***THIS JOB VACANCY HAS NOW CLOSED***
Location South East England
Reporting To Service Delivery Manager
Contract Type 2 years fixed term (with possibility of extension)
Place of work Home and Field Based, with substantial travel within region
Salary £31,270
Hours Full time, 37.5 hours per week Monday-Friday
Job Description
Purpose of the Role
- To work collaboratively with Veterans (our clients) and employers to provide information, advice and guidance in order to assist clients to overcome barriers to secure and retain paid, meaningful and sustainable, employment.
- To provide robust case management incorporating regular reviews of client progress and adjusting plans as needed on their journey to employment.
- To provide in work support to the client and employers to ensure the role is sustainable, any required adjustments are in place and the client can thrive in their role beyond The Poppy Factory service.
Principal Responsibilities
- Manage a diverse caseload of clients with health conditions and complex needs back into employment, providing a professional employment, job matching and career management service.
- Build relationships with key partners in the region to both promote our service and maintain a network of services that veterans can be referred to.
- Provide information, advice, and guidance to clients on areas including application materials, interview skills and training.
- Job match clients with vacancies and opportunities that meet their aspirations and circumstances, and support them through the application and interview process.
- Analyse potential job roles to understand and guide on reasonable adjustments, on-boarding arrangements or training, advocating with the employer on behalf of the client where appropriate
- Maintain Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, case notes and other electronic files and client records to the required, high standard to ensure the client journey is documented in accordance with quality standards and in a manner that is respectful to the client.
Please note this list is not exhaustive and will evolve with the role and the growth of the employment service.
Person Specification
| Competency | ||
| Essential | Knowledge and experience of helping people with multiple support needs such as health conditions, housing issues, social isolation, substance misuse and criminal records. | Application and interview |
| Essential | Demonstrable skill in curating and presenting effective job application materials. | Application |
| Essential | Knowledge and understanding of current recruitment practices, with the ability to coach clients in application skills and interview techniques. | Interview |
| Essential | Experience of using case management and information recording software | Application |
| Essential | Well organised, structured and self-disciplined, with excellent prioritisation skills, the ability to work with limited supervision and on one’s own initiative, but within a whole team approach. | Practical assessment |
| Essential | Confident, articulate communicator both spoken, written and remote with strong presentation skills. | Application and interview |
| Essential | Proven networking and relationship management skills. | Application |
| Essential | High level of personal resilience, adaptable and flexible with the ability to deal effectively and safely with potentially stressful or pressured situations | Interview and practical assessment |
| Essential | Ability to both work and travel within the designated region, and wider on a flexible basis. | Application |
| Desirable | Experience of delivering employment support to disadvantaged groups. | Application |
| Desirable | Knowledge and experience of adult safeguarding requirements and practices. | Application |
| Desirable | Knowledge and experience of key legislation as it relates to this type of service and role (e.g. Data Protection, Equality Act 2010). | Application and interview |
| Desirable | Experience of previous home / field-based working and an understanding of how to manage this effectively and safely. | Application |
| Desirable | Knowledge and understanding of the armed forces community. | Application and interview |
| Desirable | A relevant professional qualification | Application |
Special Requirements
The post is home based and involves travel both within the region and wider across England and Wales. It is a requirement of employment that the post-holder has suitable workspace for home working and possession of a full driving licence and their own (or access to a) car suitable for business use.
The post requires an enhanced disclosure (DBS) check.
How to apply
To apply for this position please prepare your CV and a covering letter clearly outlining how you meet the essential criteria in the person specification as set out above and submit via the online application process. Please address your covering letter to Kirsty Gronow, Service Delivery Manager.
The closing date for this vacancy will be 27 May 2024. Please note, we cannot accept late or incomplete applications. Only applications submitted through the online process will be considered.
For an informal conversation to find out more about this role, please call Kirsty Gronow on 07387 107209.
Click here to apply for the role of Employment Consultant (South East England)
Company Information
Since 1922 The Poppy Factory has supported veterans with health conditions on their journey into employment and beyond, helping them to overcome any barriers they face.
Initially this was through our factory in Richmond, which still today provides paid employment to veterans with health conditions to make commemorative wreaths. Through our work we have developed a strong understanding of the complex challenges that many face.
Beyond the factory our employment support for veterans reaches into all communities across England and Wales. Each year we help hundreds of veterans with health challenges or other barriers to employment (such as criminal record, housing and finance, long term unemployment etc.) to secure a job and thrive in the workplace, wherever they are based. Four out of five of the veterans we work with report a mental health condition. Whatever their situation, and whatever they are going through, our employment team offer an exemplar service to help them overcome any barriers to employment.
Our service is veteran-centred and helps ex-Forces job seekers of all ages. The people we support move into a diverse range of jobs across many different sectors, from logistics and construction to the charity sector and health care. This is an excellent opportunity to join The Poppy Factory at an exciting period of growth in its activities supporting veterans. We hope you are inspired to join us in our important work supporting veterans on their journey to employment and to create a world in which every workplace values the contribution they make.
Benefits, terms and conditions
The Poppy Factory aims to be a model employer and offers competitive terms & conditions of employment and a range of enhanced benefits, as outlined below:
Salary: All our salaries are benchmarked based on the requirements of the job description and comparable roles in the charity sector. Salaries are subject to annual review.
Hours of Work: Unless otherwise stated, contracts are normally offered on a full time basis, 37.5 hours a week, Monday to Friday.
Location: Home Based or at The Poppy Factory, 20 Petersham Road, Richmond, Surrey TW10 6UR
Contract: unless advertisement states otherwise all posts are offered on a permanent contract (subject to completion of a six-month probationary period).
Pension: on completion of three months service staff will be auto-enrolled into the Poppy Factory occupational pension scheme offered by Aviva. Contribution rates on auto-enrolment are 2.67% employee and 5.33% employer (via salary sacrifice). Staff may choose to increase their contribution rate. The Poppy Factory will contribute double the rate, up to a maximum of 10% employer contribution (increasing to 14% after completion of 5 years’ service).
Annual Leave: Full time staff entitlement is 27 days per year (including 3 days’ Christmas closure) with 1 day’s additional leave on completion of 3, 4, 5 and 9 years’ service (i.e. to a maximum of 31 days) plus 1 day in lieu of Armistice Day plus public holidays.
Reservists Leave: Staff who are members of the Reserve services are entitled to two weeks’ paid leave to support their reservist activities.
Life Cover: Life insurance cover of 3x annual salary.
Employee Assistance Programme: 24 hour/365 days confidential service offering a wide range of advice and support.
Family Friendly: Enhanced parental benefits (subject to meeting statutory requirements).
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
We are committed to equality, valuing diversity, and promoting inclusion within our workforce, including the volunteers who give their time to us. We work to maintain an environment where the needs and aspirations of all employees are met, irrespective of characteristics protected under the legislative framework of the Equality Act 2010. We expect everyone to understand and accept their personal responsibility to recognise and value differences and the unique contributions that people make to the way we deliver our work.
As an equal opportunities employer our commitment is to take positive measures to recruit people from underrepresented groups, and we actively encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds. As a Disability Confident employer, we offer a guaranteed interview for any job applicant with a disability who meets the essential criteria for the role. Please indicate in your covering letter if you wish to be considered under this scheme. We are also happy to discuss reasonable adjustments to the application or interview process to accommodate disabled candidates.
Additionally, we offer a guaranteed interview to veterans of the UK armed forces or members of the Reservist forces who meet the essential role criteria. Please make it clear in your application if you wish to be considered on this basis. Please note, to be eligible for consideration under this scheme your application must demonstrate that you meet the essential role criteria as set out in the person specification.
We are a family friendly employer and happy to discuss flexible working.
