Recruitment Consultant ~ West Yorkshire

Job description

Job summary

We are looking for proactive, relationship-focused Recruitment Consultants to work with employers across West Yorkshire District, helping businesses access talented individuals while creating meaningful employment opportunities for our customers.

In this role, you will act as the link between employers,jobseekersand partners, building strong relationships with local businesses to understand their workforce needs and develop practical recruitment solutions. You will play a key role in helping people move into work, remain in work and progress in their careers.

This is a highly collaborative role, working closely with employers, local partners, training providers and internal colleagues to support inclusive recruitment, respond to local labour market needs and contribute to stronger local economies.

You will spenda significant proportionof your time engaging directly with employers, building networks,identifyingrecruitmentopportunitiesand influencing businesses to recruit through DWP services.

Job description

• Build strong, practical and trusted relationships with employers to generate new opportunities for our customers. Encouraging employers to engage directly with Jobcentres through visits, talks and recruitment events
• You identifyrecruitmentopportunitiesand influence businesses to recruit through DWP service
• Be confident in explaining the full DWP offer to employers, including Work Experience, Youth Guarantee, Disability Confident, Access to Work, Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), Work Trials and Universal Credit flexibilities
• Gather and analyse employer and customer insight to review and inform future activity
• Build a clear understanding of customer groups, key industries in the area, and growth sectors. Working closely with internal and external stakeholders to understand local developments including economic, social or demographic changes within your community, including information about large-scale recruitment or local redundancies
• Collaborate with local partners, trainingprovidersand community organisations to support skills development to match future demand
• Support colleagues to build their awareness of the local labour market and to understand the features/benefits of the DWP offer
• Share up-to-date employer insight and opportunities so work coaches can match the right customers to the right roles
• Generate and maximise recruitment recruitment opportunities by influencing business to recruit through DWP services, and engage with businesses to influence and encourage them to recruit through DWP recruitment services.
• Build strong, practical and trusted relationships with employers, through visits, presentations and recruitment events to understand their workforce needs and work with them to generate opportunities for our customers

Person specification

We're looking for someone who can build strong relationships with employers, partners and colleagues to create employment opportunities and deliver positive outcomes for customers. You'll be confident communicating and influencing a range of stakeholders, using labour market insight to identify opportunities and develop practical recruitment solutions. You'll work collaboratively to support inclusive recruitment, match customers to suitable roles, and share knowledge and best practice across teams. With a proactive, organised and customer-focused approach, you'll be comfortable managing priorities in a fast-paced environment while helping others build confidence and capability.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of 32,137, Department for Work and Pensions contributes 9,310 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (prorata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 years continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Womens Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Throughout the selection process we will communicate with you via email and by telephone.

Please ensure you regularly check your Assessment Centre account, as well as your spam/junk email folder.

Telephone calls may show as a withheld number, it is important that you answer so that your interview can be confirmed.

Stage 1

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Customer Service Skills Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 22nd September 2026 . If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

The Customer Service Skills Test is an online test of your skills and abilities in relation to customer service roles, and provides a realistic preview of what is typically involved in such roles in the Civil Service. More information including practice tests and detailed guidance can be found here

IMPORTANT: After the test deadline, we will look at all applicant scores to decide what the jobs pass mark will be. We will consider the impact on protected groups and the number of invitations to the next stage. We may decide to raise the pass mark for the job - if so, you will be informed, and you will be told if you have passed or failed at the raised standard. Meeting the minimum test requirements for a job level is no guarantee of an invite to continue the selection process.

Stage 2

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

The CV is an online tool accessed through the Civil Service Jobsite.

Using the insight in the Person Specification section above, complete a 750 Word personal statement; tell us how you would approach the challenge of this role and what previous experience you would draw upon to be successful.

We will assess this and the content of your CV against your previous experience of connecting job seekers with employers and helping companies find the right talent for roles.

A NOTE ON ANONYMISATION

DWP operates an anonymised recruitment process, you should remove any personal details that could be used to identify you. This relates to name and contact details which might usually appear on your Personal Statement. Failure to do so will result in your application being withdrawn.

More information on Success Profiles and Civil Service Behaviours can be accessed by clicking the links.

Sift

Those candidates who meet the minimum required test score will have their personal statement and CV assessed against the person specification for the role.

Depending on application numbers we may progress all candidates who have been successful at the online test through to interview without assessing the written application evidence.

Interview

If you meet the required standard and your application is successful, you will receive an invitation to a face-to-face interview, held in Leeds Park Place Jobcentre.

Your interview will consist of 6 questions:

• You will be assessed against three Civil Service Behaviours listed above (Executive Officer - EO level)
• You will also be asked 3 Strength based questions. These questions are designed to gather your immediate response

The evidence you provide must relate to your own thoughts and experiences.

Proposed Sift and Interview dates

Sift Period 25th September 2026 to 16th October 2026
Interviews 26th October to 6th November 2026

Due to time constraints interviews will only be undertaken on the above dates unless advised otherwise.

Integrity, plagiarism, Civil Service Principles and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles.

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words.

Examples of plagiarism can include:

• Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own
• Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own

The same applies to all stages of your application.

Offer

Offers will be made in merit order, taking into account location preferences.

On appointment successful applicants must:

• You must be able to work on site in the jobcentre you are posted to (not a hybrid role), and be mobile to visit employers in the local area.
• You must be able to work withstakeholders andcustomers faceto face.Telephonyand digital contact will also be an essential requirement.
• You must be able to work in a fast paced, busy environment as part of a team and independently.

The Department will provide reasonable adjustments to enable people to complete the requirements above.

Further Information

At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub.

DWP takes development seriously. Our aim is for our colleagues in these roles to be appropriately skilled and qualified as determined by the business. To support this aim you may be required to undertake a work based qualification, which may be in the form of an apprenticeship, which will support you in further developing your professional knowledge and skills for this role and your future career development. The qualification can be undertaken in work time, you agree to take this job on the basis that you may be required to undertake a work based qualification; a candidates failure to participate fully in the professional programme, once appointed, may be a breach of their employment contract.

Important

If you hold a level 3 qualification (2 A levels or equivalent) then please bring your certificates with you to the interview if you have them.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months which we may also use to fill future similar vacancies.

If you are placed on a reserve list if your application is successful, but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:

• If you are offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances. (e.g. a contractual Part Time Working Pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health).
• If DWP makes an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list.

Disability Confidence

If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.

Reasonable Adjustments

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the Reasonable Adjustments section in the Additional requirements page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if youre deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks

To process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicants details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check will be carried out.

Important

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. If you are successful you must be able to be released from your current post within 4 weeks.

Those on protected TUPE/ COSoP terms and conditions applying on promotion or voluntary permanent level move will adopt DWPs Terms and Conditions and this may have a different impact on pay and allowances. Please review this prior to acceptance of a role.

Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing. Accepting a post will be taken to mean acceptance of revised terms & conditions.

Civil servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary.

Any move to DWP from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may, however, be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at the Childcare Choices Website.

Hybrid Working

This job role is not suitable for hybrid working and is fully office based.

Hours of work

DWP contracts are based on 42 hour week however you will work 37 hours.

All customers must receive a consistently good service no matter how or when they decide to contact DWP as such: You may be required to work at any time between the hours of 7.45 am and 8:00 pm on any day between Monday to Friday, and 8.45 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday.

A working pattern that meets business needs will be discussed and agreed once you have started. You will be given advance notice of your personal schedule.

Working pattern

Part time and job sharing working patterns within working hours may be available but must meet business needs. We will do our best to let people with existing part time contracts retain their contracted hours provided they are in line with current business needs. Please note that successful part time and job share candidates may be required to work full time for specific periods to complete and consolidate training

Location

DWP is a family-friendly employer and part-time and term time working patterns may be available but must meet business needs.

Successful candidates will be appointed to a particular DWP office but may be required to travel regularly to other DWP premises or locations in the community that are within a reasonable daily commute from the home office.

We will discuss this further with you, if you are successful and at the point of agreeing your start date.

This vacancy is only for the locations shown above. If you are not within a reasonable daily travel distance of these locations, you would need to consider applying for other vacancies within your travel area.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. Relocation costs will not be reimbursed.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window) .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window) .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window) .

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants
Job contact :

• Name : West Yorkshire Recruitment Team
• Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commissions Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DWP by email: [email protected]. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments DWP Terms and Conditions January 2024 Opens in new window (docx, 17kB) Success-Profiles-Candidate-Overview Opens in new window (pdf, 635kB)