Progression Coach

Reed in Partnership has been delivering public services since 1998. We are a British, family-owned company, whose mission has always been to positively transform people and their communities. This is reflected in our services, which we deliver to help people from all backgrounds and circumstances to change their lives for the better.

Pay Range

£30,000 - £31,500

Working Hours/Pattern: 

Full-time, although we would be happy to consider applicants who are looking to work on a part time basis. If you would like to explore this further please discuss this with the talent partner for this role. Please note our ability to accommodate flexible working arrangements will vary from role to role, dependent on business requirements. 

Job Description

Are you passionate about helping young people overcome barriers and move into sustainable employment? 

Do you have the resilience, coaching skills and drive to succeed in a target-driven environment? 

Then consider the role of a Career Coach at Reed in Partnership! 

Who we are:  

Reed's Employability Division aims to positively transform lives by helping individuals who are unemployed, economically inactive, or facing challenges such as health conditions, disabilities, or caring responsibilities to find sustainable employment. Through a wide range of tailored support services including one-to-one careers guidance, CV writing, interview preparation, and skills training, we have supported over 250,000 people on their journey into work.   

Youth Jobs Guarantee is a mandatory programme for 18-21 year olds who have been on Universal Credit for 18 months or more, providing a fully subsidised six month paid job of up to 25 hours per week at minimum wage. 

What is the role about? 

A Career Coach is responsible for the registration and progression of participants to achieve placements, as well as the generation of leads with regards to sourcing employment opportunities for programme participants. A Career Coach will use a variety of techniques including effective diagnosis, individual and group coaching, maximising on any participant funding available to achieve a fully subsidised six month paid placement, of up to 25 hours. Career Coaches will deliver our services both in fixed Reed in Partnership locations, co-location sites and where appropriate within community venues, to ensure our services are accessible to all. 

A Career Coach will work towards strict targets and guidelines in accordance to the programme obligations and Reed in Partnership process. This is not an exhaustive list and a Career Coach will be expected to carry out any other duties as may be specified by their manager from time to time. This profile is non-contractual.  

Just some of your day-to-day responsibilities will include: 

• Builds and maintains relationships with the Job Centre Plus and other relevant partners through regular telephone contact, visits and newsletters as appropriate to ensure participants are aware of our services and to allay any concerns they may have with accessing or utilising our services. 
• Conduct introductory calls to sell the benefits of our programmes and service offering, tailoring as appropriate to needs of the individual concerned e.g. address accessibility barriers, identifying best location of initial assessment, making them aware they can bring a friend/Support Worker etc 
• Ensure Initial Assessments focus on getting to know the participant, understanding their motivation for joining the programme (if voluntary participation) and exploration of their aspirations and needs. 
• Develops and manages participants job goals using creative techniques and deep level questioning as necessary for the participants needs, to assist with diagnosis and progression 
• Motivates, encourages and empowers participants, identifying barriers, realistic job goals and social training needs, referring as appropriate to internal employability skills, mind set and employer/sector focussed training courses, Health & Wellbeing advisory services and training courses or external interventions as the programme allows and/or requires it. 
• Develops the participant's job search strategy and skills by assisting with internet job searching, CV creation (e.g. tailored CVs to job goals), interview techniques and identification of job related quantifiable skills. 
• Engage and empower Learners whilst delivering group training sessions, with the aim of progressing them to achieve sustainable employment. 
• Identifies new business opportunities and converts effectively, explaining the offering fully to employers and selling the service provided 
• Sells the benefits of Reed in Partnership and specific participants, preparing those participants to achieve placements through business development calls and submitting CVs 
• Ensures employers’ requirements and expectations are met at all times via Reed in Partnership’s and/or supply chain partners. 
• Mentors the participant through new employment, including providing support with general work issues finances and tax credits. 
• Diagnoses and overcomes participants new and deeper level barriers, troubleshooting any employer issues that may affect sustainable employment 

What’s in it for you? 

A generous base salary (pro-rata for part time), and great flexibility with your working schedule, we offer training, development and progression opportunities. You will have access to the range of Reed in Partnership benefits, which include: 

• 25 days annual leave (pro-rata for part time) plus statutory bank holidays 
• Reed Pension Scheme 
• Award Winning Management & Leadership training 
• Professional & Personal Development Funds 
• Bi-annual pay reviews 
• Plus much more that can be found on our website  
• With the chance to dramatically make a difference to the local community, this role offers immense job satisfaction. 

At Reed in Partnership, we live and breathe our values in every decision and action taken, resulting in a collaborative and enjoyable culture within our offices. Our company values – we are fair open and honest; we take ownership, and we work together. 

To be successful in this role, we are looking for someone with: 

Essential Attainments: 

• Experience of working in a customer facing environment, e.g. Customer Services Assistant, Retail Assistant. 
• Experience of working in a performance target driven environment.  Examples of such experience may include working as an Employment Adviser on a similar contract, being a Recruitment Consultant or experience of Business Development roles, sales targets in a retail business or call centre etc.   
• A minimum of 2 A-Levels or an equivalent Level 3 Diploma. 
• GCSE English Language at a minimum of a Grade B (or equivalent Level 2 qualification). OR achievement of a Level 2 in Literacy Assessment at interview stage. 

Desirable Attainments: 

• Experience of working in a fast paced environment.  Examples of such experience may include working as a Holiday Representative or Recruitment Consultant, etc.  
• Experience of exposure to client groups.  These client groups may include incapacity benefit claimants, single parents, those with criminal records, mental health groups, ex-services, specific ethnic minority or faith groups and those with specific disabilities. 
• Direct previous experience of a similar role. Roles considered to be similar include the role of Employment Adviser on an employment support contract or a publicly funded service. 
• Degree or relevant qualification. Degree topics may include psychology, sociology, social care/science. Relevant qualifications would include Information Advice and Guidance NVQs, Brokerage Standard, Social Work qualifications or qualifications relating to work with the specific client groups this role will involve.  
• Level 3 or 4 NVQ in Advice & Guidance or equivalent. 
• Fluency in community languages. Community languages may include Cantonese, Mandarin, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Somali, Vietnamese, Dari, Yoruba, Turkish, French, Spanish, Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Farsi, Guajarati, Polish, Serbian and Greek (Dependent on programme).       
• Experience of coaching and/or training. 

Essential Criteria: 

• Excellent Communication & Customer Service skills 
• Strong Interpersonal skills and an ability to build a rapport with a wide range of people 
• Ability to handle difficult conversations and show strong resilience 
• Excellent organisational skills, including strong diary and time management 
• Ability to work to targets and strict deadlines 
• Excellent sales or negotiation skills 
• Career Coach competencies include Achievement Orientation, Accuracy Orientation, Advice and Guidance, Challenge and Resilience, Flexibility and Adaptability, Empathy and Empowerment, Honesty and Integrity, Planning and Decision Making, Selling and Influencing, and Team Orientation.  
• Technical skills include strong administration skills, good computer/technology skills, basic numeracy skills and good written communication/record keeping skills. 
• Personal interests include interest in people and willingness to learn. 
• Personal circumstances include willingness to travel locally (e.g. to meet participants/employers). 

Desirable Criteria: 

• Technical skills include the ability to use technology to deliver results and knowledge of welfare/benefits system. 
• Personal interests include interest in career and self-development. 
• Personal circumstances include willingness to work flexible hours (e.g. to make retention calls, help run outreach activities outside of normal working hours). 
• Driving licence and access to own vehicle. 

We aim to ensure that no candidate or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity.  We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria.