Contract & temporary hiring
Contract and temporary recruitment for startups and scale-ups
Flexibility is the point. As a contract recruitment agency working with UK technology teams, we get high-quality technical people into your team when committing to permanent headcount would be premature — so your capacity flexes with funding rounds, product cycles and delivery peaks rather than with an annual plan written months ago.
The same partner handles the search, the commercials and the admin that follows, including contractor payroll and workforce management, so a small internal team can run a flexible workforce without building an operations function around it.
Use cases
When flexible hiring makes sense
Temporary staffing is not a compromise on quality — it is a different shape of commitment. These are the situations where it consistently works better than a permanent hire.
Bridging a permanent hire
A senior search can take months. A contractor keeps the roadmap moving while the permanent process runs properly rather than being rushed.
A specialist for one phase
Some skills are only needed for a migration, an integration or a security review. Hiring permanently for a three-month need creates a problem in month four.
Scaling a squad after funding
A funded push often needs capacity now, ahead of the org design that will support it. Contract hires let you build delivery velocity while the permanent structure settles.
Parental or long-term leave
Cover that is genuinely productive from week one, with the handover time built into the engagement rather than left to chance.
Capacity ahead of a launch
Delivery peaks are predictable. Adding temporary capacity for the run-up avoids burning out the team you want to keep.
Testing a role before committing
If you are not certain a role is permanent, run it on contract first. You learn what the job actually is before you write the permanent job description.
Delivery
How we deliver contract recruitment
Embedded, not transactional
A talent partner works inside your team, using your brand and your process. You get continuity across roles instead of a new account manager for every vacancy.
Shortlists in days
Targeted delivery of contract engineers and interim leaders, with a shortlist typically inside the first week rather than a stream of unfiltered CVs.
Day-rate benchmarking
Clear, current rate guidance for the role, seniority and location so your budget is realistic before you go to market.
Outside IR35 expertise
IR35-aware commercials agreed up front, with the brief, contract and rate all consistent with the determination you have made.
The full picture of how each engagement model works is set out on our services page.
Coverage
What we recruit for
Software Engineering
- Leadership: Engineering Managers, Software Architects, Chief Architect
- Front end: React, Vue, Angular
- Software: .NET, Java, J2EE, C#, PHP, Ruby, C++
- Back end: Node.js, Java
- Mobile: Android, iOS, React Native
Product Management
- Product Managers, Product Owners
- UX/UI and Product Designers
Infrastructure & Platform
- Systems Admin, Ops and Cloud Engineers: AWS, Azure, Linux
- Server Engineers
- Storage Engineers and Storage Architects
AI & Machine Learning
- ML Engineers
- MLOps Engineers
- Applied AI specialists
DevOps
- DevOps Engineers
- DevSecOps Engineers
- Platform reliability
Data & Data Warehouse
- Data Engineers
- Data Architects
- Analytics Engineers
Non-technical Recruitment
- Finance, Marketing, Sales, Executive
- Project Managers
- Business Analysts
Back office
Payroll and back office for a flexible workforce
A flexible workforce creates administrative work that a permanent team does not — timesheets, rates, end dates, invoices and payments. We can take that load off you alongside the hiring, covering payroll, invoicing and workforce management.
It is explained in full, including how it works as a standalone service, on our contractor payroll and back office page.
FAQ
Common questions
What is the difference between temporary, contract and interim hiring?
Temporary staffing usually covers shorter, task-based cover paid on an hourly or weekly basis, often through an agency payroll. Contract hiring covers a defined engagement with a specialist — typically a day rate over weeks or months, delivering a named piece of work. Interim is the leadership version of the same idea: an experienced manager or director stepping in to run a function or a programme while you recruit permanently or navigate change.
How quickly can a contractor start?
Contract and temporary candidates are generally available at much shorter notice than permanent hires — often immediately, or on one to two weeks' notice. We usually return a targeted shortlist within days of the brief being confirmed, so the limiting factor is normally your interview availability rather than the market.
How is IR35 status handled?
We work through the IR35 position with you at kick-off, before we advertise or approach anyone, so the role is marketed accurately. We advise on how the engagement is structured and documented and can support outside IR35 assignments where the working practices genuinely support that determination. The status determination remains yours as the end client; our role is to make sure the brief, contract and day rate all reflect it consistently.
Do you support early-stage startups as well as scale-ups?
Yes. Early-stage teams often have the strongest case for flexible hiring, because headcount needs to move with funding and product direction rather than an annual plan. We shape the engagement around your stage — a single specialist for one phase of work at seed stage, or a full squad for a funded delivery push.
What does your back office support cover?
Payroll management and processing for contractors and temporary workers, invoicing software, and workforce management — timesheets, assignment records, rates and end dates in one place. The intention is that a small internal team can run a larger flexible workforce without adding finance or operations headcount.
Can you recruit non-technical roles too?
Yes. Our depth is in engineering, data, DevOps, AI and product, but we also cover finance, marketing, sales, project management, business analysis and executive appointments — from graduate through to C-level.
Get in touch
Tell us what you need to hire
Send us the roles and timelines and a talent partner will come back to you within one working day. If you would rather start with the full brief, use client onboarding, or contact us directly.