Employability Mentor (x3)

Summary of Position

We are seeking an Employability Mentor for the SfL&W, CGYA and the Employ Me programmes to provide advice, guidance and practical support to help trainees develop their employability skills, explore realistic career pathways and progress into employment, education or training.

The role has a strong focus on employability, including securing and monitoring quality work placements, building and maintaining employer partnerships, and delivering tailored employability support that complements participant qualifications and personal development. You will also provide practical job preparation activities such as CV building, applications and interview skills, alongside mentoring to build confidence, resilience and workplace readiness.

By supporting learners to gain the skills, experience and confidence they need, you will play a key role in helping them overcome barriers and move positively into sustained opportunities at the end of the programme.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

The postholder will be required to:

• Source, secure, set up and review suitable work placements, job sampling and volunteering opportunities aligned to trainee interests, abilities and employer needs; monitor placements and maintain compliance with DfE operational requirements.
• Proactively and professionally build employer links and partnerships to create pipelines of opportunities: industry visits, employer talks and mentoring sessions, focus groups, mock interviews, work trials/sampling, and employment opportunities.
• Design and deliver practical employability training (job search, CVs, applications, interview skills and mock interviews) on a one-to-one and group basis.
• Provide 1–1 mentoring, supported signposting and motivational activities to address individual barriers, build confidence and enhance employability.
• Co-design and deliver employability workshops/masterclasses and coordinate community projects that enhance work readiness and personal development.
• Provide in-placement and in-work support (where required) to aid transition, problem-solving and sustainment of outcomes.
• Deliver Personal Development and Employability qualifications.
• Engage with local education and training providers to coordinate suitable pathways and opportunities that complement SfL&W, CGYA, Employ Me qualifications and timetables.
• Create and maintain individual action plans led by assessment outcomes; manage an active caseload and record progress against KPIs, capturing trainee journeys.
• Identify barriers, specific learning needs, health & wellbeing issues, and soft/practical skill gaps; and work with the Key Worker, Pastoral Care Officer and Pastoral Care Manager to coordinate targeted interventions and wraparound support.
• Work with programme staff to ensure additional activities/workshops/projects/placements are appropriate and beneficial while complementing SfL&W, CGYA, Employ Me qualifications.
• Support participants to progress into sustained employment, education or training on completion of the programme.
• Meet programme KPIs for activity, employment outcome; contribute to monitoring, evaluation and continuous improvement.
• Support the Key Worker, Pastoral Care Manager and Pastoral Care Officer with the development and monitoring of effective pastoral care provision; escalate and report safeguarding concerns in line with policy.
• Represent and promote Clanrye Group at events; support organisational development through cross-sector partnership working.

General Duties

• Adhere to Clanrye Group’s ‘Code of Conduct’, maintaining confidentiality, professionalism and quality standards across all work practices and interactions.

• Comply with Clanrye Group policies and procedures including equal opportunities, health & safety legislation and data protection requirements.

• Demonstrate commitment to Clanrye Group by completing tasks allocated and engaging in staff development to maintain professional competency.

• Ensure that all safeguarding procedures are followed as outlined in Clanrye Group’s safeguarding manual.

• Duties may change; the postholder is expected to adapt to changing circumstances and undertake other duties as allocated by the Line Manager.

Person Specification

(E = Essential, D = Desirable) 

Competencies

• Knowledge of directly supporting people with disabilities within an employment, education, or employment & training setting (D)
• The ability to work with a wide cross-section of participants with varying levels of support needs (D)
• Highly competent in using ICT with excellent working knowledge of MS Office Suite to include SharePoint, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint (E)

Technical competencies (qualifications and training)

• Educated to NVQ Level 2 or equivalent to include Maths and English.  (E)
• Good IT skills – to present data using Microsoft packages or suitable alternative (E)

Experience

• Proven experience of working with young people across a wide cross-section of varying levels of needs, enabling them to identify their own goals and the ability to progress them (E)

Skills and Attributes

• Highly organised professional with evidence of developing relationships with participants (E)
• Ability to work flexibly to cope with the varying demands of the role and achieve desired results (E)
• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team (E)
• Excellent time management and the ability to prioritise a workload (E)
• Ability to effectively report progress on KPI’s and progress participants through their qualifications within the timeframes set (E)
• Ability to manage a busy workload and prioritise to ensure all requirements are met (E)
• Ability to complete all paperwork, and reports timeously (E)

Personal qualities, communicating and relating to others

• Flexible, adaptable and innovative (D)
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (E)
• Youth work Teaching / pastoral care approach to assisting young people to progress through their qualifications while maintaining professional boundaries (D)

Safeguarding

• Be able to display an awareness, understanding and commitment to the protection and safeguarding of children, young people and adults (E)
• This post requires an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (E)

Other

Access to transport to carry out the duties of the post (D)

Employee Benefits

The successful post holder will avail of the following benefits: 

• Holiday Arrangements: 20 working days per year plus 12 (pro rata).  
• Pension: Employees are able to join the pension scheme under the new Auto Enrolment Government Scheme. 
• Length of service awards: For those employees who have served for 10 years or more an additional day’s holiday will be granted for each year of service thereafter up to a maximum of 5 additional days.
• Flexible Working Hours: To accommodate personal circumstances, working day to be agreed between line manager and employee and in line with policy.
• Sickness Arrangements: After 6 month’s service, full pay up to 20 working days. Half pay for a further 45 working days. At the conclusion of this period Personal Health Insurance may realise sick pay at 75% of full pay for a period of up to 3 years (subject to the ruling of the PHI Insurers and Clanrye Group).
• Wellbeing Hour: A ‘wellbeing hour’ – one hour’s paid leave per week to partake in a wellbeing activity to help maintain own mental and physical health, to be agreed by line manager.
• Enhanced Family Friendly Rights:  Maternity and paternity leave in accordance with current statutory requirements. 
• CPD:  Opportunity to develop and enhance knowledge and skills through Continuous Professional Development. 
• Sick Pay Arrangements: One week full pay followed by one week at half pay.
• Birthday:  Paid leave on day of birthday or on the following Monday if it falls at the weekend.