Login to Apply

The Growth Company (GC) is offering an exciting opportunity for several Work and Health Coaches to join our busy Greater Manchester team.

Currently, all applications are considered as expressions of interest as funding is subject to contract award.

GC is a fast-growing, purpose-based social enterprise, and, as part of our mission for positive change, we deliver employment, health, and justice contracts across the North of England. Our services focus on empowering people to develop their strengths and make positive progressions in their lives.

As a Work and Health Coach, you will actively engage with individual participants to provide support to help people retain their employment, return to work after a period of sickness-absence, or find new work.

You will deliver a person-centred service, also linking participants to other local, public services that are beneficial in supporting health, mental health, and employment.

We are happy to consider applicants on both a full-time and part-time basis. Working patterns will be discussed during the interview but will include some evening or weekend work.

Key Responsibilities:

* To manage a caseload of participants who are voluntarily engaging with our programme, supporting them with employment goals.

* To conduct Work and Health Assessment meetings with participants (face to face and online via Microsoft Teams).

* Assess client support needs relating to work which may include benefits/welfare advice, disclosure of mental health symptoms, etc., and provide support & guidance.

* Support clients to understand their key skills, aspirations, and goals by completing an Action Plan to help them obtain and sustain competitive employment or to return to work.

* Source job opportunities for clients through tailored job searches and regular contact with local employers to explore hidden as well as advertised employment opportunities.

* To liaise with local partners and clinical teams from GP Practices, Musculoskeletal (MSK) services and social prescribing hubs as well other services e.g. VCF Sector, employers and Jobcentre Plus.

* Deliver a triage function and ensure referrals are made to external provision as necessary to support participants’ needs.

* Provide education and support to employers, as agreed with the individual, which may include negotiating adjustments, return to work strategy, and ongoing contact with the employer to ensure job retention.

* To adhere to administrative and data capture protocols which record the progress of individuals, and to keep accurate and complete records of casework and any participant expenditure.

* Ensure that effective monitoring and evaluation systems are adhered to and keep abreast of changing practices within vocational rehabilitation.

About you:

* A warm, approachable empathetic style and the ability to establish a rapport and build relationships with customers that support their progression to sustained employment.

* The ability to understand, demonstrate, and apply GC values: Make a positive difference, stronger together, empower people, do the right thing, build on success.

* Awareness of health and mental health conditions and how this may impact on employment.

* Knowledge of local health services.

* Experience in relation to the issues affecting individuals with multiple barriers to progressing to employment and sustained employment.

* Knowledge in relation to the support agencies that can assist individuals with complex needs (e.g., debt, substance misuse, housing, etc).

* Understanding of a broad range of occupations and jobs in the local labour market.

Skills Required:

* Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

* Ability to work in a target-driven environment, with a focus on the successful achievement of customer engagement, customer satisfaction, and job outcomes.

* Experience working with people with multiple and complex needs, including health conditions and disabilities.

* Understanding of working in the community, including on an outreach basis.

* Experience working in guidance, advice, or counselling environments.

GC offers a range of employee benefits that make us an attractive place to work:

* Generous Annual Leave: 25 days of annual leave, increasing with your length of service.

* Flexible Working: Options for flexible working are available from the interview stage.

* Pension Scheme: Access to a company pension with 6% employer and 4% employee contributions.

* Sustainable Transportation: A salary sacrifice scheme for Ultra Low Emissions Vehicles (ULEV).

* Retail Discounts: Through the GC Hive, employees get discounts at over 130 retailers.

* Travel Subsidies: Includes a Cycle-to-Work scheme and support for train season tickets.

* Recognition Awards: The Valued Star Awards recognize exceptional contributions from staff.

* Health Care Plan: Access to an affordable private healthcare plan.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone including vulnerable adults and young people, we expect all staff to share this commitment. All Education and Skills appointments will be subject to Safer Recruitment Procedures which include a DBS check and a professional social media check. These checks will be conducted by Due Diligence Limited (DDC Ltd) on behalf of GC. Please note that the successful candidate will not be required to pay for this.

If you are on the Barred List, it is against the law to apply and to be hired for a role that includes regulated activity with the concerned group.

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our workforce, we provide a guaranteed interview to applicants who meet the essential requirements for a role. This commitment applies to candidates who have a disability or are from a diverse ethnic community.

As part of our application process, you can ask to be considered under this scheme if you are from an ethnic community or have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities. Providing that you meet the essential criteria for the role, you will then be invited for an interview. Your guaranteed interview application will only be shared with the Hiring Manager and our Internal Recruitment Team.

We are a member of the national campaign Ban the Box; this campaign aims to open opportunities for people with convictions to compete for jobs. We’re supporting the campaign by removing conviction questions at the applications stage.

GC aims to promote a culture of flexibility and agile working. Going forward we will be transitioning to a culture where full agile working will be a feature of many of our roles. We also recognise that there may be a need for more permanent flexibility in your working arrangements and in such cases, we encourage you to have these discussions at the interview stage, to enable your flexible working request to be considered as early as possible.

All GC colleagues will work inline with the Health & Safety at work act and the GC Health & Safety Policy