Your trusted recruitment partner
The right people make all the difference
When you're hiring, you're not just filling a vacancy. You're building a team, supporting your organisation and ultimately serving the people who rely on you.
Your organisation. Our expertise.
You know your organisation better than anyone. We know the people, skills and talent that can help it move forward.
We partner with schools, colleges, universities, healthcare organisations, local authorities, housing providers and other public sector employers so we understand the pressures you're under, and the difference the right person can make.
One partner for every hire you need to make.
From a single day's cover to a permanent leadership appointment, we recruit across the public sector. Temporary, permanent or interim, you have one team, one process and one trusted partner.
We listen. We advise. We search. And we stay involved until the right person is in the right place.
Why Employers Choose Us
Sector specialists, not generalists
Our specialist consultants understand the sectors we recruit into, from the pressures you face to the compliance and safeguarding standards you need to meet.
That expertise shapes every shortlist. We look beyond the CV to find people who fit the role, the organisation and the wider team.
Successful recruitment isn't measured by how quickly a vacancy disappears, it's measured by what happens afterwards.
That's why we focus on finding people who can contribute, stay and make a genuine difference to your organisation.
Specialist consultants
A team that recruits public sector roles all day, every day.
UK offices
London, Bristol, Manchester and Leeds, with national reach.
Years of combined experience
Sector knowledge built up across the whole team.
Public sector specialisms
From primary and FE to healthcare, housing and local government.
What our clients say
Dovetail & Slate have been my exclusive, first choice agency for several years, continually providing us with some of the highest quality placements we've ever had.
Our Services
How we help you staff with confidence
Whatever the vacancy, we tailor the search to your organisation, your timeline and your budget.
Temporary & Supply
Cover for absence, peak demand or specialist projects — vetted professionals who can start fast.
Learn morePermanent Recruitment
Long-term hires matched on skills, values and cultural fit, backed by a thorough vetting process.
Learn moreExecutive Search & Interim
Senior and leadership appointments across education and the public sector, handled with discretion.
Learn moreBenefits
Why employers partner with us
The advantages of working with a specialist agency, not a generalist one.
Sector specialists
We understand Ofsted, CQC, funding constraints and safeguarding because we deal with them daily.
Quality over quantity
A shortlist of carefully matched candidates, each personally interviewed and vetted.
Rigorous vetting
Enhanced DBS, references, qualification checks and safeguarding interviews as standard on every placement.
Ongoing partnership
Retention check-ins and workforce planning support after the placement is made.
National reach, local knowledge
Offices in Bristol, Manchester, Leeds and London with genuinely local candidate networks.
Compliance handled
Right to work, qualifications and safeguarding checks completed before a candidate reaches your shortlist.
Good to know
Questions clients ask us
Ready to find your next great hire?
Tell us what you need and a specialist consultant will get straight back to you to talk it through.