Fire Safety Advisor, Auditor or Inspector

Contract Type: Permanent

Location: Dorset

Department: Protection

Closing Date: 25-Feb-2026

Salary: This role is a career graded role from Grade D (£31,537 - £33,143) up to Grade F (£39,152 - £41,771) with progression to Grade F dependent on completing and meeting the required experience and qualifications through related training.

Hours: x2 vacancies - Full Time – 37 hours per week

Location: Hamworthy Fire Safety Office, situated at Hamworthy Fire Station. This role will be office based with limited opportunities to work from home. You will be required to undertake travel to fulfil the role. This will most commonly be across the Dorset area however our business needs may dictate otherwise in exceptional circumstances (to include Wiltshire).

Role level: Please state the role level(s) (Advisor, Auditor or Inspector) you are applying for on your application. In order to be considered for Advisor, Auditor or Inspector you will need to give evidence to demonstrate your suitability using the criteria set out in the attached relevant Person Specification.

We are looking for the right people with skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours to become Fire Safety Inspectors following a development pathway (progression from Advisor, Auditor to Inspector) in the Protection department.

Development

Depending on any existing qualification, the successful candidate will attain a Level 4 Diploma in Fire Safety through an apprenticeship programme and will be fully supported through mentoring and a development pathway.

Future Opportunities

Successful candidates will be held in a pool and may be offered future vacancies arising within 12 months of this recruitment process.

What this role will involve:

• Working alongside experienced Fire Safety Inspectors as you develop the skills and knowledge to audit compliance of fire safety legislation within non‑domestic premises.
• You will provide advice, support, and guidance to business owners to help them understand and comply with Fire Safety legislation.
• Throughout your training, you will gain the confidence and qualifications to carry out audits and enforce Fire Safety legislation.
• A typical day in this important role will see the Fire Safety Inspector evaluating fire safety measures are in place to protect people, influencing, and supporting businesses to act on recommendations.

Who we are looking for:

You will need to be flexible, respond positively to change and be prepared for continuous learning and professional development throughout your career. We are seeking approachable and professional individuals who excel at building positive relationships and maintain high standards of conduct and communication.

What we offer:

We believe in investing in our people. As an employee in development, you’ll be part of a structured apprenticeship programme, receiving training and mentorship from experienced professionals, whilst earning recognised fire safety qualifications. Work within a team that values collaboration, continuous improvement, and improving community safety through the raising of fire safety standards. Opportunities to advance within Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service.

If you’re looking for a career that offers purpose, stability, and the opportunity to make a real difference apply today. Whether you have experience in fire safety, other regulatory professions, or are new to the sector, contact us to discuss how this role may be perfect for you.

You must have:

• 4 GCSE passes – Grade A*‑C / 9‑4, including English and Mathematics or equivalent Level 2 qualification (including L2 functional skills), or higher‑level relevant qualification, and be able to provide evidence of this.
• A willingness and ability to work towards Fire Safety qualifications (Level 4 Fire Safety Diploma) within an agreed timeframe unless these qualifications have already been obtained.
• Demonstrated you have researched and have a basic understanding of current Fire Safety legislation including the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) order 2005.
• Experience of using Microsoft Office (including Outlook) and database packages.

For full details of the role and requirements please have a look at the Job Description and Person Specification. Please indicate on your application which level you wish to be considered for in the additional requirements section.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, an organisation that is passionate about changing and saving lives. Our corporate staff are absolutely vital in helping to make our communities safer and healthier. Without them, we couldn’t do it.

We offer a wide range of employee benefits and strive to ensure that staff feel valued and rewarded. For example, we offer a flexi time scheme, Local Government Pension Scheme, a generous annual leave allowance, a variety of family‑friendly schemes and health & well‑being services.

Closing and Interview date:

The closing date for applications is 25 February 2026 (midnight). It is intended that interviews will take place on 10 March and 12 March 2026. Should you be shortlisted for interview, further details regarding the interview format / location will be provided before the interview date.

Other Information:

You must have a full current driving licence and be able to fulfil the travel requirements of the role. A Department pool vehicle is typically available to complete the duties of the role, however; use of your own vehicle may be required. Please note Service vehicles are manual transmission only. If you are unable to drive due to a disability, we would still welcome your application and will explore any reasonable adjustments that could be put in place.

The role may require flexibility with working hours which could include early evenings on very rare occasions and exceptional circumstances. There is a rigorous selection process and the identity of the successful candidate will be checked thoroughly, including an Enhanced DBS check for this role. Any offer of employment will be subject to full pre‑employment checks which include identity checks, right to work in the UK, medical, receipt of satisfactory references, verification of employment history and an explanation of any gaps in employment in the last 5 years.

We are required to obtain references for your full 5 year employment history so we may need to ask you to provide additional referees.

To find out more and apply: Our Candidate Charter outlines the commitments we make to you when applying for a vacancy with us. Please note we do not accept CV’s in place of application forms. We welcome the use of AI responsibly and ethically to demonstrate your skills in your application, but please don’t allow it to shadow your own unique voice. While we appreciate innovative approaches, we also value authenticity. Our assessment considers both the content of the application and how it was created, ensuring fairness and inclusivity for all applicants.

At the end of the day – we want YOU to work for us! You should ensure you include satisfactory evidence in your application to demonstrate all of the areas stated as being measured at the Application Stage on the Person Specification. This will ensure you have the best opportunity of progressing to the next stage of the selection process.

We are dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of our communities and welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of age, disability, gender, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or other personal circumstances. All applications will be treated on merit and staff involved in recruitment and selection processes undertake unconscious bias training.

We are committed to the Disability Confident Scheme and guarantee an interview to applicants with a disclosed disability if they meet the minimum criteria for the post to which they are applying. Please tell us in confidence if this applies to you, or if there are any reasonable adjustments that would help you apply for this post.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service’s recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of Adults, Children and Young People. All staff and volunteers are expected to share this commitment.

If you hold international qualifications, you will be required to provide official evidence that shows how these compare to UK Qualifications. We will accept a Statement of Comparability from a UK organisation called ENIC which can be obtained via their website. Please note that UK ENIC charge for this service, so if you request a Statement of Compatibility, you will be required to pay for it as we are unable to reimburse you.

For further guidance on how to complete your application, please refer to the Job Application Guidance Notes. If you are experiencing difficulties completing your application or have a need to complete your application in an alternative format due to a disability, please contact HR Resourcing on 01722 691444 within plenty of time of the closing date of the position you are applying for.

Our recruitment, assessment and progression processes are based on our Code of Ethics that has been developed specifically for Fire and Rescue Services. When recruiting, we identify the most important behaviours for the role and these are used as part of the short‑listing and selection process.

Please be aware that maintenance to the e‑recruitment platform is conducted on the third Saturday of each month, which may cause a delay in applying on these days for a limited time.