IPS Team Leader

\n Job Role: IPS Team LeaderLocation: Cheshire & Wirral (CH42)Salary: £38,682 per annumContract: PermanentHours: Full-time (37.5 hours per week) Role Overview We are recruiting a confident and outcomes-focused IPS Team Leader to manage a small team of Employment Specialists delivering high-quality Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services across Cheshire & Wirral. As an NHS IPS Team Leader, you will provide leadership, clinical integration guidance, and day-to-day supervision to ensure the service meets strict fidelity standards and delivers strong job placement outcomes. Alongside your leadership responsibilities, you will role-model IPS best practice and manage a small caseload when required, supporting clients with mental health needs to secure and retain sustainable paid employment aligned with their preferences. This role plays a pivotal part in integrating employment support within secondary Mental Health teams, Primary Care Networks (PCNs), and voluntary/community services, ensuring a holistic, recovery-focused approach. Key ResponsibilitiesTeam Leadership & Performance Management\n

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• Staff Guidance: Manage, mentor, and motivate a team of Employment Specialists through field observations, co-running employer pitches, and structured supervisions.
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• Target Management: Set and monitor individual and team KPIs, job outcome targets, and retention goals in line with contractual requirements.
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• Professional Development: Identify training needs, coordinate development opportunities, and support the design and delivery of in-house training and peer learning.
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• Culture & Inclusion: Create a culture of continuous improvement, shared best practice, and facilitate client involvement in the co-production of service improvements.
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Quality, Compliance & Supervision\n

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• Caseload Reviews: Provide solution-focused monthly supervisions for the team, including thorough caseload and risk reviews.
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• Community Focus: Ensure Employment Specialists spend sufficient operational time in the community, meeting employers and clients face-to-face.
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• Job Development: Guide and coach the team to deliver effective, proactive job development and employer engagement strategies.
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• Quality Assurance: Oversee quality assurance protocols, audit data records, and manage client satisfaction feedback loops to continually improve the service.
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Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement\n

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• Clinical Integration: Build and maintain strategic relationships with clinical and medical leaders across Mental Health, PCN, and VCFSE teams.
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• Pathway Optimization: Support the team to embed seamless referral pathways, positioning employment as a key component of recovery.
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• Zero Exclusion: Promote the service to clinical teams to ensure zero exclusion and encourage appropriate self-referrals.
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• Market Navigation: Coordinate external employer engagement activities to access the hidden labour market and support job-seeking groups.
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Client & Caseload Support\n

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• Caseload Delivery: Directly manage a small caseload of clients with mental health support needs who are motivated to start or return to work when required.
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• Fidelity Adherence: Deliver, embed, and champion the IPS approach across the team, ensuring absolute adherence to IPS fidelity principles.
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Essential Criteria\n

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• Experience Profiles:
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• 3+ years' experience supporting people with mental health needs or similar vulnerable groups.
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• 2+ years' experience working directly within employment services.
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• Proven track record of meeting and exceeding targets in an outcomes-driven environment.
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• Experience supervising, mentoring, or managing staff.
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• Qualifications:
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• Level 2 English and Maths (minimum).
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• Degree-level education or equivalent occupational experience.
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• Formal IPS training (required).
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• Overseas equivalent qualifications are welcomed.
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• Knowledge & Skills:
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• Strong understanding of disability, special needs, and employment-related legislation.
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• In-depth knowledge of supported employment principles and the IPS fidelity scale.
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• Understanding of local labour market trends and a broad range of occupations.
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• Confident IT literacy, including proficiency in MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
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• Core Abilities: Strong networking, relationship-building, and change-facilitation capabilities. We warmly welcome applicants with lived experience.
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Desirable Criteria\n

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• Sector Qualification: Level 3 Diploma in Employability Services or QCF Level 3 in Advice & Guidance.
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Benefits & Package\n

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• Annual Leave: 25 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays.
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• Health & Wellbeing: Comprehensive company health plan (provided post-probation) and 5-10 paid sick days per year.
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• Retirement Protection: Generous corporate pension scheme.
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• Professional Growth: Extensive CPD (Continuous Professional Development) and internal training opportunities.
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To apply or request further information regarding this position, please contact: · Contact: Tiffany Bennett · Phone: · Email: \n