Executive Search I
HR Manager Recruitment
Appoint an HR Manager who brings structure, people focus, and compliance to your growing SME.
We help business owners and senior leaders recruit HR professionals who align culture with commercial goals - improving retention, managing risk, and supporting your next stage of growth.
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Do you need to recruit an HR Manager for your SME? Speak to our Managing Director, Oliver Adderley.
We recruit HR Managers for SMEs with turnovers between £20M and £250M — businesses that need to formalise their people function, build a strong culture, and stay compliant while scaling.
Appoint an HR Manager Who Brings Structure, Clarity, and Culture
Whether you're hiring your first HR professional, navigating rapid growth, or preparing for investment, we deliver HR Managers who bring the right mix of strategic thinking and hands-on capability. Our process is agile, precise, and built around the realities of SME leadership — not bloated corporate models.
In the past two years, we’ve filled 100% of our retained people leadership roles — placing HR Managers who’ve implemented policies, improved retention, built scalable processes, and supported businesses through major transitions.
From founder-led teams to PE-backed organisations, we deliver HR leaders who align people with performance — and drive your business forward.
How It Works: Our Search Process
Recruit senior level talent in 12 weeks or less.
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We begin every project with a formal strategy discussion to fully understand your business, structure, growth plans, and the leadership challenges you face. We confirm the scope of the role, commercial objectives, timescales, and fee terms before initiating any search activity.
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Once terms are agreed, we prepare a detailed Assignment Brief outlining the role, responsibilities, business context, cultural environment, and ideal candidate profile. This document is approved by you and used to brief candidates consistently and professionally throughout the process.
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We carry out a focused headhunting campaign across relevant sectors and leadership networks. This includes direct outreach, discreet advertising, referrals, and competitor mapping — tailored to attract commercially aligned directors with the capability to lead in fast-paced SME environments.
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All shortlisted candidates are interviewed by our senior consultants and complete our in-depth Self-Awareness Questionnaire (SAQ). This provides deep insight into each candidate’s leadership style, career history, and operational decision-making — going well beyond a standard CV.
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We present a carefully curated shortlist including candidate CVs, detailed consultant commentary, and SAQ insights. You’ll receive clear, structured feedback and comparative recommendations to support your selection process.
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Once you’ve progressed to second-stage interviews, we conduct thorough, confidential verbal referencing. This includes targeted conversations with past colleagues to verify performance, leadership impact, and cultural fit — giving you complete confidence in your final decision.
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We support you through salary discussions, offer negotiation, and onboarding. Because our fees are fixed and not linked to salary level, we maintain complete objectivity — focusing solely on securing the right long-term appointment for your business.
What sets us apart?
Specialist, Senior-Led Delivery
Every assignment is led by an experienced consultant - never passed to junior staff. We bring commercial acumen, market insight, and real leadership experience to every project, ensuring your search is handled with the focus and expertise it deserves.
Deeper Candidate Insight: The SAQ
Our proprietary Self-Awareness Questionnaire (SAQ) gives you unrivalled insight into each candidate’s leadership style, motivations, and behaviours. It goes far beyond a CV, helping you make better-informed decisions.
Unrivalled Candidate Reporting
Every candidate is presented with detailed consultant commentary, behavioural insight, and performance history, not just a CV. Our reports give you clarity, comparison, and the confidence to assess fit across strategic, cultural, and operational dimensions.
Fee Structures Built for SMEs
We offer transparent, fixed fees designed around the realities of SME budgets, without the inflated pricing models of traditional firms. You receive board-level quality with flexible terms and no hidden extras.
Access to Exceptional Talent
With over 30 years of experience, we have built deep networks across leadership functions. We find proven managers and rising leaders who are ready to create impact in fast-moving, scaling businesses.
Agile, Focused, Results-Driven
We’re an agile business, able to move quickly, adapt to your timelines, and stay aligned with your goals. We typically deliver fully assessed shortlists within 4–6 weeks, without compromising quality or process.
“SMEs don’t need FTSE-level search fees or to be delegated to a junior consultant. They need a bespoke service that understands their business, the stage of growth, their budget, and their urgency. That’s exactly what we offer.”