IPS Employment Manager

IPS Team Manager – Connect to Work, IPS Employment Manager Salary: £35,000 – £38,000 Location: Preston Are you an experienced Employability Manager, IPS Team Leader, or Supported Employment Manager who believes that meaningful work can transform lives? This is an exciting opportunity to lead a high-impact Individual Placement and Support (IPS) employability service, helping individuals with mental health and physical health needs move into sustainable paid employment. You’ll play a key leadership role in delivering welfare-to-work programmes, supporting people to rebuild confidence, develop employability skills, and access long-term career opportunities. If you’re passionate about supported employment, recovery-focused services, and welfare-to-work outcomes, this role offers the chance to lead a dedicated team and shape a service that genuinely improves lives. About the Company This organisation is a well-established employability and skills provider delivering high-quality welfare-to-work, supported employment, and health-led employability programmes across the UK. With a strong reputation for person-centred employment support, the organisation specialises in helping individuals overcome barriers to work through Individual Placement and Support (IPS), employability training, and employer engagement programmes. Employees benefit from a supportive and inclusive culture, where professional development and wellbeing are genuinely prioritised. The organisation offers: * Structured supervision and leadership support * Ongoing CPD and training in employability and IPS best practice * Opportunities to shape service design and programme development * A collaborative environment focused on recovery, wellbeing, and employment outcomes You’ll join a team that is deeply committed to helping people access meaningful work, build employability skills, and achieve sustainable employment. The Role As IPS Team Manager, you will lead a team of Employment Specialists delivering Individual Placement and Support services as part of a health-integrated employability programme. You will ensure the service delivers high-fidelity IPS support, achieves strong employment outcomes, and maintains strong partnerships with health services, community organisations, and local employers. Key responsibilities include: * Leading, coaching, and motivating a team of IPS Employment Specialists and Employability Advisors * Delivering regular supervision, mentoring, and caseload management * Ensuring service delivery aligns with IPS fidelity standards and supported employment best practice * Driving employer engagement and employer partnerships to access the hidden job market * Attending multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings with health and recovery partners * Monitoring performance metrics, employment outcomes, and quality standards * Supporting staff development through training, coaching, and peer learning * Managing a small caseload of complex clients where required * Using service-user feedback and recovery stories to improve service delivery * Supporting operational planning, reporting, and budget management This is a hands-on leadership role combining employability programme management, staff leadership, and partnership working. Ideal Candidate To succeed in this role, you will bring strong leadership experience within the employability, welfare-to-work, supported employment, or health and social care sectors. Essential Experience * Experience working within Employability, Welfare to Work, Supported Employment, or IPS services * Strong understanding of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) or supported employment models * Experience managing, supervising, or mentoring staff * Background supporting individuals with mental health, physical health, or complex barriers to employment * Proven success achieving employment outcomes, job starts, and programme KPIs * Experience in employer engagement and labour market development * Strong stakeholder management skills, particularly with health services or community partners * Excellent leadership, coaching, and communication abilities Desirable (but not essential) * Formal IPS training or IPS fidelity experience * Experience delivering health-integrated employability programmes or NHS partnership services * Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) or Employability qualifications * Lived experience of recovery or employment support services Apply Now If you’re ready to lead a purpose-driven employability service and help individuals overcome barriers to work, this IPS Team Manager – Connect to Work role offers the opportunity to make a genuine social impact. Apply now to take the next step in your employability leadership, welfare-to-work, or supported employment career