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Permanent
We charge a 15% fee for your first vacancy and future HR vacancies provided we are given a 10 day head start over any other agencies.
Register a vacancyHR Recruitment Agency
As a leading HR recruitment agency, our aim is to establish and maintain a longstanding relationship with you that spans your entire career.
Over the last 25 years we have built strong relationships with HR professionals, across all industry sectors. It is the power of this network that ensures your success when working with us, whether looking for your next HR job, or recruiting an HR role for your team.
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Permanent HR Recruitment
We understand your HR team helps to shape your company culture, drive performance, and deliver real impact.
Through Ashdown’s permanent HR recruitment service you gain access to an unrivalled network of over 100,000 UK-based HR professionals - many of whom aren’t actively applying elsewhere. That reach gives you the advantage of engaging with high-calibre candidates before they enter the open market, helping you secure the very best talent for your business.
What you can expect
- Insight-led hiring decisions. You’ll benefit from market intelligence that goes beyond CVs. Detailed salary benchmarking, live talent mapping, and up-to-date HR market trends help you stay competitive and make confident, informed hiring decisions.
- Precision and pace. You can move quickly without compromising on quality. Our specialist recruiters use data, intuition, and a proven search methodology to identify professionals who align perfectly with your culture, goals, and long-term vision.
- Long-term confidence. Your relationship with Ashdown doesn’t end when the offer is accepted. You’ll have ongoing support through onboarding and beyond - ensuring your new hire settles, succeeds, and strengthens your HR function for the future.
Roles we recruit
From HR Assistants, HR Advisors, and Business Partners to Heads of HR, HR Directors, and Chief People Officers, we recruit across every discipline and industry sector - delivering the HR talent that transforms organisations.
Executive HR Recruitment
The Ashdown Group Executive Search team specialises in sourcing exceptional Human Resources leaders at CHRO, HR Director, Chief People Officer, Talent Director, and Head of HR level.
Our Executive Search consultants have extensive experience operating at board level, partnering with public and private sector organisations, Government bodies, FTSE-listed companies, and global brands to secure transformative HR leadership talent.
Our exclusive network of senior HR professionals trusts us to represent them discreetly and identify opportunities that align with their expertise and values. Over 25 years, we’ve built a reputation for integrity, insight, and long-standing relationships with people leaders across every sector.
Our proven, consultative approach has established us as a trusted partner to organisations seeking to build outstanding HR leadership teams that shape culture, enhance performance, and drive sustainable business growth. Contact us in confidence to discuss your next HR Executive hire.
Interim HR Support
There are times when your organisation needs expert Human Resources support - quickly, flexibly, and without long-term commitment.
From experienced HR consultants, to temporary HR staff supporting day-to-day operations, we can find you the right interim HR support to ensure your people strategy stays on track.
Our HR Recruitment Specialisms
As a leading HR recruitment agency in London and the UK, we provide specialist recruitment services across key HR roles.
These specialist areas form part of our broader HR recruitment capability, ensuring we can support complex and evolving hiring requirements.
HR Leadership Recruitment
Identifying experienced HR leaders, helping organisations build effective, commercially focused people functions.
Employee Relations Recruitment
We recruit experienced Employee Relations professionals, helping organisations manage workplace risk, ensure compliance, and maintain strong employee engagement.
HRIS & People Systems Recruitment
We connect organisations with technical experts at the crossroads of HR and IT.
HR Business Partner Recruitment
We help organisations hire high-quality HR Business Partners, building commercially focused and strategically aligned HR functions.
HR Skills & Qualifications
Professional qualifications and practical experience play an important role in HR hiring, helping employers identify candidates with the knowledge and capability to operate effectively in increasingly complex environments.
CIPD qualifications are valued in employment law, employee relations, business partnering, and learning & development. Commercial awareness, stakeholder management, and soft skills are equally important for candidate suitability.
To understand how skills and qualifications align with modern HR roles, review the key certifications and explore specific career pathways relevant to your interests or organisation.
HR Recruitment Insights
Understanding current hiring trends is key to securing the best HR talent
At Ashdown Group, our data-led HR recruitment insights provide employers with a clear view of market demand, salary expectations and emerging skill requirements across London and the UK.
With increasing pressure on HR teams to manage risk, drive performance and adapt to regulatory and technological change, access to accurate market insight is more important than ever.
Explore our latest analysis and stay ahead of the market through our HR recruitment insights hub.
Why Ashdown HR?
Since 1999 over 80,000 HR candidates have registered with the Ashdown HR recruitment team, and over 3,000 HR Managers have registered roles. Our goal is to become your trusted specialist recruiter, acting as consultants and advisors, sharing solid industry insights, up to date HR salary guides and knowledge backed by guaranteed services. From HR Administrators and HR Advisors to Business Partner and HR Directors, both permanent and interim solutions, we successfully complete UK wide recruitment campaigns at every HR job level.
Rapid Results
With a dedicated HR recruitment team working on your behalf, we will work hard to source the best HR candidates for your organisation, and will introduce high quality, vetted HR professionals to your business within three days of receiving your vacancy. From the moment you send us the job details, we will be there to ensure a swift and rewarding outcome.
Guaranteed Success
Our recruitment services are amongst the highest rated in the UK, with 85% of jobs registered by returning customers. In the unlikely event that your new hire does not complete their three month probation we will continue to search to find you a replacement, free of charge, without any compromise in service level.
Competitive Terms
Our 15% recruitment fee and 100% rebate terms are more competitive than any other specialist HR recruitment agency in the UK. Providing a cost effective recruitment service, we succeed in helping employers with their search by delivering expert Human Resources talent where other recruitment agencies have failed.
Largest HR Network
Over 25 years, Ashdown have developed one of the largest networks of HR professionals and consultants across London and the UK. With access to a wide range of HR experts, we help organisations with specialist recruitment requirements, from advice on recruiting into stand-alone HR jobs London to expertise in building entire HR teams.
HR Salary Guide
Our Salary Guide focuses on the IT, HR, marketing and accountancy sectors, created from data analysed from over 3,550 organisations, 22,000 registered jobs, 314,000 recently active candidates, ONS data and other external data sources. Explore industry specific salary data and salaries for individual job roles, based on experience and location.
HR Recruitment FAQs
What does a Specialist HR recruitment agency do?
An HR recruitment agency helps organisations hire qualified HR professionals, from HR Assistants through to HR Directors. At Ashdown Group, we source, screen, and present candidates who match your technical requirements, industry experience, company culture, and salary expectations, saving you time and reducing hiring risk.
How quickly can you fill an HR role?
Timeframes vary by role and market conditions, but most HR positions are filled within 2–6 weeks. For urgent needs, we can often provide available HR contractors within a few days to ensure continuity in your HR function.
How much does HR recruitment cost?
Fees typically depend on the level and salary of the role, with permanent recruitment charged as a percentage of the starting salary. HR recruitment fees typically range from 15% to 25% of the annual salary for permanent roles, depending on the position's level and complexity.
Ashdown fees are straightforward: 15% for sole agency assignments and 20% when we are not the exclusive recruiter. Our Executive HR Recruitment team charges 20–25%, depending on the complexity of the board-level hire.
Contract recruitment is usually charged as a margin on the contractor's day rate. A specialist HR recruitment agency will provide transparent pricing and tailor fees based on your specific hiring requirements.
What HR roles do you recruit for?
We recruit across the full HR spectrum, including HR Assistants, Advisors, Business Partners, HR Managers, HR Directors, and specialist roles in talent acquisition, learning and development, and employee relations.
Should I hire an HR contractor or a permanent employee?
HR contractors are ideal for short-term projects, change programs, or covering absence, while permanent hires offer long-term stability and cultural alignment. We can advise on the best approach based on your business needs and timescales.
Do you recruit HR professionals across the UK?
Yes, we support organisations across London and the United Kingdom, providing access to both local and national HR talent, including remote and hybrid candidates.
Explore all HR recruitment FAQs
From market trends to candidate availability, our full FAQ section provides detailed answers to the most important HR hiring questions.
Trusted by
"We have been working together for years now. The consistency of dealing with the same team is crucial, and we’ve had the same person look after us throughout. It’s always been about Ashdown understanding our business, not superficially, but in greater depth than I’ve ever experienced before.
"I'm only introduced to people whom I’m actually interested in meeting. I never feel people are pushed across to hit a number. It’s a genuine partnership, we work together to find the right person and why we will continue to be successful for years to come."
Support & HR Manager, Ramsac
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