People and Talent recruitment for London technology companies

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.

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Why use a specialist for your Head of People hire?

Your first Head of People we'll need to be extremely versatile, have strong commercial understanding, and will play a crucial role in helping to shape the culture of your organization and the performance of your talent.

It's vital that your candidate search is approached with the requisite level of thought and rigour to reflect the importance of this Head of People hire. The experience we're seeking is a people leader who can build processes, be very hands-on as part of a lean team, can rapidly understand the business model and overarching strategy, build a people strategy specifically in support of that, and act as a coach and advisor to the leadership team.

Our search draws on long-standing relationships with People and Talent professionals in technology companies. We assess candidates against their suitability for your company stage, and the specific organisational challenges you are facing as you grow.

Read our guide to hiring your first Head of People

Roles we recruit

People leadership

Chief People Officer, VP People, People Director and Head of People.

Talent Acquisition

Founding Recruiters, Talent Acquisition Partners and Heads of Talent.

People Operations

HR Generalists, People Operations Managers and Associates.

People Partnering

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.

How we run your search

The recruiter who takes your brief also identifies, approaches, screens and manages the candidates.

We agree the role's priorities, what success looks like, and the essential and preferred criteria, then introduce a shortlist with written assessment summaries. Your recruiter supports you through interviews, offer and acceptance.

See our full approach

Examples of our work

First People hires: We have helped businesses including Isomorphic Labs, Vitesse, Gridmatic 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.

Catherine Lenson

COO, LocalGlobe

Client testimonial

Recommended to CEOs by VCs & PEs including

Questions about hiring People talent

What is the difference between a specialist People agency and a generalist HR agency?

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.

Do we need a Head of People or a People Operations Manager?

Start by considering the problem you are solving for. A Head of People can set the People strategy, advise the leadership team and manage some of the People Operations. A People Operations Manager may be a better fit when the leaders are comfortably shaping the People strategy, and the immediate need is running day-to-day HR processes, in more of a support role. Consider how much authority, budget and support the person will ideally have.

How long does a People search take?

The role’s scope, location, 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.

Can you help with interim or fractional People hires?

Yes. Interim hires can cover a vacancy or defined project; fractional professionals provide expertise on a part-time basis. You can typically interview interim or fractional consultants within two to three days of briefing us. Explore fractional and embedded expertise.

Do you recruit outside of London?

Yes. We recruit across the UK, Europe and the United States, with recruiters based in London, New York, San Francisco and Miami. This includes helping London businesses build international teams.

Hiring a People or Talent role in London?

Tell us about the role and we'll respond within 24 hours. Our London office is at 18 Phipp Street, Shoreditch, EC2A 4NU.

Discuss your hire