Employability Support Worker, Dundee/Angus (fixed 1 year)

Last updated: 08/10/2024

Key info

Locations available: Dundee/Angus

Salary: OPFS Scale Point 13-17 £ 25,111 – £30,691 (pro rata)

Hours: 17.5 hrs – 35 hours per week

Closing Date: Midnight, Sunday 27 October 2024

Reports to: Dundee Regional Coordinator/Employment lead

Qualification Required: HNC or SVQ Level 3 or equivalent

The successful post-holder will be expected to operate in line with our values which are:

Justice, Equity, Trust, Collaboration and Compassion.

Overview

OPFS was founded in 1944 and since then we have been at the forefront of shaping policy and services that support the 144,000 single parent families in Scotland. OPFS HQ is in central Edinburgh, there are local services in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Falkirk, Edinburgh and Dundee with National digital and helpline services.

The Employability Support Worker will be responsible to the Regional Coordinator / Employment Lead and will work as a member of OPFS Employability Service, to provide employability services for single parents in Angus / Dundee to support them to secure employment, education or training.

All roles at OPFS contribute to our mission of working with and for single parent families, providing support that enables them to achieve their potential and helping to create lasting solutions to poverty and barriers facing single parents and their children. Our core values of Justice, Equity, Trust, Collaboration and Compassion are at the heart of everything we do and underpin all aspects of our work.

Equal opportunities and family friendly employment

  • OPFS aims to be an equal opportunity and family friendly employer and flexible working requests will be considered. OPFS has Investors In People status and Living Wage accreditation.

Key tasks, personal specifications and terms and conditions

The job description is a broad picture of the post at the time of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties, as jobs change and evolve over time.

Specific duties

  • Help eligible single parents to identify their future goals, assess motivation, develop personal development plans and help in their implementation through individual and group work.
  • Identify barriers to employment, education or training and work with single parents to address those barriers.
  • Build links with organisations and groups across Angus, to identify eligible single parents interested in progressing towards suitable employment, education or training.
  • Support single parents into suitable employment, to provide a continuum of consistent support on OPFS clients employability pathway journey into suitable and sustainable employment.
  • Co-ordinate and deliver a range of employability activities to enable single parents facing additional barriers to employment to develop participants core knowledge and skills, helping to increase their access to available employment, training and education opportunities.
  • Undertake activities in communities to actively reach eligible single parents as a basis to support their learning and development and engage them in early work preparation and employer matching activities to support positive change within their lives.
  • Provide job ready single parents with the help participants need with job searching, interviews, securing and sustaining suitable employment.
  • Provide single parents living with continued support on entering employment, to help parents sustain their jobs.
  • Develop knowledge of services related to employment, training, education, childcare and other support. Develop an effective network of referral agencies to support clients’ needs.
  • Signpost single parents to services that will address their needs.
  • Liaise with OPFS Financial team to offer better off calculations and access to debt support.
  • Ensure effective recording, monitoring and evaluation procedures are implemented.
  • Other Relevant duties: Carrying out any other relevant duties related to the above.

Personal specifications

Please ensure you identify how you meet these within your personal statement.

Essential Experience:

  • Qualification: A relevant professional qualification or a good standard of education equivalent to HNC/HND, SVQ3 /4 and combined with relevant experience.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Highly organised and motivated.
  • Knowledge of issues affecting single parents in Angus/Dundee.
  • Experience of liaising and partnership working as a team and with other agencies.
  • Strong IT skills.
  • Commitment to professional development.
  • Flexibility to meet the needs of the service.
  • Driving license and use of a vehicle.

Desirable

  • Experience of group work: candidates should preferably have had experience of running groups and understand group work issues or a willingness to learn.
  • Experience of work with single parents: Prior experience of work with single parent families in a voluntary sector or statutory context would be helpful.

Terms & conditions

  • Period of appointment: The appointment is funded for 12 mths (possible extension subject to funding) Confirmation of appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a 3-month probationary period, Standard Disclosure Check and receipt of references.
  • Salary: The salary range would be point 13-17 £ 25,111 – £30,691 (pro-rata). Starting salary is dependent upon skills, qualifications and experience.
  • Hours of work: We have a variety of hours available, Monday to Friday.
  • Holidays: Holidays are 25 working days and 12 Public holidays (pro-rata).
  • Pension: Once the appointment has been confirmed you are eligible to join the Employer’s Pension scheme with the Pensions Trust. OPFS pays 7% of your salary and you pay a minimum of 3%. If you are already in a pension scheme, other arrangements may be possible.
  • Training and Support and Supervision: You will receive induction training and frequent support in the first three months. Thereafter, you will receive monthly individual support and supervision from the Manager and annual appraisals. Regular team meetings are held, and staff have access to internal and external training.
  • Disclosure Check: This post requires a satisfactory standard disclosure check.

Further information

Please contact info@opfs.org.uk or 0131 556 3899 if you require a paper application form and ensure that you allow plenty of time for posting. Completed paper applications should be sent to Recruitment, One Parent Families Scotland, 2 York Place, Edinburgh EH1 3EP.

Completed Word applications should be sent to jobs@opfs.org.uk by the closing date of midnight, Sunday 27 October 2024. Interviews: week commencing: 4 November 2024.

Download application form