Job Role: IPS Team Manager
Individual Placement & Support (IPS) | Employment Services | Health & Wellbeing
Location: Chester/Ellesmere Port – Community-Based (Regional Travel Required)
Salary: £38,682
Contract: Permanent, Full-Time
  
Role Overview:

We are recruiting an experienced and motivational IPS Team Manager to lead a team of Employment Specialists delivering a high-quality Individual Placement and Support (IPS) service.

As the IPS Team Manager, you will be responsible for managing, developing and supporting a team that helps individuals with mental health conditions, disabilities, long-term health conditions and other complex barriers move towards and sustain meaningful employment.

You will play a critical role in maintaining IPS fidelity, driving performance, developing staff capability and ensuring participants receive person-centred support that delivers positive employment outcomes. Alongside your leadership responsibilities, you will retain oversight of a small number of more complex participant cases and act as a role model for IPS best practice across the service.

This is an excellent opportunity for an existing IPS Team Leader, Senior Employment Specialist, Employment Services Manager or Supported Employment Manager looking to progress within a well-established and highly respected employment support programme.
  
Key Responsibilities:
Team Leadership & Performance Management

• Lead, coach and develop a team of IPS Employment Specialists.
• Deliver regular supervision, mentoring and caseload reviews.
• Monitor individual and team performance against referrals, engagement, job outcomes and sustainment targets.
• Support staff development through observations, coaching and reflective practice.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration and high performance.
• Identify training and development needs and coordinate appropriate learning opportunities.
• Support recruitment, induction and development of new team members.

IPS Service Delivery & Quality Assurance

• Ensure the IPS service is delivered in line with IPS principles and fidelity standards.
• Monitor participant engagement, progression and employment outcomes.
• Promote recovery-focused, strengths-based and person-centred approaches throughout the service.
• Ensure quality standards and contractual requirements are consistently achieved.
• Lead continuous improvement and quality assurance activities.
• Monitor participant feedback and support service enhancement initiatives.

Participant Support & Caseload Oversight

• Maintain oversight of a small number of complex participant journeys.
• Support Employment Specialists in managing complex cases.
• Provide guidance around vocational profiling, action planning and employment support.
• Ensure participants receive high-quality support throughout their employment journey.
• Promote sustainable employment outcomes and effective in-work support.

Employer & Stakeholder Engagement

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with employers, health services and referral partners.
• Support employer engagement activity and job development strategies.
• Promote inclusive recruitment practices and workplace adjustments.
• Attend partnership meetings, stakeholder forums and community events.
• Support the development of referral pathways and community engagement activity.

  
Operational Management & Compliance

• Monitor service performance against contractual KPIs and IPS fidelity measures.
• Ensure accurate reporting, record keeping and data management.
• Support budget monitoring and resource planning.
• Manage complaints, compliments and participant feedback appropriately.
• Ensure compliance with safeguarding, GDPR and organisational policies.
• Contribute to service development and operational planning activities.

  
Essential Criteria:

• Experience leading, supervising or managing staff within:
• IPS Services
• Supported Employment
• Employability Programmes
• Welfare-to-Work Services
• Health & Wellbeing Services
• Strong understanding of the IPS (Individual Placement and Support) model.
• Knowledge of disability, mental health and health-related employment barriers.
• Proven experience achieving performance targets and employment outcomes.
• Experience managing multiple priorities within a fast-paced environment.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and partnership-building experience.
• Excellent leadership, coaching and communication skills.
• Strong IT skills including Microsoft Office and case management systems.
• Ability to analyse performance data and drive service improvement.
• Willingness to travel throughout the operational area.

  
  Desirable Criteria:

• IPS-specific training and fidelity experience.
• Level 3 Diploma in Employability Services.
• Level 3 Advice & Guidance qualification.
• Degree-level qualification or equivalent experience.
• Experience delivering staff training and development.
• Experience managing operational budgets.
• Experience within NHS, Mental Health or Community Support Services.
• Lived experience of recovery, disability or health-related barriers to employment.

  
How to Apply:

For more information or to apply for the IPS Team Manager role, please contact:
Robert Rowe
07935 141342
rrowe@trigonrecruitment.co.uk