Title:  Employment Support Officer

Employment Support Officer.docx

L&Q is one of the UK’s most successful social businesses. Our mission is to combine our social purpose and commercial drive to create homes and neighbourhoods’ residents can be proud of – and the work of the L&Q Foundation is fundamental to this.

The L&Q Foundation was set up to bring together all our social and economic programmes in one place. We continue to develop and fund social interventions that improve people's lives and creates opportunities in our communities.

The L&Q Foundation has created an employment support service to help residents increase their skills and find work: we are now looking for an exceptional individual to help us deliver our exciting support service.

For this post you’ll need to have experience of working with a caseload of clients in a targeted, time-pressured environment such as a family intervention project, employment/ tenancy support service, welfare to work programme or social services.  You will have a strong track record of positive outcomes for your clients and a drive for results.

You’ll have the ability to work in partnership with internal and external stakeholders, developing and co-ordinating a package of help and support aiming to help your clients secure employment. You will have knowledge of Welfare Reform and the potential impact on our residents.
 

You will be confident in developing a supportive, trust-based yet challenging relationship with your clients. A sound understanding of the barriers to employment is essential for this post. Your will have to manage the challenges associated with supporting the long term unemployed creating action plans tailored to their individual needs.

Role Responsibilities:

Working to targets and deadlines

Assess needs and barriers of participants through SMART action plans and a needs assessment

Support participants into training and employment

Networking with external and internal providers to increase referrals to the service

Carrying out effective business development to support own caseload and the team

Track and record customer outcomes and activities on our internal system

Assist customers to become job ready by coaching and providing employer led advice and guidance

Provide ongoing support to participants post recruitment (in work support)

Sign post participants to a range of organisations to assist with Health, drug and alcohol, housing and finance advice

Essential skills needed:

          Be able to demonstrate previous experience in a target driven environment

          Knowledge on the current labour market and trends

          Knowledge of stakeholder/provider engagement

          Carrying out effective Business Development to support own caseload and the    team

          Exceptional time management and organisational skills

          Ability to prioritise, manage deadlines and work to targets

          Energy and drive to achieve objectives

          Highly adaptable, positive, confident, emphatic and assertive

          Must be empathetic to vulnerable and at risk adults and have a strong desire      to help

          Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.  Good at     report writing

          Ability to build trust and credibility with clients who may be vulnerable

          Knowledge of welfare to work and welfare benefits

          Experience of working with vulnerable people in challenging situations

          Good IT skills

          Experience of breaking down barriers and successfully supporting people into     sustainable employment

          Effective record keeping

          Must be a team player and supportive of colleagues

Desirable Skills needed:

          NVQ Level 4 in Advice & Guidance

          Have worked on voluntary and outreach contracts and can quantify this.

          Be able to demonstrate previous experience in a target driven environment.

For this post the successful candidate will need to apply for or be in possession of a Enhanced Disclosure Barring Service certificate (DBS) to enable them to work within the team. For further information about the Disclosure Barring Service please visit www.homeoffice.gov.uk

If you believe you have the qualities we are after and are interested in working for an organisation that can really make a difference to people’s lives, then please apply without delay.  

COVID 19: The safety of our staff and our candidates is of the utmost importance. Every effort will be taken to ensure that safe ways of working are adopted throughout the Recruitment and Selection process. We are introducing extra precautions in line with UK Government Guidelines. Our recruitment processes will follow social distancing and COVID-19 Secure requirements. This will include the use of various technologies to support the interview process. Should candidates have any questions regarding this, or if you require additional support please let us know at the interview planning stage.

At the foundation of everything that we do are our corporate values and associated behaviours. Our organisational behavioural framework outlines the core expectations of all employees, which should be demonstrated at all times when representing L&Q.   More information about L&Q’s values can be found on our website and a copy of our behavioural framework can be provided on request.

Our commitments:

At L&Q, people are at the heart of our business and our success depends on employing the best people and getting the best from them.  This is why we are committed to developing our people. It's only by investing in a well-trained and motivated workforce that we can continue to prosper and sustain business success.

In addition to our support and training, the successful candidate will have access to our full suite of benefits including 26 days holiday rising to 31 days with length of service, annual bonus subject to group performance, excellent Pension scheme, an employee assistance programme and non-contributory life assurance.

We are committed to supporting your work-life balance and recognise the changing demands and circumstances in life.  Please let us know during the recruitment process if you’re interested in part time working or job sharing.  In addition, should your circumstances change once you have joined L&Q, you can also request flexible working arrangements, e.g. a change to working hours - if it’s feasible then we’ll make it happen.

We are recognised externally for our commitment to inclusion.  We are a Stonewall Diversity Champion, a Disability Confident (Committed) employer and have signed the Time to Change Employer Pledge to demonstrate our commitment to end mental health discrimination in the workplace.

We expect all of our employees to support our environmental policy and social responsibility work. We are an employer committed to environmental and social responsibility.