employment.
• Your primary work base will be your nearest Somerset Council office. On a day‑to‑day basis, you will work within local communities, delivering support from Community Employment Hubs, partner organisations’ premises, and a range of community venues. Remote working may be available in line with organisational policies and service requirements.
• Regretfully, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role. We are only able to proceed with candidates who already have the right to work in the UK without the need for visa sponsorship.

We’re working to improve the lives of people in Somerset – and you’ll be a key part of that. Your day-to-day work will involve:

• A clear understanding of the barriers to employment faced by disadvantages individuals who are experiencing labour market exclusion
• An awareness of supported employment models, fidelity and inclusive practices.
• Proven experience of providing advice, guidance and/or support to individuals seeking employment.

We offer ongoing support, training and guidance to help you be the best you can be. But it will really help if you:

• Level 2,3 or 4 – Certificate / Diploma in Advice and Guidance or equivalent

We’re looking for a compassionate, motivated Employment Specialist to help Somerset residents facing barriers—such as health conditions, disabilities, or multiple disadvantages—move into meaningful, sustainable work.

You’ll deliver high‑quality, person‑centred employment support using either the IPS or SEQF model (caseloads: 25 IPS / 20 SEQF), building trusted relationships and tailoring your approach to each individual’s strengths, goals, and needs.

In this role, you will:

• Conduct vocational profiling and create personalised employment plans
• Provide practical support with job‑searching, CVs, applications, interviews, and job‑matching
• Offer guidance on benefits, workplace adjustments, and disclosure
• Work closely with employers, health professionals, and community partners
• Support people both into work and to stay in work through ongoing in‑placement support
• Maintain accurate records and meet fidelity standards to ensure high‑quality delivery

This is a rewarding opportunity to make a real difference—championing inclusion, empowering individuals, and helping shape a stronger, fairer Somerset.

We’re proud to be here for the people of Somerset. And that means everyone in Somerset. An important part of this is ensuring that we are as diverse and inclusive as the people and communities we serve.

We welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences to enrich our team. You can always contact the hiring manager for a chat if there’s anything you want to talk about before you apply.

We are proud to offer an environment that is supportive and rewarding, working as part of a team who are passionate about the work they do to improve the lives of people in Somerset.

We offer great training and development opportunities, with supportive management. As well as this, we have some fantastic employee benefits available:

• We promote a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements wherever possible, including working from home.
• Generous annual leave allowance, with the opportunity to purchase additional leave
• Staff discounts in gyms.
• Employee Assistance for the times you may need some support and a variety of employee wellbeing services.
• Auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme and optional pension enhancement through our Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme.
• A Flexible Benefits Scheme via salary sacrifice to obtain a cycle for work and health screenings.
• My Staff Shop offering discounts in shops, online shopping, restaurants, cinema tickets, insurance benefits and more

Salary range: £25,989 - £28,142 per annum for 37 hours per week

Interviews will take place on 24 th / 25 th March 2026

When completing your application/CV please provide your full employment history and ensure that any gaps in employment are explained. Please start with your current or most recent employment.

If you have all the information you need, just hit the apply button - we can’t wait to hear from you.

This post requires a criminal background check via the Disclosure procedure.

Please read any attached documents before applying for this job