IPS Team Leader

Job Role: IPS Team Leader
Location: Cheshire & Wirral (CH42)
Salary: £38,682 per annum
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 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 Responsibilities
Team Leadership & Performance Management

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

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

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

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.
Fidelity Adherence: Deliver, embed, and champion the IPS approach across the team, ensuring absolute adherence to IPS fidelity principles. Essential Criteria

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

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

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