Senior Employment Adviser (SEA) at Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust - Oldham Talking Therapies (2023-11 – Present)
Lead and coordinate the Employment Service Team within NHS Oldham Talking Therapies, supporting employment retention and pathways to sustainable work for people receiving psychological therapy.
- Provide leadership and management to a community-based team of Employment Advisers, supporting consistent and effective service delivery.
- Coordinate employment support for clients experiencing mental-health barriers, including retention, return-to-work and sustainable employment pathways.
- Work with local employers and partner organisations to strengthen understanding of health, wellbeing and employment support.
- Report service delivery information to NHS, DWP, Local Authority and other stakeholders, maintaining clear accountability across the partnership.
- Maintain a caseload where required while balancing team leadership and operational priorities.
Transformation Project Manager - Fixed Term at NHS (2023-01 – 2023-11)
Led transformational initiatives with clinical and medical teams, translating service priorities into structured projects and improvement activity.
- Developed and delivered project plans, objectives, milestones and timelines across multiple concurrent projects.
- Worked with business-information teams on data systems and used reporting to support service improvement and decision-making.
- Allocated resources, tracked project budgets and financials, and monitored delivery against milestones.
- Managed project risks and issues, coordinated cross-functional teams and facilitated effective stakeholder communication.
- Led change-management activity, project evaluation and process optimisation while ensuring compliance with organisational policies.
IPS Team Leader - Greater Manchester at MAXIMUS (2020-08 – 2023-01)
Led IPS Employment Specialists across Greater Manchester, providing training, mentoring, supervision and modelling of the evidence-based IPS approach.
- Led, developed and supervised Employment Specialists to deliver good IPS fidelity while working within budget, referral, engagement and employment-outcome targets.
- Used field mentoring and observations to drive continuous improvement in employer engagement, customer service and employment practice.
- Maintained quality and contract compliance through shadowing, auditing, case reviews, in-work support plans and review of clinical records.
- Managed information-governance requirements and supported the integrity of participant information and contract processes.
- Worked with NHS Foundation Trust / secondary mental-health teams, JCP leaders, partnership managers and the Operations Manager to integrate services and resolve delivery issues.
- Coordinated Employment Specialists across several regions and trained both employment and clinical staff in the IPS approach.
Service Manager - Cumbria at Imagine Independence (2018-05 – 2020-06)
Managed a portfolio of commissioned services across Cumbria, supporting independence, employment and transformation of care.
- Managed operational delivery across the region in collaboration with Local Authority, NHS primary and secondary mental-health services, DWP and third-sector partners.
- Led and coordinated staff supporting pathways to competitive and sustainable employment, apprenticeships, wellbeing and wider independence outcomes.
- Supervised teams working from satellite offices across Cumbria and maintained oversight of regional service delivery and staff support.
- Reported outcomes, issues and service information to commissioners and stakeholders, escalating risks and delivery concerns as required.
- Partnered in delivery of Building Better Opportunities (ESF / BLF funded) and coordinated reasonable adjustments through DWP Access to Work.
Employment Co-ordinator - Cumbria County Council Contract at Imagine Independence (2017-09 – 2018-05)
- Coordinated the Cumbria County Council Employment Service contract and IPS-model employment support across the county.
- Managed and coordinated teams based in satellite offices and reported delivery to commissioners, NHS, DWP, Local Authority and other stakeholders.
Senior IPS Employment Adviser - Primary Care / IAPT Pilot at Blackpool Council (2016-09 – 2017-09)
- Supported set-up, leadership and management of an IPS employment team fully integrated with an IAPT clinical service.
- Supported professional development, caseload management, customer pathways and implementation of effective IPS working practices.
- Built effective working relationships between Local Authority and NHS teams and worked to local targets and national KPIs.
Specialised Employment Adviser - Secondary Care at Newcastle City Council (2016-01 – 2016-09)
- Delivered specialist IPS employment support within Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Trust Early Intervention Psychosis services.
- Supported people with severe and complex mental-health conditions with employment retention, return to work and sustainable employment.
Employment Support Adviser - Primary Care at Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Trust (2014-01 – 2015-12)
- Managed a high-volume caseload, employment / training action plans, employer liaison and progress against local and national commissioning targets.
- Maintained knowledge of labour-market information, legislation and professional developments, including employer and training-provider engagement.
Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner at Sunderland Counselling Service (2011-01 – 2014-02)
- Delivered low-intensity CBT-based assessments and interventions, identified risk and coordinated support with wider agencies including employment, housing, debt and social-care services.
Civil Servant - Employment / Customer Liaison Roles at Department for Work and Pensions (1998-12 – 2007-04)
- Delivered employment-focused support including New Deal Lone Parent work, employer / agency engagement, outreach and customer liaison.
Licensee at Self-employed (1992-11 – 2000-05)
- Managed staff, training, stock, budgets, accounts, payroll and customer service in a commercial operating environment.
