Employment Coach

We are The Forward Trust  the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often-interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.

As Employment Coach, you will manage a caseload of unemployed participants and assist them in securing sustainable paid employment in line with their preferences. Providing person centred advice and guidance to participants, whilst building positive relationships with local employers to enable clients to move into suitable employment.

You will work with the community, maintaining positive and integrated relationships, fostering a holistic approach to employability barriers towards employment.

• Manage a caseload of unemployed participants seeking to achieve sustainable employment with various employability barriers.
• Deliver a structured action plan, where training will be given.
• Meet and support clients to understand their key skills, aspirations and goals through completing a Vocational Profile and pro
• duce an Action Plan to help them obtain and sustain competitive employment. This includes support with their  job search, CV production, application forms, interview techniques and career development.
• Deliver high quality end-to-end information, advice and guidance to clients on our employability programmes (aligned to the Matrix and Gatsby Standards).
• Promote and develop the mind-set, emotional intelligence qualities, self-confidence and esteem so that the learners/job seekers succeed in the world of work.
• Coach the participants on a one to one and group basis based on the Forward Trust ES Methodology and Theory of Change
• Introduce clients to a `strengths based’ recruitment approach to succeeding in job interviews.
• Short-list, pre-select and match/submit clients to vacancies/work experience opportunities.
• Arrange interviews for participants where appropriate.
• Assess participants support needs related to work which may include benefits/welfare advice, disclosure of mental health symptoms etc, and provide support & guidance.
• Attend weekly meetings with the team.
• Source job opportunities for participants through tailored job search and regular contact with local employers to explore hidden as well as advertised employment opportunities- in collaboration with the Account Manager/employer engagement team.
• Provide education and support to employers, as agreed with the individual, which may include negotiating adjustments, return to work strategy and on-going contact with the employer to ensure job retention.
• Build relationships with colleagues in clinical teams to engage and generate referrals and create collaborative working partnerships.
• Once employment has been secured continue to provide quality service through conducting regular visits, effective monitoring and in-work support to clients and employers to help sustain employment.

Relationship Management:

• Establish positive and integrated relationships, employers and other service providers.
• Arrange regular meetings with clients to monitor and review progress pre- and post-employment.
• Spend time getting to know local employers, in order to negotiate job opportunities that meet each individual’s strengths, needs, abilities and preferences.
• To challenge inequalities experienced by clients and address existing discrimination, whilst ensuring a process of learning for the organisation
• Work with employers to promote the service, identify job opportunities and ensure appropriate strategies are in place to reduce barriers in the workplace – this can include exploring ‘job carving’ i.e. carving small slices of work from the duties other staff do not have time to do.
• To develop effective working relationships with a range of external agencies who can help individuals to achieve their employment goals. This may include local colleges and training providers.

Other:

• To adhere to administrative and data capture protocols which record the progress of individuals, and to keep accurate and complete records of casework.
• Ensure that effective monitoring and evaluation systems are adhered to and keep abreast of changing practice.
• To co-produce service development with service users where possible.
• To collect employment stories from people accessing the service- including video case studies
• Ensure contractual compliance is maintained to the highest standard at all times.
• Comply with safeguarding/Prevent agenda, Health and Safety and other policies and procedures.
• Work with colleagues to achieve effective performance management, including weekly performance reporting and monthly reviews.
• Meet required KPI’s to corresponding deadlines, as set out by the Manager.
• Plan and manage your caseload effectively, making sure that clients are prioritised appropriately and seen in a timely manner.

Experience of providing high quality CV, job search, interview support to learners/job seekers (ex-offenders, at risk offending, NEET, unemployed)

Experience of providing high quality coaching support that ensures learners access employment and apprenticeships

Ability to build a learner’s/job seeker’s self-confidence, self-esteem, motivation to help them achieve in the world of work and lasting employment/career development

Identifying skills and qualities in a learner to match appropriately with vacancies

Progressing learners and job seekers into apprenticeships and employment and sustaining them in these

Willingness to undertake a level 4 Employability Practitioner Apprenticeship as part of learning and development.

• Training opportunities and career development
• Flexible working
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays
• Contributory Pension Scheme – Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years’ service and up to 9% thereafter
• Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary)
• Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)