Caseworker Position

Full-time, 37.5 hours per week (permanent)

Waterford Leader Partnership CLG is recruiting a Caseworker for the Waterford and South Tipperary Local Area Employment Service (WSTLAES).

The service provides tailored employment assistance to individuals who are long-term unemployed or furthest from the labour market, supporting them to progress towards and secure meaningful employment.

Employer: Waterford LEADER Partnership CLG

Location: Carrick on Suir office.

Principal Duties

• Provide a practical but empathetic approach to engaging all referred clients.
• Ensure the effective completion of referral appointments made by Department of Social Protection (DSP) through the WSTLAES Manager.
• Engage with referred clients using a three-tier approach encompassing: Initial assessment, Assessment of readiness to work and change. Interview and engagement.
• Identify client goals, aspirations, and barriers to employment, providing good customer service, including meeting and professionally greeting clients.
• Explain WSTLAES service offering, ensuring the client understands their rights and responsibilities (including the complaints and feedback process) whilst registering the client under contractual obligations and eligibility criteria.
• Ensure all initial assessments focus on getting to know the participant, their motivation and exploring their aspirations and needs.
• Identify, clarify, and manage the client’s expectations of the process, including data protection, confidentiality, and ground rules of the LAES intervention and the relationships required to achieve buy-in.
• Manage a caseload efficiently and effectively in line with company and funders procedures and guidelines and against defined KPIs.
• Prepare and maintain a Personal Progression Plan (PPP) for clients.
• Assist clients with job preparation, including curriculum vitae preparation, job seeking and interview skills.
• Work with the Employer Liaison Manager to identify employment opportunities and notify clients of these potential employment opportunities. Liaise with employers to match client to a job.
• Maintain a database of clients and groups in the catchment area using the DSP’s IT database.
• Arrange and manage client appointments.
• Assess and ensure clients are signposted both internally and externally, with the specific objective of ensuring labour market engagement.
• As necessary, liaise directly with the respective ETBs, Solas, Turas Nua, Seetec, DSP, and other public and private training providers and agencies.
• Complete company time management system.
• Present oral and written reports to the WSTLAES Manager and others as required.
• Ensure the delivery of a service adhering in line with the Q Mark.
• Demonstrate a willingness to take on additional duties as and when required.
• Have detailed knowledge of employment, enterprise, and career guidance tools.
• Have a clear understanding of the role of the Local Area Employment Service.
• Have a realistic picture of labour-market employment and skills requirements.
• Possess a well-grounded understanding of basic labour-market counselling and guidance concepts.
• Have a clear understanding of the effects of unemployment on the individual’s self-image, behaviour patterns and general well-being, particularly the effect on long-term unemployed people.
• Possess an understanding of the barriers facing unemployed people in accessing progression options.

Experience and Qualifications

• Three years’ experience of working in employment, enterprise and career guidance counselling, vocational guidance or social work environment.
• Experience working to address the common barriers to employment.
• Job coaching experience.
• Good IT skills, with experience of content management systems being an advantage.
• Experience in managing caseloads, delivering to KPIs and reporting on same.
• A formal qualification or study experience in guidance or counselling or another relevant field (qualified to L7 or be willing to work towards L7 accreditation).
• Demonstrate developed, effective, and efficient liaison skills across multiple stakeholders.
• Capacity to motivate and inspire trust with all involved.
• Capacity to be positive, empathetic, flexible, motivated, and a self-starter who can communicate effectively and have sound financial, listening and administration skills.
• Demonstrate a practical approach to working with WSTLAES clients.
• Experience in forming good working relationships with individuals, colleagues, combined with excellent communication and listening skills.
• Confidential by nature, with excellent verbal and written abilities.

Terms and Conditions:

• The contract duration is aligned to that of the programme: End of August 2027.
• It will be subject to a 6-month probation period.
• Working week: The normal working week is 37.5 hours with half-hour lunch break (unpaid). Working hours is 9am to 5pm.
• Starting salary: €34,805 to €39,296 depending on relevant experience.
• Work base: Carrick on Suir office.
• Caseworker may be expected to travel to other WLP offices to carry out duties.
• Car Ownership: The successful candidate is expected to have use of an insured vehicle and have a full clean driver’s license.
• Garda Vetting may apply to the post.
• It is intended to form a panel of successful candidates following the interviews.

Application Process

To apply, submit your CV and cover letter by **5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, the 22nd July 2025**, to: Email: info@wlp.ie or

Post:
Waterford LEADER Partnership CLG
John Barry House
Lismore Business Park
Lismore
Co Waterford
P51XVP6

Interviews: Will be scheduled for Tuesday, 29th July 2025 in Carrick on Suir.

Important Notes

• Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
• Canvassing will result in disqualification.