Full job descriptionFostering Marketing and Recruitment OfficerJob IntroductionJob Title: Fostering Marketing and Recruitment Officer
Job Details*Working Pattern: 37 hours per week
*Salary: £36,581 - £40,444**Location: Lincoln
*Closing Date: 2nd December 2026
*Frequency: Annual
*Contract Type: Permanent
*Working Hours: 37
*Job Category: Social Care Unqualified - Children
*Location: Lincoln, United Kingdom
*Posted on: 5 November, 2026
Do you want your work to make a measurable difference to the lives of children?
Use your marketing expertise to help local children find local carers.
Lincolnshire County Council is looking for an experienced, creative and self-driven marketing professional to help us recruit and retain the foster carers our children need.
This is much more than a communications role. You will play a key role in the development and delivery of an evidence-based marketing strategy, using audience insight, compelling content and targeted campaigns to turn awareness of fostering into genuine enquiries and, ultimately, more approved foster carers.
Fostering is a national priority. The Government’s Renewing Fostering programme aims to create up to 10,000 additional foster-care places in England and to address the long-term decline in approved foster carers.
In Lincolnshire, our ambition is clear: wherever possible, local children should be cared for by local foster families, close to the people, places and relationships that matter to them. This is a genuine opportunity for an experienced marketing professional to contribute to that ambition and improve the lives of some of the country’s most vulnerable children.
About the Role*Contribute to the development and delivery of a sustained, evidence-based marketing and recruitment strategy for Lincolnshire’s fostering service.
*Plan and deliver creative, targeted campaigns across digital, social, print, media and community channels.
*Understand the complete recruitment journey, from initial awareness and enquiry through to application and approval and use marketing insights to improve conversion at every stage.
*Produce high-quality, engaging content that reflects the realities and rewards of fostering and represents children, foster carers and the Council appropriately.
*Use market research, audience segmentation, campaign data and customer-journey analysis to identify barriers, test new approaches and focus resources where they will have the greatest impact.
*Tailor recruitment activity to the changing needs of Lincolnshire’s children, including targeted work to recruit carers for sibling groups, older children, children with disabilities and others for whom it can be more difficult to find the right home.
*Identify creative ways to address the practical and perceived barriers that can prevent people from considering fostering.
*Lead the planning and delivery of recruitment events, information sessions, roadshows and community engagement across Lincolnshire.
*Build strong relationships with local businesses, community organisations, media outlets and other partners.
*Expand Lincolnshire’s network of Fostering Friendly employers, encouraging local businesses to support employees who foster and promote fostering within their organisations.
*Work collaboratively with recruitment colleagues, foster carers, operational teams and the Council’s wider communications and corporate services.
*Support foster-carer retention through effective engagement, communication and community-building activity.
*Commission media and campaign activity effectively, securing value for money within an agreed budget.
**Monitor key performance indicators and produce clear reports showing campaign activity, outcomes, learning andreturn on investment.
*Provide direction, support and oversight to the Marketing and Recruitment Assistant.
The role includes some evening and weekend work to support community events and recruitment activity. Time off in lieu will be provided in line with Council arrangements.
About YouWe are looking for someone who combines professional marketing expertise with a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for children.
*A degree in marketing, communications or a closely related discipline, together with a relevant professional qualification or equivalent professional expertise.
*Substantial experience in a marketing, communications or recruitment-marketing role.
*Experience of developing, delivering and evaluating successful multi-channel marketing campaigns.
*A clear understanding of how marketing supports recruitment, including audience segmentation, lead generation, customer journeys, conversion and retention.
*Strong digital marketing skills, including social media, email marketing, website content and video or multimedia production.
*The ability to interpret data, draw out meaningful insights and use these to improve campaign performance.
*Excellent written, verbal, presentation and influencing skills.
*Strong project-management and organisational skills, with the ability to work independently, take ownership and deliver against agreed objectives.
*Creativity, curiosity and the confidence to bring forward new ideas, while working within the requirements of a large, accountable and politically led organisation.
*The ability to build credible and productive relationships with local businesses, community organisations, foster carers, colleagues and senior stakeholders.
*A collaborative approach and a willingness to contribute as part of a wider recruitment and fostering team.
*The flexibility to attend events across the county, including occasional evenings and weekends.
*A full driving licence and the ability to travel throughout Lincolnshire.
Experience of working within fostering, children’s services, local government or another complex public-service environment would be advantageous, but it is not essential. More important is your ability to understand the challenges involved in recruiting foster carers and to apply professional marketing expertise to overcoming them.
Knowledge of Lincolnshire as a large and predominantly rural county, together with an understanding of its diverse communities, would also be an advantage.
Why Join Us?This is an opportunity to apply your professional expertise to work with a clear and lasting social purpose.
You will have the scope to shape our marketing approach, develop new partnerships and influence how we reach potential foster carers across Lincolnshire. You will be joining a service that recognises that...