What is recruitment process outsourcing?

RPO is where an external partner runs part or all of your hiring process as an extension of your own talent team — sourcing, screening, coordination and reporting — rather than being paid per placement.

How is RPO different from using a recruitment agency?

An agency is paid for each placement and works from outside your process. RPO works inside it, on an agreed scope and fee, and is measured on the health of the whole pipeline rather than on individual hires.

RECRUITMENT AS A SERVICE

Keep engineering hiring moving

When several technical roles need sustained attention, we can manage selected recruitment activities alongside your talent team. The service covers sourcing, assessment coordination, and candidate progress against an agreed hiring plan.

A five stage hiring loop going round and round, with a count of roles filled rising each lap.

Consultant presenting a hiring plan to a team

WHEN RPO HELPS

Find where recruitment is slowing down

Hiring can stall at different stages. We identify whether the gap is candidate reach, technical assessment, interview coordination, or capacity, then scope support around those activities.

01Candidate reach

Build a more relevant candidate pool

Focus sourcing on the experience and responsibilities of the open roles, with outreach aligned to the agreed brief.

Map → Approach → Qualify

02Assessment capacity

Make technical review more consistent

Use role-specific criteria and structured feedback to help interviewers compare relevant evidence.

Review → Assess → Record

03Interview coordination

Keep the next step clear

Track scheduling, feedback, and candidate communication so pending actions have an owner.

Arrange → Follow up → Update

04Changing hiring volume

Plan support around demand

Scope recruitment activity against the roles and hiring periods your internal team needs help covering.

Forecast → Resource → Review

Scope the recruitment activities

CANDIDATE SOURCING

Talent mappingIdentify relevant profiles and search criteria for the roles and locations in scope.
Candidate outreachContact potential applicants with an accurate explanation of the opportunity and its requirements.

ROLE ASSESSMENT

Technical reviewCoordinate assessment of the capabilities needed for the position with the appropriate reviewers.
Candidate scorecardsRecord evidence against common criteria so the hiring team can review candidates consistently.

HIRING COORDINATION

Interview arrangementsManage scheduling and follow-up across candidates and the interview panel.
Pipeline visibilityReport candidate stages, outstanding actions, and obstacles to progress.
Offer-stage supportCoordinate agreed communications and track acceptance and start arrangements with your team.

HOW IT RUNS

Work alongside your hiring team

Your team sets the hiring priorities and makes the final decisions. We agree who owns each recruitment activity, how candidates are assessed, and how progress will be reviewed.

01
Set priorities
Confirm the roles, hiring sequence, assessment criteria, and responsibilities on both sides.
02
Build the pipeline
Run the agreed sourcing activities and review candidate reach against the requirement.
03
Support assessment
Organize screening and record feedback so shortlisting decisions have a clear basis.
04
Maintain progress
Coordinate subsequent stages and review delays, changes, and hiring priorities with your team.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Define the recruitment partnership

What does Recruitment as a Service include?

It provides ongoing support for agreed parts of the recruitment process. The scope may include sourcing, assessment coordination, interview scheduling, and reporting across a set of technical roles.

How does it differ from an individual placement?

A placement focuses on filling a particular position. An ongoing recruitment engagement covers defined process activities across the hiring plan, with its scope and commercial model agreed separately.

How does it work with our recruiters?

We identify the activities your internal team will manage and the tasks assigned to us. Hiring priorities, interview authority, and final decisions remain clearly allocated.

Is there a minimum duration or hiring volume?

We assess the expected roles and support requirements before proposing a term. For a limited number of positions, a staffing engagement may be more suitable than an ongoing service.

How are candidates approached?

We agree the employer information, messaging, and communication responsibilities before outreach begins so the opportunity is represented accurately.

START A CONVERSATION

Give your hiring plan a delivery plan

Share the roles, expected hiring volume, and stages your team needs help with. We can assess whether ongoing recruitment support or individual placements better match the requirement.