Partner Article

Shrewd HR launches recruitment arm

Durham-based HR consultancy expands its service offering with the launch of a specialist HR recruitment division designed to help organisations make better hiring decisions

Shrewd HR has announced the launch of Shrewd Hire, a specialist HR recruitment service designed and delivered by HR professionals.

Available from 1 September 2026, Shrewd Hire aims to challenge traditional recruitment models by combining recruitment expertise with practical HR knowledge, helping organisations secure high-quality HR talent whilst reducing hiring risk and improving long-term outcomes.

The new service has been developed in response to growing demand from organisations seeking recruitment support from people who genuinely understand the HR profession.

Having supported businesses across every stage of the employee lifecycle, from workforce planning and organisational change through to employee relations, leadership development and people strategy, the team at Shrewd HR recognised a recurring challenge facing clients: finding the right HR professionals.

Unlike traditional recruitment agencies, Shrewd Hire has been built around a structured, HR-led approach that focuses on long-term success rather than simply filling vacancies.

Recruitment, led by HR experts

The launch forms part of Shrewd HR's continued growth strategy and strengthens the organisation's position as a full-service people partner, supporting businesses from attraction and recruitment through to development, retention and organisational growth.

As part of the launch, Shrewd Hire is offering a Founding Client rate of just 10% of base salary for organisations engaging the service between 1 September and 31 December 2026.

Martin Potts, managing director of Shrewd HR, said: “For years, we've supported organisations through some of their most important people decisions, but one challenge kept coming up time and time again: finding great HR talent.

“We felt there was an opportunity to create something different.

“Many recruitment services focus solely on filling vacancies.

“Our view is that recruitment should be about helping businesses make better hiring decisions that support performance, culture and long-term success.

“Shrewd Hire has been built by HR professionals who understand the realities of the profession.

“We know what great HR looks like because it's what we do every day. That insight allows us to offer a more informed, strategic and consultative approach to recruitment.”

We're focused on quality over volume

A key differentiator for Shrewd Hire is its deliberately focused approach.

Rather than operating a high-volume recruitment model, the service will work with a limited number of assignments at any one time, allowing the team to invest time in understanding each client's organisation, culture, challenges and future ambitions.

Through its structured recruitment framework, clients will benefit from support that extends beyond sourcing candidates and includes role profiling, assessment support, hiring guidance and ongoing partnership beyond placement.

The service will initially focus on recruiting professionals across the HR and people profession: from HR Advisors to HR Directors.

The launch follows a significant period of investment and growth for Shrewd HR, including a brand refresh, expansion of its leadership team, growth in training and consultancy services, and the development of new service offerings designed to support businesses across the full employee lifecycle.

The business believes Shrewd Hire will strengthen its ability to support clients by providing a seamless link between recruitment, HR consultancy, employment law support, organisational development and people strategy.

Natalie Macpherson, head of Shrewd Hire at Shrewd HR, added: "I'm incredibly excited to launch Shrewd Hire and offer something genuinely different to the market.

“Businesses tell us they often struggle to assess technical HR capability, understand cultural fit and identify candidates who can make a long-term impact.

“Because we're backed by an established HR consultancy, we're able to bring a deeper level of expertise and understanding to the recruitment process.

“Our goal is simple: to help organisations find the right people and help HR professionals find organisations where they can truly thrive.”

• You can read more about Shrewd HR and Shrewd Hire in the September/October edition of Bdaily sister publication N magazine - click on the N magazine tab in the coming days

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Shrewd HR .