Our story
About us Deep in technology.
Deep in technology.
Small by choice.
Northstack is a specialist technology recruitment agency built on a simple principle: depth beats breadth. Founded in 2010, we've spent more than a decade placing engineers, architects, and technical leaders across the UK — and we've stayed small enough to do it properly.
Our approach
Sector expertise that actually counts.
We specialise in technology recruitment because we know it deeply. Frontend, backend, full stack, DevOps, machine learning, cloud architecture — we've built real expertise across the disciplines that matter.
That focus means senior attention on every brief, honest advice about what works, and relationships that survive the placement.
We started because
Process that
actually delivers.
01
Specialist-led, every search.
Every brief is run by a consultant with deep experience in that discipline. No handoffs. No research teams. The person who takes your brief is the person who finds your candidate.
02
Shortlists of three to five.
We don't send long lists. Every candidate we put forward has been properly spoken to, honestly briefed on the role, and genuinely interested. Three to five people, each ready to interview, each worth your time.
03
We say no to bad briefs.
We turn down work where we don't think we can deliver better than the alternative. Sometimes we'll recommend someone else. We do this often enough that clients expect it.
04
Market data, shared freely.
We share anonymised placement data with serious clients before they brief. The conversation often changes the brief. Sometimes it shows the role doesn't need to be filled at all.
The team Small team.
Small team.
Deep specialists.
Every consultant at Northstack has spent their career in a specific technology discipline. We don't rotate people between practices. The person running your search has five-plus years of hands-on experience in exactly that area.
Questions we get about how we work
Why do you only focus on technology recruitment?
We believe depth beats breadth. By specialising exclusively in tech — from frontend and backend engineering to machine learning and cloud architecture — we've built genuine expertise in the disciplines that matter. That focus means every consultant knows the market, the salary bands, and what good actually looks like in their specialism.
How big is your team?
We're deliberately small. Every consultant at Northstack has five-plus years of hands-on experience in a specific technology discipline, and we don't rotate people between practices. That means the person who takes your brief is the person who runs your search — no handoffs, no research teams, no junior consultants learning on your time.
What does 'shortlists of three to five' actually mean?
We don't send long lists of CVs. Every candidate we put forward has been properly spoken to, honestly briefed on the role, and is genuinely interested in it. You'll get three to five people, each ready to interview, each worth your time. If we can't find three strong candidates, we'll tell you why and what needs to change.
Do you really turn down work?
Yes, often. If we don't think we can deliver better than the alternative — whether that's another agency, an in-house search, or a different approach entirely — we'll say so. Sometimes we'll recommend someone else. Clients expect it now, and it's why they come back.
How quickly do you respond to new briefs?
We respond to every brief within one working day. That's not a holding email — it's a proper response from the consultant who'll run the search, with initial thoughts on the role and next steps if you want to proceed.
What's the 'market data' you mention?
We share anonymised placement data with serious clients before they brief us — salary ranges, time-to-hire, what's working and what isn't in similar searches. The conversation often changes the brief. Sometimes it shows the role doesn't need to be filled at all, or that the budget won't get you what you need.
Do you work on retained or contingency searches?
We work both ways, depending on what makes sense for the role. For senior or niche searches where exclusivity helps, we'll work retained. For more straightforward placements, contingency works fine. We're upfront about which model we think will deliver better results and why.
How long have you been operating?
We were founded in 2010, so we've been placing engineers and technical professionals across the UK for over a decade. That's long enough to have built deep market knowledge and lasting client relationships, but we've stayed small enough to maintain the quality that got us here.
Ready to talk
about the role.
We respond to every brief within one working day. No obligation, no pressure, no follow-up unless you want it.