Founded in 2016, Hawkwood is a specialist HR and People recruitment agency based in Shoreditch, London. We recruit People, HR and Talent Acquisition professionals for venture-backed technology companies, from their first dedicated People hire through to Chief People Officer.
We work with founders, People leaders and the investors backing them, typically from Series A to Series D, on permanent, interim and fractional hires.
A first Head of People may need to advise the founders, build hiring processes and handle everyday employee issues in the same week. Someone joining an established HR team will have different responsibilities and support.
The search needs to reflect that. Relevant experience includes what a candidate has built, the decisions they have owned and the resources they needed.
Our search draws on long-standing relationships with People and Talent professionals in technology companies. We assess candidates against the responsibilities of your role and the stage of your business.
Read our guide to hiring your first Head of PeopleChief People Officer, VP People, People Director and Head of People.
Founding Recruiters, Talent Acquisition Partners and Heads of Talent.
HR Generalists, People Operations Managers and specialists.
HR Business Partners and People Business Partners.
These roles can be permanent, interim or fractional, depending on the work and the support your team needs.
The recruiter who takes your brief also finds, approaches and screens candidates.
We agree the role's priorities, reporting line and what success looks like, then introduce a shortlist with written assessments. Your recruiter supports you through interviews, offer and acceptance.
See our full approachFirst People hires: We have helped businesses including Isomorphic Labs, Vitesse and Gravity Sketch make their first dedicated People hire. More about these searches and our guidance.
People Director at Oxford Science Enterprises: Our search covered Oxford, London and candidates open to relocating. Each shortlisted candidate had two screening stages and an individual scorecard. The successful hire joined from a London-based climate-tech scale-up. Read the case study.
300+ successful People & Talent hires into growth companies including
“We worked with Hawkwood on a search for a People Lead at Phoenix Court recently and could not have been more impressed.
Recommended to CEOs by VCs & PEs including
A generalist HR agency recruits across a broad range of sectors. A specialist focuses on a particular market or type of role. Hawkwood focuses on People and Talent hiring for technology companies, assessing candidates against both the role and the stage of the business.
Start with the responsibilities. A Head of People can set the People strategy and advise the leadership team. A People Operations Manager may be a better fit when the immediate need is running day-to-day processes. Consider how much authority, budget and support the person will have.
The role’s scope, candidate availability and interview process all affect the timeline. We’ll discuss timing against your brief. Agreeing the decision-makers and interview stages before the search begins helps keep it moving.
Yes. Interim hires can cover a vacancy or defined project; fractional professionals provide expertise on a part-time basis. You can typically interview consultants within two to three days of briefing us. Explore fractional and embedded expertise.
Yes. We recruit across the UK, Europe and the United States, with recruiters based in New York, San Francisco and Miami. This includes helping London businesses build international teams.