About The Role
Are you passionate about helping people unlock their potential through meaningful employment?
We’re looking for a motivated Employment Specialist to support people living with mental health conditions, long-term physical health conditions, or disabilities to move into work that suits their skills, strengths, and ambitions.
Working across [Medway and Gravesham/Thanet/Dover, Folkestone and Hythe], you’ll deliver the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model as part of the Connect to Work programme. This evidence-based approach focuses on helping people move into competitive employment quickly, with personalised support that continues once they start work. Full IPS training will be provided, so if you bring the right passion and people skills, we’ll equip you with the rest.
Due to the nature of the role, all applicants must hold a valid UK driving licence and have access to a vehicle.
What you’ll be doing
You’ll manage a caseload of around 25 participants who are motivated to start or return to work, providing personalised support from first meeting through to sustaining employment.
Your role will include:
- Identifying participants’ skills, strengths, and career aspirations
- Creating Vocational Profiles and tailored Action Plans
- Supporting with CV writing, job searching, applications, and interview preparation
- Delivering one-to-one and group coaching to build confidence and employability skills
- Helping participants overcome barriers including benefits concerns, health disclosures, or workplace adjustments
You’ll also play an important role in connecting participants with opportunities in the local labour market.
- Build strong relationships with local employers across North and East Kent
- Identify opportunities in both the advertised and hidden job market
- Match participants to suitable vacancies and coordinate interviews
- Work with employers to promote inclusive recruitment and reasonable adjustments
This role is highly collaborative and community-focused. You’ll work closely with clinical teams, community organisations, training providers, and employers to ensure participants receive holistic support.
Once someone starts work, your support doesn’t stop. You’ll continue to provide in-work coaching and guidance, helping participants settle into their role, build confidence, and sustain long-term employment.
About you
We’re looking for someone who is passionate about people and motivated by helping others achieve their goals. You may come from a background in:
- Health or wellbeing services
- Employability or welfare-to-work programmes
- Adult skills, training, or education
- Recruitment or employer engagement
You’ll also bring strong relationship-building skills, the ability to motivate and coach individuals, and confidence working independently within the community.
If you’re looking for a rewarding role where you can make a real difference in people’s lives through employment, we’d love to hear from you.
[Please see attached Job Description for full details)
A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle is essential for this role.
We value your time and commitment, which is why all business-related travel mileage and site parking costs can be fully claimed back. Whether you're travelling between locations or attending meetings in the local community, you'll be reimbursed for eligible expenses, helping to keep your out-of-pocket costs to a minimum while you focus on delivering great work.
For more than 25 years, The Forward Trust has helped people overcome challenges including addiction, offending and unemployment to build healthier, more stable futures.
We’re committed to creating a supportive, flexible and inclusive working environment where our people can thrive while making a genuine impact in the communities we serve.