Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust

IPS Employment Specialist

The closing date is 07 October 2025

Job summary

1. Can you build strong, professional relationships with people?2. Are you able to consistently hold hope for others?3. Are you action-orientated and excited by the idea of cultivating job opportunities with local employers?

If you answered yes to those three questions, we would like to hear from you!The Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Service is a specialist employment support service that works across the length and breadth of CNTW NHS Foundation Trust.

We provide evidence-based, NICE-recommended employment support to people who experience serious mental health problems, helping make career ambitions a reality.

We are delighted to be recruiting to our Northumberland IPS team, and have one full-time, permanent position available. This post will be based in the Alnwick area however the post holder will be expected to travel across the North East and Northumberland to meet the needs of our service users.

Main duties of the job

The IPS Employment Support Service focuses on three specific groups of people:1. People accessing Secondary Care mental health services who would like advice or support regarding employment.2. Local businesses who employ people.3. Healthcare professionals working within CNTW.

As a member of the IPS Service you will work extremely closely with the above three groups, actively engaging and building strong, professional relationships with all three. Actively listening and learning from people, adapting your practice and individualising your support to maximise the chances that:1. People using our service achieve their employment ambitions and benefit from the improved physical and mental health associated with good employment.

2. Local employers are supported to meet and retain talented, highly skilled people who may otherwise have difficulty attaining or retaining employment due to their health conditions.

3. Healthcare professionals across CNTW are supported to understand the IPS offer, know how to access or refer to us and work closely with us to support people achieve their employment and recovery goals.

About us

CNTW aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.

The CNTW IPS Service have supported hundreds of people secure paid and retain employment that has helped them thrive! We're fantastic to work for and can guarantee an exciting and varied role that rewards creativity and an action-orientated attitude.

Details

Date posted

23 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

263-CCG25-330-AB

Job locations

Hawkhill Business Park

Alnwick

NE66 3PG


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please find attached job description for full details.

Advertising date : 23rd September 2025

Closing date : 7th October 2025

We welcome your application.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please find attached job description for full details.

Advertising date : 23rd September 2025

Closing date : 7th October 2025

We welcome your application.

Person Specification

Education, Qualifications and employment history

Essential

  • Educated to degree level or equivalent
  • Evidence of experience working in a multidisciplinary team
  • Uses strong personal examples of building strong professional therapeutic relationships
  • Minimum 2 years experience working with people with mental health difficulties

Desirable

  • Additional training, qualifications or specific employment support experience
  • Experience working in a health setting
  • Experience of managing a caseload independently
  • Lived experience/carer experience

Knowledge and experience

Essential

  • Knowledge or experience of working in employment related services and/or Mental Health services
  • Strong understanding of the principles and practice of support employment methodology (place, train, maintain)
  • Knowledge of policies and legislation that relate to protection and promotion of employment rights for people with disability
  • Understanding of the statutory issues that may impact our service users attain employment

Desirable

  • Knowledge of employment law and Equality Act 2010
  • Knowledge or training in IPS methodology and principles
  • Knowledge and experience of living or working in Alnwick area

Skills and competencies

Essential

  • Strong personal examples of multi-agency team working
  • Outstanding communication skills incl. verbal and written skills
  • Excellent coaching and active listening skills
  • Outstanding ability to build rapport with a wide range of people
  • Being able to demonstrate adaptability and flexibility
  • Proven ability to use IT systems

Desirable

  • Ability to hit travel requirements of the role
Person Specification

Education, Qualifications and employment history

Essential

  • Educated to degree level or equivalent
  • Evidence of experience working in a multidisciplinary team
  • Uses strong personal examples of building strong professional therapeutic relationships
  • Minimum 2 years experience working with people with mental health difficulties

Desirable

  • Additional training, qualifications or specific employment support experience
  • Experience working in a health setting
  • Experience of managing a caseload independently
  • Lived experience/carer experience

Knowledge and experience

Essential

  • Knowledge or experience of working in employment related services and/or Mental Health services
  • Strong understanding of the principles and practice of support employment methodology (place, train, maintain)
  • Knowledge of policies and legislation that relate to protection and promotion of employment rights for people with disability
  • Understanding of the statutory issues that may impact our service users attain employment

Desirable

  • Knowledge of employment law and Equality Act 2010
  • Knowledge or training in IPS methodology and principles
  • Knowledge and experience of living or working in Alnwick area

Skills and competencies

Essential

  • Strong personal examples of multi-agency team working
  • Outstanding communication skills incl. verbal and written skills
  • Excellent coaching and active listening skills
  • Outstanding ability to build rapport with a wide range of people
  • Being able to demonstrate adaptability and flexibility
  • Proven ability to use IT systems

Desirable

  • Ability to hit travel requirements of the role

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Hawkhill Business Park

Alnwick

NE66 3PG


Employer's website

https://www.cntw.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Hawkhill Business Park

Alnwick

NE66 3PG


Employer's website

https://www.cntw.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

IPS Team Lead

James White

james.white@cntw.nhs.uk

01912232136

Details

Date posted

23 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

263-CCG25-330-AB

Job locations

Hawkhill Business Park

Alnwick

NE66 3PG


Supporting documents

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