Job title: HR Operations Officer (Grade 4) – 12 Month Fixed Term Contract
Location: Service Headquarters, Maidstone – mixture of office and home working – 3 days per week in office (with travel countywide, based on needs)
Hours: Full time – 37 Hours per week
Pension: Automatic membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme – career average pension scheme with 16.5% employer contribution
Holidays: In addition to entitlement to bank/ public holidays you will receive 28 days holiday
Base salary: Grade 4 - £28,635- £31,609 per annum depending on experience
Ref: R001024
Closing Date: 09/06/2026
Being a part of Kent Fire and Rescue Service
Everyone is unique. Everyone has value. Everyone helps to make Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) a great place to work. We are one team. Together with our customers we are creating a safer future for Kent and Medway.
Being the HR Operations Officer (12 Month Fixed Term Contract)
The HR Operations Officer is responsible for accurately and proficiently completing HR administrative tasks, requiring a sound understanding of HR procedures and practices.
You will be expected to have a thorough knowledge of HR processes to ensure the accurate delivery of administrative services in areas such as payroll, recruitment, onboarding, and employee record maintenance
What you’ll do
- Undertake and manage all administration related to leave of absence, recruitment, onboarding, contract changes/variations, and leaver administration.
- Process and validate all payroll actions and instructions accurately each month
- Prepare, validate, and process all documents relating to employment changes, including new starters and leavers documentation, maintaining accurate records within the HRIS system to reflect updates and ensuring compliance with GDPR
- Conduct exit interviews with departing colleagues, capturing key insights and accurately recording the outcomes, and escalate any concerns to the relevant HR team when required
- Liaise effectively with the Payroll and Finance teams to resolve any issues related to pay, pensions, and benefits
- Assist in the design and updating of manager guidance, toolkits, and/or HR policies/procedures, ensuring all changes align with current employment regulations and organisational standards
What you’ll bring
- Practical and procedural knowledge of HR administration processes, including producing documents, data input, and maintaining records in a secure environment.
- Detailed understanding of confidentiality requirements and GDPR regulations for handling sensitive employee data.
- Knowledge and understanding of HR best practice
- Skills in using HRIS, specifically iTrent. - Desirable
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel, with the ability to create, edit, and analyse documents and data
- Part or fully qualified CIPD or a wide experience across all aspects of HR administration
Additional benefits we’re offering
- Blue Light Card discount scheme
- A range of family friendly policies including promoting work-life balance
- Access to health and wellbeing services and advice
- Access to LinkedIn Learning online training
- Free parking
- Above all you’ll become part of a service that is committed to the safety of our community
How to apply
Please complete an online application and CV by Tuesday 9th June 2026 via this link:
https://ce0013li.webitrent.com/ce0013li_webrecruitment/wrd/run/etrec179gf.open?WVID=88103581k3&LANG=USA&VACANCY_ID=682845ChVv
We reserve the right to close this vacancy upon receiving a sufficient number of applications. If you are interested in this role we recommend that you submit your application at the earliest opportunity.
Recruitment to Vacancies during Resourcing Review
As we discuss the closure of some On Call stations, we recognise that this may raise questions about why we are continuing to recruit a small number of vacancies. We want to be transparent about the reasons behind both decisions, and to be clear that they are not contradictory.
The potential closure of stations is not primarily a financial decision. It reflects a genuine and careful assessment of operational demand and the availability of resources to sustain effective service delivery at those locations. Where footfall, call volumes, or community need no longer justify maintaining a full presence, it would not be responsible to continue operating as though they do. These are difficult decisions, and we are mindful of the impact they have on colleagues and the communities we serve.
At the same time, certain functions require specialist knowledge and expertise that cannot simply be redistributed or absorbed by existing teams. These are roles that require specific technical skills, professional qualifications, or regulatory knowledge that are essential to the organisation continuing to operate safely and effectively. The number of posts being recruited to is limited and targeted, reflecting only those areas where a genuine capability gap exists. Every post is discussed, reviewed and approved before recruitment begins to ascertain if there alternatives to recruiting the role at that time.
Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. We know that great minds don’t think alike, so we rely on diverse thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and backgrounds to create the best working environment that we can possibly offer.
Kent Fire and Rescue Service, its employees, and volunteers are committed to safeguarding, protecting, and supporting children, young people, and adults at risk. As part of our safer recruitment process, we will undertake pre-employment checks to verify your suitability for the role. These checks will include your references and a standard or enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Enhanced DBS check with barred lists are carried out for roles with direct and unsupervised access to children, young people, and adults at risk. Risk assessments will be undertaken on any disclosures identified as part of the pre-employment checks.
As a Public Sector organisation with added responsibilities under the Equality Act, 2010 the candidate must demonstrate an understanding of what is meant by Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion and how this fits in with their everyday work.
Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12 months
Pay: £28,635.00-£31,609.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Work from home
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Maidstone ME15 6XB: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- Human resources: 1 year (preferred)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
