Neighbourhood Work & Health Coach @ Employ-Ability

Job summary

SUBJECT TO CONTRACT AWARD

As a Neighbourhood Work and Health Coach, you will provide early intervention work and health support and assessment to individuals. This provides holistic support to overcome health-related barriers to employment, and a single, joined-up gateway to other support services.

You will manage a caseload of clients, providing tailored, one-to-one support.

We need a Neighbourhood Work and Health Coach to provide highly effective support to individuals and guide them on their journey to returning, remaining or finding new employment while also supporting them to improve their health and wellbeing. The Neighbourhood Work and Health Coach will also be instrumental in supporting participants to remove health related barriers by sourcing and funding appropriate interventions.

You will work in partnership with mental and/or physical health clinical teams, GP practices and other referral partners who refer clients who are currently in employment but are experiencing difficulties in the workplace and require assistance to help them return to work, remain in work or find new employment. This programme will also support those who have fallen out of work to get the support they need to return to employment. That support will be tailored to their specific needs and circumstances.

This is a performance-focused role, with clear targets . But more than that, its about changing lives.

Main duties of the job

• Manage a diverse caseload of up to 50 participants, ensuring that contact is maintained and progress tracked. You will be supported through caseload reviews with the Team Leader.
• Meet and support participants to understand the barriers they are facing utilising a holistic approach to assessment. You will identify their aspirations, and any perceived barriers to work before coproducing an action plan with the participant aimed at meeting their objectives. Where the goal is employment you will provide employment coaching, including careers guidance, CV building, interview technique and job brokerage.
• Where the goal is job retention you will advise on employment rights, suggest options on next steps and where necessary advocate for participants with their employer in order to secure a return to work with any necessary adjustments.

About us

Employ-Ability, an Essex-based charity, is seeking to recruit suitable candidates to support those, with mental ill health and long term health conditions, to find and keep employment. Employ-Ability is a highly successful supported employment service, as well as a recognised Centre of Excellence. The charity works with Essex Partnership University Foundation Trust to deliver an Essex wide Individual Placement and Support (IPS) service across Essex.

Are you passionate about helping people with mental and /or physical health support needs find meaningful, sustainable employment? Do you want to be part of a service that transforms lives through work, inclusion, and wellbeing?

Were looking for enthusiastic and driven Work and Health Coaches to join our team.

Why Join us?

Together we are looking to create growth and opportunity for individuals with mental health conditions and build a better and all-inclusive working world. We work collaboratively to make a real impact in transforming someone's life - and you'll be well supported while doing it. We love what we do and feel we offer an incredibly rewarding career with an excellent training and development plan, a generous amount of annual leave and pension scheme.

Benefits

• 27 days annual leave (exc. Bank holidays)
• Birthday Leave
• Bupa Private Medical Cover (after probation)
• Flexible Working
• Company Pension and Sick Pay
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Life Assurance
• Hybrid working
• Reward Gateway (Employee discounts and benefits)

Job description

Job responsibilities

We are recruiting 9 x Neighbourhood Work & Health Coach posts across West and South Essex to support the work of our WorkWell delivery.

We welcome applicants from local residents in the areas of delivery.

Areas of Delivery

West and South Essex

WorkWell is a health and employment support service providing integrated holistic early help for people with health-related barriers to work. WorkWell is aimed at anyone with a disability or health condition who is in work or who could move into work with the right support.

Core Responsibilities

• Build and maintain strong relationships with a range of referral partners including social prescribers, mental health teams, GPs and other community providers
• Assess participants wider needs related to work which may include directing them towards benefits/welfare advice, mental/physical health advice with a specialist provider.
• Source job opportunities for clients through tailored job search and regular contact with local employers to explore hidden as well as advertised employment opportunities
• Facilitate and enable an individuals return to work as well as providing support around the issues that a person can face on returning to work after a period of unemployment.
• Maintain a good overview knowledge regarding contracts of employment, organisational policies/procedures, and employment law in order to support job retention cases.
• Ensure you have a knowledge of other resources available to employers should they need support, such as access to Access to Work, Mindful Employer, Mental Health First Aid and Advice on the Equality Act 2010.
• Develop an effective working relationship with other partners and your colleagues within Employ-Ability through attending regular team and network meetings.
• Ensure you understand and can utilise the Additional Support Fund within the rules of the fund, ensuring you get sign off from your Team Leader.
• To adhere to administrative and data capture protocols which record the progress of individuals, and to keep accurate and complete records of casework.
• To work independently, reliably and deliver consistently to deliver effective practice.
• Ensure that effective monitoring and evaluation systems are adhered to and keep abreast of changing practice within vocational rehabilitation.
• To co-produce service development with service users where possible.
• To collect employment recovery stories from people accessing the service.
• Ensure that all relevant policies are implemented such as information governance, safeguarding etc.
• Partake in continuous learning about mental and physical health conditions, their impact regarding employment and who best to refer to for management of the condition. Undertake mandatory training as required.
• Work flexible hours as required.
• To keep up to date with information on grants and advisory services for clients and employers, for instance funding for specialised equipment or advice on the Equality Act 2010.
• To support the team in promoting Employ-Ability in the community and with related publicity events and materials.
• You will be required to be mobile across a geographical area in supporting clients.
• To undertake any other duties as may be necessary from time to time, including possible out of hours working for which there will be time off in lieu.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received. Early application is therefore encouraged.

1st Stage interview date: Monday 30th November 2026

Interview Format: This will be face-to-face.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience/understanding of working with people with mental health support needs, or a similar client group within health, social services or the voluntary sector
• Experience of working with someone on a one-to-one basis
• Experience of managing multiple tasks at any one time
• Experience of working assertively to influence decision makers

Desirable

• Experience of supporting people to obtain or keep work
• Experience of working within mental health services
• Own personal lived experience of recovery from mental health difficulties
• Previous experience of delivering a service using the IPS model is a bonus
• Proven experience of meeting and exceeding outcomes and targets
• HR or advice work involving Employment law
• Job retention experience

Knowledge

Essential

• An understanding of the employment needs, and challenges faced by people who experience mental health difficulties
• Developing a knowledge of a broad range of occupations and jobs
• Able to use IT and tools such as MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel

Desirable

• Knowledge of the benefits agency and all disability/ employment related benefits
• Knowledge of employment Law

Skills and competencies

Essential

• Good motivational, communication and listening skills
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and ability to build rapport with a range of people
• Good organisational ability
• Natural ability to build close, trusting and productive relationships with people
• Team orientated and works collaboratively within a mixed-disciplinary team
• Ability to work independently and use initiative to develop and promote a service

Personal qualities

Essential

• Non-judgemental and trustworthy
• Empathy with the needs of those with mental health support needs
• Passion and drive to make a positive difference to people's lives
• Highly motivated with a genuine belief that someone with a mental health condition can find paid employment
• Resilient and tenacious to not give up despite setbacks and frustrations
• Self-aware of personal strengths and weaknesses and actively invest in personal and professional development
• Willingness to travel within the region

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to a degree level or equivalent experience

Desirable

• Level 3 Diploma in Employability Services Sector Qualification
• QCF in Advice & Guidance (Level 3)

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

Employ-Ability

Address

The Workspace

7 High Pavement

BASILDON

Essex

SS14 1EA

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.e-a.org.uk (Opens in a new tab)