Overview

Employment Advisor – Margate

Permanent

£26,000-£28,000

About the Role

Are you passionate about helping people overcome barriers to employment, build confidence and achieve their career ambitions? We are looking for a motivated, enthusiastic and committed Employment Advisor to support learners, job seekers and participants into sustainable employment, apprenticeships and meaningful career opportunities.

In this rewarding role, you will provide high-quality, personalised employment advice, guidance and coaching to individuals from a range of backgrounds, including unemployed people, young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), ex-offenders and those at risk of offending. You will help individuals recognise their strengths, overcome barriers and develop the skills, confidence and motivation they need to succeed in the workplace.

Working collaboratively with colleagues across the Directorate, employers and partner organisations, you will identify suitable employment opportunities, support individuals through the recruitment process and provide ongoing support to help them sustain employment and achieve long-term career progression.

Key responsibilities will include:

    • Build strong working relationships with colleagues, employers, learners and partner organisations to maximise employment opportunities and outcomes.
    • Identify and assess individuals’ needs, career aspirations, strengths and development areas to provide tailored employment support.
    • Deliver high-quality, end-to-end information, advice and guidance in line with Matrix and Gatsby standards.
    • Induct, assess and onboard learners and job seekers, ensuring they understand the support available and their employment goals.
    • Develop individuals’ confidence, self-esteem, resilience, emotional intelligence and motivation to succeed in the world of work.
    • Complete and maintain goal-focused action plans, Individual Learning Records (ILRs), Personal Learning Plans (PLPs) and Digital PLPs, supporting individuals to achieve their agreed objectives.
    • Provide one-to-one and group coaching to improve employability skills and support progression into work.
    • Support individuals to prepare professional CVs, cover letters, job applications and apprenticeship applications.
    • Prepare job seekers for interviews, including introducing strengths-based recruitment approaches to help them demonstrate their skills and potential.
    • Undertake targeted job searches using relevant online platforms, software and resources.
    • Identify suitable job vacancies, apprenticeships and work experience opportunities, matching candidates’ skills, strengths and aspirations to employer requirements.
    • Liaise with employers to identify opportunities, submit suitable candidates, arrange interviews and obtain feedback.
    • Provide ongoing in-work support and maintain regular contact with individuals and employers to promote job retention and sustainable employment.
    • Monitor progress and support individuals to overcome challenges, sustain employment and achieve career progression.
    • Contribute to job fairs, workshops, seminars and partner events that prepare individuals for the workplace.
    • Maintain accurate records using relevant case management, performance management and ICT systems.
    • Ensure contractual compliance and adhere to safeguarding, Prevent, health and safety and all relevant organisational policies and procedures.
    • Contribute to weekly performance reporting, monthly reviews and the achievement of agreed key performance indicators (KPIs).
    • Manage your caseload effectively, prioritising individuals according to their needs and ensuring timely, appropriate support.

You will play a vital role in helping people overcome barriers, access meaningful employment and build sustainable futures.

About You

We are looking for a proactive and person-centred Employment Advisor who is passionate about helping people achieve their employment goals. You will have the ability to build trust, motivate individuals and provide practical, tailored support that makes a lasting difference.

You will have experience of supporting job seekers through the employment journey, from identifying their strengths and preparing job applications to securing interviews, gaining employment and sustaining their roles. You will also be confident working with employers to identify opportunities and match candidates effectively to vacancies.

Essential experience, skills and attributes:

    • Experience of providing high-quality CV writing, job search and interview support to learners and job seekers, including unemployed individuals, NEET young people, ex-offenders and those at risk of offending.
    • Experience of delivering effective coaching and employment support to help individuals access jobs and apprenticeships.
    • The ability to build confidence, self-esteem and motivation, enabling individuals to overcome barriers and achieve lasting employment and career development.
    • Experience of liaising with employers to identify vacancies, arrange interviews and obtain feedback on candidates.
    • The ability to identify individuals’ skills, strengths and qualities and match them appropriately to employment opportunities.
    • Experience of supporting individuals into employment and apprenticeships and helping them sustain these opportunities.
    • A positive, enthusiastic and solution-focused approach, with a strong “can-do” attitude.
    • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships, gain people’s confidence and put them at ease.
    • A persuasive, persistent and patient approach, with the ability to encourage and motivate individuals who may face complex barriers to employment.
    • The ability to work effectively under pressure, manage competing demands and meet deadlines.
    • Excellent organisational and administrative skills, including effective caseload management and accurate reporting.
    • Strong all-round ICT skills and confidence using online job search platforms, digital tools and case management systems.

Desirable experience and knowledge:

    • Experience of working within the social enterprise sector.
    • Knowledge and understanding of offender services, substance misuse and recovery services.

Above all, you will be committed to helping people achieve positive change through employment. You will recognise that every individual has different strengths, aspirations and challenges, and you will be dedicated to providing the encouragement, guidance and practical support they need to succeed.

If you are passionate about helping people into work, building strong employer relationships and supporting individuals towards long-term employment, we would love to hear from you.

About Us

We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.

We are committed to our cause and the work we carry out as a charity. Equally the wellbeing and the employees who work for us are also important. Joining us an employee, we will offer you the following benefits – 

  • Flexible working
  • Support for Families – We support our employees through every stage of family life by offering enhanced maternity and paternity pay for eligible employees who have completed 26 weeks’ continuous service, alongside family-friendly policies and a supportive, inclusive workplace. If you’d like more information about our family-friendly benefits, please contact our Recruitment Team at recruitment@forwardtrust.org.uk 
  • Training and development opportunities
    • Simply Health Cashback Scheme (optional)
    • Season Ticket Loan Scheme 
    • Cycle to work scheme
    • Crisis Loan Scheme
    • Electric Car Scheme
    • 3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata’d for part time employees)
    • Access to Blue Light Card
    • 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays 
    • Contributory Pension Scheme – Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years’ service and up to 9% thereafter 
    • Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary) 
    • Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)
    Please note that we may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
    Please note that remote roles may require occasional travel for site visits, training and meetings.
     
    Diversity at Forward Trust
    The Forward Trust commits to providing opportunities to everyone. We want to ensure we have a diverse team with a range of lived and professional experiences. This includes those with ‘Lived Experience’ of addiction, offending, or homelessness. Some of our roles may require a minimum period of sustained recovery (normally around 3 years). This is assessed on a case-by-case basis, and exceptions may be considered depending on the role and individual circumstances.

    When we recruit, we welcome applications from everyone. This is inclusive of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and/or belief, marriage and civil partnerships, pregnancy and maternity and socio-economic background. Where operationally possible, we will consider flexible working requests and make reasonable adjustments for all roles.

    To find out more about Forward’s commitment to being an inclusive employer and our current EDI strategy click here.  

    We want our recruitment process to be accessible to everyone. If you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage, please let us know.
     
    Employee Screening and Eligibility to Work
    Dependent on role you may be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service Check, details of which will be shared with you at interview.

    If successful in your application, you will be required to provide eligibility to work evidence in line with the ‘Eligibility to Work in the UK’ requirements.

     
    Our Commitment to Safeguarding
    We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and adults at risk. Forward Trust follow safer recruitment practices and support a culture of openness and accountability.

    Before you apply -
    Register now and turn on alerts for jobs like this!

    • To apply for this position, receive job notifications and manage your applications, click "Register with Diversity Jobs Group".
    • To apply for this position without registering, click "Apply with Customer".

    By registering you agree to our terms and conditions.

    Apply with Customer

    IMPORTANT: Before applying for this role, please make sure you have the right to work in the country where the role is based. Unless it clearly stipulates within in the job advert above that the hiring company is looking to or able to sponsor applicants it is deemed that the hiring employer will only consider applications from those able to comply with and work in the country where the role is based.