The Employment & Skills Service is part of Coventry City Council.  We work with a range of delivery partners to provide a wide portfolio of top quality support to Coventry residents of all ages who are looking for work.  We work with partners across the city and our Employer Hub actively works with local employers to generate opportunities for local people. 

Our friendly and welcoming Job Shop is situated in Coventry City Centre. We are here to support all Coventry residents to search for employment, training, apprenticeships and work placements.  People can explore a wide range of local vacancies that are updated daily and access training opportunities.  

We also provide ground-breaking specialist support for local residents who face multiple and sometimes complex barriers that make it hard for them to find a job.  The Job Shop and our exciting range of specialist employment support programmes are among the very best support available in the UK 

Fixed-term contract until March 2023.

The role of Employment Link Officer will deal directly with local employers to build relationships, directly advise and assist them with all employment issues including recruitment advice and to signpost to companies and candidates to help with their employment requirements. A key focus will be on securing opportunities for customers registered with The Job Shop. This position will build specific relationships with businesses that will benefit all the services offered by The Employment and Skills Service. You will be expected to arrange job interview guarantees and specific training for customers of the Job Shop as well as endorsing customer applications when speaking to employers with live vacancies. The post will contribute to increase local and youth employment.

In this role you will focus on providing programme support to the Employer Engagement Team for the delivery of Business Support in Coventry and Warwickshire. This is an exciting and varied role which will support the successful delivery of the programme and will involve working with programme delivery partners, business advisors and with small & medium businesses.

Key roles will include:

• Build and maintain relationships with employers across Coventry and Warwickshire to create employment opportunities for local residents.
• Provide business & HR support to local organisations including advertising vacancies and pre-screening customers as well as providing guidance on employment funding to SME’s.
• Support with the delivery of employment initiatives such as the DWP Kickstart Scheme.
• Provide redundancy support to local employers; organise and deliver 1-1 clinics as well as group support sessions to Coventry residents seeking guidance and going through the redundancy process.
• Work in collaboration with partners such as colleges and training providers to create opportunities in all aspects of employment from Apprenticeships, Traineeships, work experience and training opportunities for Job Shop customers.
• Act as link for the City Council with nominated employment, skills and business initiatives. Support and monitor the progress of grant-aided work, including ESF projects of all kinds.
• Develop and implement new initiatives with local authority colleagues and others, to promote employment and training opportunities, reduce poverty and to encourage unemployed people to play a more active role in the regeneration of the City.
• Work in collaboration with external partners across Coventry and Warwickshire, learning about all programmes/services available to businesses to ensure the best service possible is delivered.

Previous experience is essential and post holder must be able to demonstrate:

• Problem solving aptitude
• Strong organisational and multitasking skills
• Performance management, including monitoring against KPIs, auditing, assuring and checking quality of outputs
• Experience of using new and innovative communication channels
• The use of information technology to store, analyse and interpret data and information, preferably Microsoft Office applications.

For full details on the application process please read the attached document on our jobs page labelled 'Coventry City Council Application Process'

Coventry is a lively, multicultural city, which embraces old and new. Around the modern city centre there are traces of history everywhere – in the old city walls, the timber-framed buildings and the reconstructed medieval Spon Street. But Coventry has always had an eye on the future, and is now firmly focused on regenerating and re-inventing itself to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. With major developments and new projects taking place right across the city, Coventry City Council is the place to be!

There's a huge buzz about the city – Coventry ranks as the 8th best city to live, work and do business in the UK, and is the UK City of Culture 2021 ! We believe this will help put Coventry on the map for all the right reasons. You can feel the sense of local pride throughout the city as we build towards this momentous year. It also offers a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to those joining us to play their part in it.

We genuinely believe that Coventry City Council is a special place. You will be joining Coventry City Council during an exciting time to become part of a team that contribute to achieving our visions for the city. We have made our council a place where we look after our people, making sure you're happy in your work and given everything you need to succeed. We've created friendly, welcoming workplaces where everyone is working towards the same cause, providing the best possible services for the city of Coventry.

As a council with improvement at its heart, we’re committed to making life better for the people who live and work in Coventry. We’re equally concerned with the quality of life enjoyed by our people, so by joining us, you won’t just be helping the community, you’ll be helping yourself too.

Not only do you get to work alongside great people that are helping to improve services for our community we offer great benefits too! For your valued contribution we will provide a fantastic benefits package including;

• Flexible working arrangements
• Generous annual leave allowance starting at 27 days and rising to 32 days
• Pay progression through multiple increments
• Outstanding local government pension scheme
• Learning & Development with access to certified courses.
• Access to an award winning Occupational Health Team
• Vibrant employee networks