Specialist Employment Advisor

**OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE ROLE**:
JobSense is a unique employability project that aims to support people who are deaf or have hearing loss and people who are blind or have sight loss, into work. This project is funded by the Wales European Funding Office (WEFO) and is a partnership between ELITE, RNID and the Centre for Sign Sight Sound.

The Specialist Employment Advisor will play a key role in motivating and supporting our participants to gain employability opportunities or vocational experiences. The role requires someone who is experienced at giving advice, support or mentoring and has previously worked or volunteered with people who have sensory loss. You will also be passionate about making a difference to the lives of people who have sensory loss.

**ABOUT US**:
ELITE Supported Employment is a specialist organisation that enables individuals with disabilities or those at a disadvantage, to access, obtain and maintain paid employment via appropriate support. We operate across 16 counties in Wales, and use structured, specialist training techniques to support our participants, as they develop work related skills.

Working at ELITE can be incredibly rewarding; we offer the opportunity to work in a thriving charity where people can develop their skills, knowledge and career in a supportive and flexible environment. In addition we have excellent training and development programmes.

**ELITE hold**:

- Disability Confident - Leader Status
- Investors in People - Gold accreditation
- Exemplar Employer - Chwarae Teg, Agile Nation 2, Business Programme.
- Green Dragon - Level 2.

As a member of the ELITE team, you will receive a competitive salary and benefits, which include:

- Company pension.
- 20 - 25 days annual leave based on length of service, plus 8 bank holidays and 4 discretionary days.
- The opportunity to purchase annual leave.
- Employee assistance programme and wellbeing resources.
- A range of shopping and activity discounts and cashback options.
- Paid overnight stays, if you are required to work away from your base.
- Accredited Level 3 Certificate in Supported Employment.

The Specialist Employment Advisor will be part of a team responsible to the Team Leader/Project Manager.

The Specialist Employment Advisor will carry a small caseload and support project participants as and when needed. You will provide; bespoke assessment, advice, and information to participants with sensory loss. You will support participants to find and retain work; assisting them in accessing mainstream training, learning and employment opportunities and linking with a variety of community-based provision. You will support employers to follow best practice when recruiting and retaining blind and vision-impaired employees.

**Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities**:

- Provide a highly professional and accessible service to blind and vision impaired, or deaf or participants with hearing loss as part of the of JobSense programme to gain, sustain, retain and progress employment. This will include job-finding activity, working with other organisations and referring participants to alternative provision to ensure their needs are fully met.
- To implement and continue the job training programme in the workplace on a one-to-one basis, and carry out support for as long as necessary, enabling independence and promoting integration with other employees in the workplace
- To maintain regular contact with the employer to ensure and assist the new worker to meet expectations.
- To review the participants needs upon completion of project activities and where relevant and possible refer on to other agency projects or signpost the individual to other organisations.
**Other Requirements**:

- You may be required to travel within West Wales
- You may occasionally be required to work outside of regular office hours.
- Full Driving Licence and access to a car are essential.
An interview is guaranteed to any applicant with a disability or health condition, if they meet the essential criteria of the job specification.

Reference ID: JS/SWAN/EA3-5

Contract length: 36 months

**Job Types**: Full-time, Fixed term

**Salary**: £20,762.00-£24,480.00 per year

**Benefits**:

- Additional leave
- Company pension
- Free or subsidised travel
- On-site parking
- Store discounts
- Wellness programmes
Schedule:

- Monday to Friday
COVID-19 considerations:
This role will be a mixture of home based and working from a community venue in line with Welsh Government COVID guidelines.
- Interviews may be undertaken via Teams.
Ability to commute/relocate:

- Cardiff, Cardiff: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)
Application question(s):

- Do you have knowledge of any of the following; BSL, Macron, or experience of working with those with sight-loss/blindness/hearing loss/deafness?
**Experience**:

- Employment Advisor: 1 year (preferred)
Work remotely:

- No