Job Description

Job Description & Person Specification

Job Purpose

As a Senior Employment Support Specialist (SESS) you will continue to enable your customers to achieve their own personal employment and local community inclusion goals. You will also be providing support to the Service Coordinators in your area as well as continuing with part of your Employment Support Specialist duties. As a Senior Employment and Communities Specialist you will continue to work under the direction of your Service Coordinator to support their coordinating of the service as it continues to develop.

Key Responsibilities

As a Senior Employment Support Specialist, you will provide and deliver:

Role Specific Objectives – Customer Focus

• SESS will take on the most complex cases in their area and be able to advise others in the team when appropriate
• SESS will have a good understanding of employment legislation and the local employment market.
• Will find meaningful work and volunteering opportunities in their local communities by gaining good engagement with employers and building relationships
• Identify work related goals and aspirations and create clear action plans to help them achieve these
• Covering the annual leave and short term sickness of the Service Coordinator.
• Able to supervise ESS to ensure they meet their targets and objectives
• Work towards clear personal outcomes and goals
• Liaise with carers and other professionals to help identify the customer’s goals and aspirations and find natural support in their community
• Support with career guidance, job searching, applications, interviews, in work support and ongoing career development
• To educate employers on how to support people with additional needs
• Help people learn how to travel to their place of work
• Plan how to step down workplace support and increase their independence
• Understand how to get help with employment and work related benefits
• To complete vocational profiles, risk assessments, worksite analysis and other documentation to ensure a safe working environment
• To support employer and employee with on-going work place issues
• Develop and increase employability, independence and social skills
• Help people play an integral role within and be part of their local communities.
• Advocate in work and community settings
• Take risks and be safe in accordance with their personal risk assessments.
• Receive and take part in services and support when they want and need it. This includes evenings and weekends.

Role Specific Objectives – Working Relationships

• Senior ESS will be involved in on boarding new staff so should have an excellent knowledge of IT systems, process and procedures.
• Senior ESS will cover networking events and book in or find new events to attend.
• Support and Coordinate ATW to ensure compliance with their systems and maximising income.
• Support and Coordinate the EHCP review meetings.
• Support and enable customers to review their Surrey Choices documents in a timely manner and contribute to this process where appropriate and required.
• Support and enable customers and carers with job applications forms and signpost to specialist support if appropriate
• Work with employers and other stakeholders to identify opportunities and negotiate job carving if appropriate
• To promote the benefits of work for people with additional needs to customers, carers and employers and education providers
• To support all Surrey Choices services to embed opportunities in work, volunteering and independence in community amongst all our customers.
• To support the Employment and Community Manager and Service Coordinator in delivering funded projects ensuring delivery of a professional service in a timely manner
• Be able to represent the service at employment and community events
• Be familiar with employment and benefit legislation
• Link with local Jobcentres, employers and other stakeholders
• Communicate effectively and professionally with employers, customers, their families and support networks, health and social care professionals.
• Facilitate and have professional working relationships with customers, their families and support networks, health and social care professionals and agencies.
• Maintain regular suitable contact with customers parents, carers and support networks and ensure they are suitably and appropriately involved with the care and support of the customer or person for whom they have responsibility.
• Maintain regular contact with employers, education providers and other stakeholders to ensure successful outcomes,
• Work in collaboration with other Surrey Choices staff to share and promote good practice, continuous improvement and equitable services across the county.

Other Objectives

• Maintain professional and personal boundaries with all customers, parents & carers, colleagues and other professionals.
• Comply, observe and promote the company’s Code of Conduct.
• Comply with the company’s policies and procedures at all times.
• Take all reasonable precautions to maintain the health and safety of self and others, ensuring that any risks in relation to this are reported and remedial action taken in a timely manner.
• Take responsibility for own continuous professional development and maintaining an adequate level of knowledge and skills pertaining to the role.
• Undertake any other duties that may reasonable be required of this role and as requested by manager (s).
• To manage and ensure effective responses to allegations of harm in line with Surrey Choices Safeguarding Policies and Procedures.
• To ensure services manage handle and store personal and corporate information in accordance with the Surrey Choices Information Governance Policy and procedures.
• Actively support and promote Surrey Choices business objectives, operating model and core values.

Person Specifications, Qualification, Experience, Skills, Knowledge

Qualification and Training

This Job Description is neither exhaustive or exclusive and may be subject to change in light of company requirements and the development of services.