Senior Employment Advisor

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached Job description and Person Specification for full details.

SCOPE AND RANGE

The postholder will provide specialised assessment of individuals work needs and manage the provision and a caseload of people who are referred from the NHS Plymouth Talking Therapies practitioners and wish to return to, remain in or enter work for the first time.

The postholder will also provide specialised advice, information and support to the individuals employer or learning provider as required.

The postholder is responsible for establishing and maintaining links with relevant organisations, employers and individuals to enable people who have mental ill health can access work opportunities.

MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Take an active part in managing and developing the employment advise provision within NHS Talking Therapies across Plymouth.

Be responsible for organising and planning caseload and managing clinical/non-clinical time effectively to fit with service needs and demands.

Ensure effective use of resources within own work and signpost work to other agencies when more appropriate.

As requested by the Service Manager, prepare, organise and run training for NHS Plymouth Talking Therapies practitioners, employers, others in learning and work organisations about learning, work and mental health issues.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

The Senior Employment Advisor tasks involves recruitment, training and line managing a number of Employment Advisors.

Provide leadership to Employment Advisors to ensure parity of provision across the Plymouth area.

Work in partnership with NHS Plymouth Talking Therapies practitioners to ensure that patients are given accurate, timely and appropriate vocational assessment and advice.

Facilitate appropriate applications to other employment providers.

Establish and maintain effective working relationships between NHS Plymouth Talking Therapies team and learning and work providers, especially Jobcentre Plus, Work Choice and Work Programme providers.

Support employers, placement providers and learning and work organisations to enable the patient to sustain their job. This will involve regular communication with these others to provide advice, guidance and training on how to manage a particular situation.

Promote and publicise NHS Plymouth Talking Therapies Employment Service to learning and work providers and the wider community by giving talks or presentations as agreed with Service Manager.

Keep NHS Plymouth Talking Therapies team informed of current work to ensure continuity of work at times of absence.

Liaise regularly with NHS Plymouth Talking Therapies practitioners, people who use services and carers groups and other health related agencies over learning and work issues.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL AND/OR PHYSICAL RESOURCES

The postholder will manage any delegated resources and equipment effectively and within required limits.

The postholder will ensure service provision provides best value for money in their work at all times.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR ADMINISTRATION

Keep NHS Plymouth Talking Therapies team informed of current Vocational Recovery and Welfare issues and keep up to date with examples of good practice and government initiatives and mandates.

Ensure there is easily accessible written and electronic information for all NHS Plymouth Talking Therapies team and patients about learning and work-related issues and services.

Hold responsibility for local data quality within NHS Plymouth Talking Therapy to support Local and National reporting mechanisms for the EA remit.

To produce documents of good practice about the employment of people with mental health difficulties.

Increase engagement of employers through providing:

1. Support for employers in recruitment & retention of staff with Mental Health.

2. Guidelines for NHS staff in dealing with employers.

3. Guidelines for employers in recruitment and retention of people with Mental Health.

4. Tangible methods through which to secure responses from employers.

5. Dissemination of examples of dealings with employers.

Network with internal and external stakeholders to maintain professional links across the Trust.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

The postholder will be responsible for the management and own caseload of patients referred from the Plymouth Talking Therapies practitioners.

Deliver and have regular professional, clinical and managerial supervision of work.

Have yearly personal development and review meetings and six-monthly reviews.

This post is for an autonomous practitioner, who works within codes of practice, guidelines and is the sole employment specialist within NHS Plymouth Talking Therapies team.

The postholder retains responsibility for compliance with mandatory and essential training standards required for the post.

COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS

The post holder will be responsible for proving that the Care Quality Commission outcome areas have been met in all registered/related activities for which the post holder is responsible. Where outcomes are not met the post holder is expected to put in place/recommend action to improve.

The post holder will proactively seek and engage the support of the governance teams in the Compliance and Corporate Development directorate to gather information as required. The post holder will build an understanding of and adhere to the CQC guidelines as well as the Trusts guidelines on the approach to maintaining CQC registration.

The post holder has responsibility for the timely and accurate creation, maintenance and storage of records in accordance with Trust policy, including email documents and with regard to the Data Protection Act, The Freedom of Information Act and any other relevant statutory requirements.

Maintain up to date and accurate statistics, records of applicants, service deficits, training given, outcomes of contact, and any other information needed for the on-going evaluation of the Senior Employment Advisor role.

Ensure that statistics required for the Plymouth Talking Therapies provision on employment are accurately collected and recorded on the IAPTUS system.

PHYSICAL/EMOTIONAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB

This post may involve lone working, working away from base frequently and working without direct supervision.

Working with people with the full range of mental health issues and associated problems will inevitably mean contact with people who have challenging behaviour.

As the post involves working across health and non-health services supporting people who are seeking employment or needing support to retain employment, there will be complex situations which will require careful handling. This is possible as the postholder will be dealing with complex scenarios i.e. working with people in distress, who are under pressure and needing urgent help.

The role might involve discussions or giving unwelcome or contentious news to patients/ clients/carers/staff.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR ALL POSTS

The post holder is required to comply with all relevant policies and procedures pertinent to their post. Current versions can be found on the intranet or via your manager. The areas listed below are those Livewell Southwest currently places particular emphasis on. Failure to follow correct policies and procedures may result in disciplinary action.

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree in occupational therapy (or equivalent with 3 to 5 years experience) or Vocational Rehabilitation or similar.
• Evidence of relevant post graduate courses.
• Commitment to CPD.

Desirable

• NVQ 4 in Advice and Guidance.
• Certificate in Coaching skills.
• Diploma or equivalent in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
• ECDL or equivalent.

Experience

Essential

• Substantial experience of working in a specialist mental health or Employment specialist role.
• Experience of specifically assisting people to find and/or retain learning and work opportunities.

Desirable

• Has practised the case management approach to job retention or the IPS approach to supported employment.
• Experience of working in a range of jobs.
• Experience of public relations and promotional activities.

Specific Skills

Essential

• Analytical & Judgemental Skills
• Problem solving and lateral thinking skills.
• Ability to work on own initiative.
• Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance.
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries.
• Research and project development skills.
• Able to analyse information and develop effective solutions.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Good self-management skills.
• Ability to plan services according to needs.

Knowledge

Essential

• A working knowledge of the employment needs and difficulties of people who experience mental health problems.
• Knowledge of the case management approach to job retention.
• Understanding of current local mental health services.
• Understanding of Recovery principles.
• An understanding of psychological therapies.
• A working knowledge of NHS Talking Therapies model and principles.
• An understanding of the current research and thinking about vocational rehabilitation services.
• Awareness of Benefits, Government employment/training schemes.
• In depth local knowledge of JCP, labour market, recruitment processes and employment practices.
• Knowledge of Equality Act.
• Basic knowledge of employment law.

Desirable

• Detailed knowledge of employment law.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).