Case Officer ( Local Area Employment Service )
The Role of the Case Officer
The case Worker will provide one-to-one support and guidance to the long-term unemployed and people in receipt of job seekers'
Key Responsibilities
1. To provide a participative and diagnostic approach to engaging clients.
2. To plan for appointments with clients to ensure effective use of time, and building a relationship with the clients.
3. To engage with your caseload of clients to understand their needs using a multi-approach e.g.Initial Assessment, Assessment of Readiness to Work & Change, Interview skills and Engagement & Training.
4. To identify client goals, aspirations, and barriers to employment, and support clients to overcome these, providing excellent customer service, including meeting and greeting clients professionally.
5. To explain our service offering, ensuring the client understands their rights and responsibilities (e.g., complaints & and feedback process), whilst registering the client by contractual obligations and eligibility criteria.
6. To ensure all initial assessments focus on getting to know the participant, and their motivation and explore their aspirations and needs.
7. To identify, clarify, and manage the client's expectations of the process including data protection and confidentiality.
8. To manage your caseload efficiently and effectively in line with good governance and established company and funder's procedures and guidelines and against defined KPIs (objectives).
9. Support colleagues with caseload management in outreach offices' covering annual leave and sickness if necessary.
10. To prepare a detailed Personal Progression Plan for each client and identify the support required for each client.
11. To assist the clients with CV preparation and job seeking/interview skills & liaise with employers and provide a job matching service.
12. To assess and ensure clients are signposted internally/externally, with the specific objective of ensuring labour market engagement.
13. To maintain a database of clients/groups in the catchment area using the Department's IT database BOMI.
14. To liaise directly with ETB, Solas, Intreo and other public and private training providers and agencies to provide a wrap-around service for clients.
15. To provide oral and written reports to your line manager when required.
16. To ensure the delivery of a service adhering to all quality assurance standards 17. To demonstrate a willingness to take on additional duties as and when required
17. To support and adhere to the Q Mark standards.
18. Taking part and joining internal working groups/teams
19. To conduct mock interviews in person and via MS Teams to enhance the client's interview skills.
20. This is not an exhaustive list of duties.
Core Competencies / Skills & Knowledge
Essential / Minimum
1. Knowledge of Employment / Career Guidance
21. Detailed knowledge of employment, enterprise, and/or career guidance.
22. Experience working with individuals furthest from the labour market.
23. Clear understanding of the role of the Local Area Employment Service.
24. Up-to-date knowledge of labour market trends and job skills.
25. Awareness of the impact of unemployment on self-image, behaviour, and well-being, especially among the long-term unemployed.
26. Understanding of the barriers faced by unemployed individuals in accessing progression opportunities.
2. Liaison Skills
27. Proven ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of stakeholders.
28. Strong influencing and motivational skills.
29. Ability to build trust and inspire confidence in others.
3. Caseload Management Skills
30. Experience managing caseloads to deliver Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
31. Ability to report on outcomes using advanced MS Office/IT skills or bespoke systems.
32. Experience with the BOMI system is an advantage.
4. Interpersonal Skills
33. Positive, empathetic, flexible, and self-motivated.
34. Strong communication, listening, and administration skills.
35. Financial awareness and a creative approach to client engagement.
5. Communication
36. Proven ability to build and maintain effective relationships with clients and colleagues.
37. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
38. Experience engaging with employers and advising on the JobsPlus initiative.
6. Other Requirements
39. Full, clean, current driving licence required.
Desirable
Minimum Experience
40. At least 5 years' experience in employment, enterprise, career guidance, recruitment, or the community sector.
41. Background in counselling, vocational guidance, or social work.
42. Experience working with individuals facing employment barriers.
43. Job coaching experience.
Minimum Qualifications
44. Good standard of general education.
45. Excellent computer skills; experience with BOMI system is an advantage.
46. Strong calendar management and organisational skills.
47. Formal qualification or studies in guidance, counselling, or related fields [Level 7 or willingness to work towards Level 7 accreditation].