Salary: £33,143 – £36,363 a year
Hours per week: 37
Contract type: Fixed Term
As an Employment Support Specialist, you will play a key role in supporting residents to find, sustain and succeed in meaningful employment. You will work with individuals who face barriers to work, offering tailored, person-centred guidance that takes account of wider life factors such as health, disability, benefits, housing, childcare and travel.
You will manage a varied caseload, develop bespoke action plans and providing practical support with job search activities including occupational decision-making, CV writing, interview preparation, job finding and job retention skills. You will coach participants to confidently use digital tools and platforms such as online job boards, email, document uploading and social media as part of their employment journey.
A core part of the role involves building strong relationships with local employers and partners. You will proactively develop knowledge of the local labour market, identify job opportunities and collaborate with employers to create sustainable employment pathways. You will advocate for disability confidence, promote inclusive recruitment practices and advise employers on reasonable adjustments, occupational health recommendations and Access to Work.
You will also work closely with health professionals, training and education providers, social care teams and community organisations to ensure a coordinated approach to employment support. This includes carrying out job and task analyses, workplace risk assessments and supporting health and safety requirements to ensure individuals are well prepared and supported in the workplace.
Throughout the role, you will be responsible for achieving challenging performance targets and KPIs while maintaining a high-quality, consistent service. You will contribute to the wider aims of the programme and undertake any additional duties appropriate to the grade, supporting Luton Borough Council’s commitment to inclusion, opportunity and diverse, thriving local communities.
Please note this role does not attract sponsorship.
You are a motivated and empathetic professional with experience working in the employment and skills sector, delivering high-quality support in line with agreed targets, quality standards and compliance requirements. You have a proven ability to provide effective one-to-one support, coaching or mentoring that positively influences individuals’ personal and professional development.
You are organised, resilient and confident managing a demanding caseload, often handling complex cases simultaneously while working to strict deadlines and performance measures. You are comfortable using your own initiative to plan, prioritise and take responsibility for your workload, and you can work independently across multiple locations.
You bring strong administrative, organisational and IT skills, with experience using CRM systems and Microsoft Office applications. You are confident collating and analysing data to produce accurate statistical and written reports, and you are experienced in working within quality and safeguarding guidelines.
You communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing, and are able to consult, influence, negotiate and build positive relationships with people from a wide range of sectors and backgrounds. You take an empathetic and person-centred approach, while also having the confidence to challenge constructively where appropriate.
You are digitally confident and comfortable using a range of communication channels, including telephone, video conferencing and email. You have a good understanding of equality, diversity and cultural issues affecting young people and adults, and are committed to safeguarding and promoting inclusive practice.
You hold a minimum Level 2 qualification in English, Maths and ICT, or equivalent relevant experience. You can work flexibly across different premises in Luton, including outside normal office hours, and due to the travel requirements of the role, you are a car owner/driver.
Our ambitious Luton 2040 Vision – that no-one in Luton will have to live in poverty – is at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that our people are remarkable, talented, committed and passionate about serving our residents.
The people of Luton depend heavily on this council – and that means our workforce! Are you ready to realise the remarkable and help us deliver our vision?
We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to developing a workforce that reflects the diversity of our borough
Because of the nature of this job, it will be necessary for the appropriate level of criminal record disclosure to be undertaken. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare all unspent cautions and convictions; and also any adult cautions (simple or conditional), and spent convictions that are not protected as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020). A person’s criminal record will not in itself prevent a person from being appointed to this post. Applicants will not be refused posts because of offences which are not relevant to, and do not place them at or make them a risk in, the role for which they are applying. However in the event of the employment being taken up, any failure to disclose such offence, as detailed above, will result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the Authority.
On occasions, we may close a vacancy early due to a very high number of applications being received.
We offer a range of excellent staff benefits which include:
– From 25 to 32 days’ annual leave: linked to length of service and grade
– Buying annual leave scheme: buy up to 20 days additional annual leave
– Career Pathways: step up in your career or move into a specialist area
– Pension scheme: with generous employer contributions of up to 20.2 per cent (at July 2023) and 3x salary death in service grant
– Generous relocation package: up to £8,000 (subject to eligibility)
– Employee Assistance Programme: a free, 24/7 confidential counselling and wellbeing support service available to all employees, their partner or spouse and dependent children over 16 still living at home
– Work/life balance: flexible working options including working from home where possible. We welcome requests for flexible working arrangements including part-time hours and alternative working patterns
– Training and support: unlimited access to development courses, mentoring and support and clear career pathways
– Staff offers: includes discounts on your MOT, gym and fitness, restaurants and salons
– Arriva Travel Club: great value savings on local bus travel
We understand that job applications take time and effort, but a high-quality application shows that you are professional with a good attention to detail. The recruiting manager may receive a number of applications for each job advertised so you want yours to stand out!
Our ‘How to apply’ page has more tips to help with your application: How to apply
