Careers and Employment Coach

We are looking to recruit two Careers and Employment Coaches to support the effective delivery of Herefordshire's new Youth Employment Hub. The Hub will provide access to information, advice, guidance and support to young people aged 16-24 to help them gain skills and access education, training and employment. It will be located in Hereford city centre but will also operate on a hub and spoke model working with partners across Herefordshire. The project is being delivered in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions. We are looking for enthusiastic, proactive and confident, individuals who are passionate about providing the best possible service and improving outcomes for young people. If you are a qualified and experienced Careers Advice and Guidance practitioner or have extensive experience in a similar role and ready to move on to a fresh challenge, we would be keen to hear from you.

Our mission as a directorate is to "enable diverse, inclusive, vibrant, connected communities where people feel safe, keep well and look out for each other". If you are passionate about improving outcomes, supporting young people into education, employment and training and thrive in a dynamic and challenging environment, we invite you to apply for this exciting opportunity. Join us in shaping the future of Herefordshire Council and contributing to our mission of delivering outstanding public services.

What will you be doing?

Managing a caseload of young people aged 16 to 24 you will play a pivotal role by providing them with support, guidance and advice, building on their strengths, empowering and equipping them to gain paid work, volunteering, further education, training, apprenticeships or work experience, The careers and employment coaches will work closely with the Youth Employment Hub Co-ordinator and partnership organisations to ensure the most comprehensive and suitable support options are provided for the young people they are working with.

As a Careers and Employment Coach you will be:

• Experienced in working effectively with young people aged 16 to 24 seeking information, advice and guidance on education, training, employment and related issues.


• Proficient in managing caseloads in a timely manner and achieving outcomes


• Knowledgeable about the challenges of youth unemployment for young people, particularly those facing multiple barriers including mental health, disability, young parents, care experienced and homelessnes.
  
  Herefordshire is a beautiful, historic county located in the heart of the Marches on the border with Wales. We are one of the most rural and sparsely populated counties in England with a wealth of unspoilt countryside, distinctive heritage, and lively and attractive market towns.


Our priority in Herefordshire is to keep children safe and give them a great start in life. It's the priority for the council, our partners and for all of us who work with Children & Young People.

How do we do this? By having dynamic, dedicated, passionate and professional staff who work in a culture that focuses on what we can achieve with children, what they can achieve themselves, and the relationship we build with families and partners to enable this. We have invested heavily in training and developing staff in our relational practice approach with our improvement partner Leeds City Council, so it's an exciting time to join Herefordshire - we believe in investing in you so you can be the best you can be!

Herefordshire has a really strong team ethos. Our teams are passionate about the work they do and the positive difference they and the teams they are in make to people's lives. This is all underpinned by the focus and support from their managers and the council as a whole.

We will deliver better support to our most vulnerable children and their families, develop stronger relationships with partners across the region, and beyond.

Therefore, we take our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults seriously and expect all of our staff, visitors and volunteers to share in this commitment.

Come to Herefordshire and join the journey.

Herefordshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children & young people and vulnerable adults. If you are offered this position, it will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced check and further pre-employment checks.

We welcome applicants whatever their personal characteristics or social identity. All requests for flexible working arrangements and reasonable adjustments will be considered.

The following candidates will be interviewed if they meet the essential criteria for the post they are applying for:

• Those who indicate that they have a disability. This is part of our commitment to the "Disability Confident" scheme;


• Those who indicate in their supporting statement that they are an Armed Forces Veteran or Reservist. This is part of our pledge to support the Armed Forces Covenant; and


• Those who indicate in their supporting statement that they are a Herefordshire care leaver. This is part of our commitment to supporting young people leaving our care.
  
  A competitive salary, holiday entitlement, and access to our contributory pension and staff benefits scheme, which includes:


• Starting Salary of £29,777


• Pension Scheme Enrolment in the Local Government (LGPS)


• Career progression: clear pathways to progress


• Annual Leave: 31 days' annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays. You can also purchase an additional 10 days per annum.


• Flexible working: flexi-time, job-share, part-time hours and, in some instances, home working


• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 access to support and counselling


• Payment of professional membership fees


• Pick your perks - our benefits include access to a range of retail, leisure, holiday and health benefits. This includes savings, cash back and discounts.


Why Choose Us?

You will probably have heard a lot about how beautiful it is in terms of countryside and open spaces (and it is!) but there is so much more going on here, including world-class cultural assets like the Mappa Mundi, vibrant theatres and a thriving food and drink sector.

One of Herefordshire's biggest assets is the strong and diverse communities. Our Talk Community approach brings that together supporting people to help themselves, encouraging them to help their communities and identifying how communities can help individuals. Our ambitious transformation programme aims to further build on this to offer an all-age approach. We're excited about the potential of what we can achieve for the benefit of all residents of Herefordshire, stronger together and building brighter futures.

Don't meet all parts of the job description?

Herefordshire Council is committed to strengthening a diverse and inclusive work environment which reflects the communities of Herefordshire.

If you are looking at the next stage of your career and have a broad base of fieldwork experience, we can provide supportive and welcoming opportunities to help you develop your professional, management & supervisory skills.

Reasonable Adjustments, A competitive salary, generous holiday entitlement, and access to our contributory pension and staff benefits scheme, which includes:

• Pension Scheme Enrolment in the Local Government (LGPS)


• Generous Annual Leave: 31 days (pro rata) plus bank holidays. You can also purchase an additional 10 days per annum


• Flexible working: flexi-time, job-share, part-time hours and, in some instances, home working


• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 access to support and counselling


• Payment of professional membership fees


• Pick your perks - our benefits include access to a range of retail, leisure, holiday and health benefits. This includes savings, cash back and discounts.