Corporate Recruitment Officer – Dorset and Wiltshire FRS in Dorchester

This is a fantastic opportunity to join Dorset and 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 are 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 including 39 weeks’ full pay during maternity leave (subject to qualifying criteria) and health & well-being services.

As a Corporate Recruitment Officer in our People Department, you will:

• Lead the planning and delivery of recruitment to corporate roles across the Service, playing a vital role in helping to keep our communities safe.
• Build strong partnerships with managers and People Partners to deliver a high-quality, responsive, and inclusive recruitment service.
• Act as the trusted expert on corporate recruitment and selection, providing clear, specialist advice.
• Ensure all recruitment activity meets the highest standards of fairness, transparency, and compliance with employment legislation, safer recruitment, and vetting requirements.
• Drive continuous improvement by identifying new ways to attract and retain talent, using best practice and innovative approaches to build a diverse, future-ready workforce.

What makes you our ideal Corporate Recruitment Officer?

• You will hold or be studying for an appropriate CIPD qualification at Intermediate level (Level 5), or able to demonstrate significant experience in a similar role.
• You will have experience of providing concise, timely and accurate data, with high attention to detail.
• You will have excellent communication skills and a positive attitude to internal/external customer care.
• You will have knowledge of best practice and employment legislation relevant to the area of work.
• You will be able to work effectively as part of a team and fulfil a line management role providing guidance, support and development to staff.

Other Information:

• You must be able to fulfil the travel requirements of the role. You will be required to attend recruitment activities and meetings at offices and fire stations across Dorset and Wiltshire approximately 1 day a month.
• A Standard Disclosure & Barring Service Check (DBS) clearance will be undertaken on the successful individual prior to offer of employment.
• 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 3 years.

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.

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.

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.

Appointment Type: Temporary – fixed term contract to cover maternity leave until 30 September 2027 or until return of the substantive postholder.

Closing and Interview date: The closing date for applications is Sunday 6 September 2026 (midnight). We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. It is intended that interviews will take place at Dorchester Support Offices, Poundbury on Wednesday 16 September 2026.

Contract type: Full Time / Fixed Term Contract.