About ADLIB Recruitment | B Corp™

ADLIB Recruitment is a certified B Corp headquartered in Bristol, operating at the heart of the South West UK technology ecosystem. With over 76,000 LinkedIn followers and a deep specialism in technology hiring across Bristol, Bath, Exeter, Plymouth, Swindon, and the wider region, ADLIB has become the recruitment partner of choice for scaling startups, mid-market firms, and established enterprises navigating the complexities of tech talent acquisition.

Our Head of Technology Recruitment, Mike Harley, has built a reputation for delivering grounded, data-informed insights into the South West tech hiring landscape. Through regular market snapshots covering Software Engineering, Cloud, DevOps, Platform Engineering, QA, Architecture, and Security, we provide CTOs, founders, and hiring managers with the intelligence they need to compete effectively for top-tier talent.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a senior-level technology recruitment professional to lead and expand our Tech Hiring Market Intelligence function. This is a strategic, individual-contributor-to-leadership hybrid role based in Bristol, responsible for producing original research, trend analysis, and actionable hiring insights that serve the South West technology community and position ADLIB as the authoritative voice in regional tech recruitment.

You will own the end-to-end production of ADLIB's Tech Hiring Market Snapshot series, expand our thought leadership content across multiple channels, and work directly with engineering leaders, CTOs, and founders to translate hiring market data into effective talent strategies.

Key Responsibilities

Author and publish quarterly Tech Hiring Market Snapshot reports covering Software Engineering, Cloud, DevOps, Platform, QA, Architecture, and Security roles across the South West UK region, ensuring each report contains original data, trend analysis, and actionable recommendations for hiring managers.
Conduct primary research through candidate interviews, client consultations, salary surveys, and job market data analysis to identify emerging skill demands, shifting candidate expectations, and evolving hiring patterns across Bristol, Bath, Exeter, Plymouth, and surrounding areas.
Monitor and report on the impact of AI and machine learning on software development workflows, hiring processes, and the changing composition of engineering teams, providing candid, evidence-based commentary rather than hype-driven narratives.
Build and maintain a comprehensive salary benchmarking database for technology roles across the South West, updated quarterly and segmented by seniority level, technology stack, company size, and sector.
Develop and deliver client advisory sessions, webinars, and workshop presentations that translate market intelligence into practical hiring strategies for businesses scaling their technology teams or modernising their infrastructure.
Collaborate with ADLIB's recruitment delivery teams to ensure market insights directly inform candidate sourcing strategies, outreach messaging, and client consultation approaches across all technology practice areas.
Expand ADLIB's thought leadership footprint by contributing to industry publications, speaking at regional tech meetups and conferences (including Bristol Tech Festival, Bath Digital, and similar events), and building relationships with university career services, coding bootcamps, and professional bodies across the South West.
Track and analyse the growing demand for security, privacy, and compliance skills within technology teams, producing dedicated deep-dive reports that help candidates understand career opportunities and help employers understand the competitive landscape for these specialisms.
Identify and report on what tech candidates in the South West are asking for beyond base salary, including flexible working arrangements, equity participation, professional development budgets, sustainability commitments, and company culture indicators.
Provide strategic input to ADLIB's leadership team on market conditions, hiring volume trends, and emerging technology specialisms that may warrant new recruitment service offerings or team expansions.

Work Environment and Culture

ADLIB operates from our Bristol office with a hybrid working model. You will typically work from the office two to three days per week, with flexibility to work remotely for the remainder. We are a certified B Corp, which means our commitment to social and environmental responsibility is embedded in how we operate, not just a marketing statement. Our team is collaborative, intellectually curious, and genuinely passionate about connecting talented people with organisations where they can do their best work.

You will have access to industry-leading recruitment tools, a dedicated research budget for attending events and conferences, and the autonomy to shape the market intelligence function according to your expertise and the needs of the community we serve.

Requirements

Experience and Background

Minimum of 7 years of experience in technology recruitment, talent acquisition, or a closely related people-operations discipline, with at least 3 years in a senior, principal, or managerial capacity.
Demonstrated track record of producing original market research, salary surveys, hiring trend reports, or thought leadership content within the technology sector.
Deep professional network across the South West UK technology community, including relationships with CTOs, VP Engineering leads, founders, and senior individual contributors in Software Engineering, Cloud, DevOps, Platform, and Security roles.
Experience working with hiring processes across multiple company stages, from pre-seed startups making their first technical hires to established enterprises scaling engineering teams beyond 100 people.
Familiarity with the specific hiring dynamics of the South West UK region, including the Bristol-Bath tech corridor, the growing Exeter and Plymouth ecosystems, and the talent flow between these cities and London.

Technical and Analytical Skills

Strong understanding of modern technology stacks and role specialisms, including but not limited to: cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), containerisation and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes), CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure as code (Terraform, Pulumi), and DevOps/SRE practices.
Ability to analyse job market data using tools such as LinkedIn Talent Insights, Indeed Hiring Lab, Glassdoor, ONS labour market statistics, and proprietary ATS data to produce statistically meaningful trend reports.
Proficiency with content creation tools and platforms, including LinkedIn publishing, Canva or Figma for report design, Google Analytics or equivalent for tracking content performance, and CRM systems (ideally using Bullhorn, Mercury, or similar recruitment-specific platforms).
Understanding of how AI tools (GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude, and similar) are changing software development productivity, code review processes, and the skills that engineering teams prioritise when hiring.
Knowledge of security, privacy, and compliance frameworks relevant to technology hiring, including GDPR implications for data engineering roles, SOC 2 compliance requirements, and the growing demand for security-engineering hybrid profiles.

Soft Skills and Attributes

Exceptional written communication skills with the ability to translate complex data into clear, engaging, and accessible content for both technical and non-technical audiences.
Strong presentation and public speaking skills, with confidence delivering insights to audiences ranging from five-person founder groups to conference halls of 200 or more attendees.
Intellectual curiosity and a genuine interest in labour market economics, technology trends, and the evolving relationship between employers and candidates.
Self-directed working style with the ability to manage multiple research projects, content deadlines, and client advisory commitments simultaneously.
Collaborative mindset with the ability to work effectively alongside recruitment consultants, marketing teams, and senior leadership to amplify the reach and impact of market intelligence outputs.

Benefits and Compensation

Competitive base salary in the range of £65,000 to £85,000 per annum, commensurate with experience and the seniority level of the appointment (manager or head of function).
Performance-related bonus tied to content engagement metrics, client advisory revenue, and overall practice growth targets.
Hybrid working arrangement with two to three days per week in the Bristol office and the remainder remote.
Professional development budget of £2,500 per annum for conferences, courses, certifications, and industry memberships.
25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with an additional day granted for each year of service up to a maximum of 30 days.
Access to ADLIB's full technology network, events programme, and proprietary market data as professional development resources.
B Corp-certified working environment with structured volunteering days, sustainability initiatives, and a team culture that takes social responsibility seriously.

Career Growth

This role sits at the intersection of recruitment, research, and thought leadership, offering a clear trajectory toward Director-level responsibility within ADLIB's technology practice. As the function grows, there will be opportunity to build and manage a small research team, expand the market intelligence product suite into adjacent regions (South Wales, the Midlands), and develop new revenue streams through sponsored research, premium advisory services, and event partnerships.

For candidates with an entrepreneurial inclination, this role provides the platform, brand credibility, and network to become a recognised authority in UK technology hiring market analysis, with speaking, publishing, and media opportunities that extend well beyond the South West.

How to Apply

To be considered for this role, please submit your CV along with a brief writing sample or portfolio piece that demonstrates your ability to analyse technology hiring trends and communicate insights clearly. This could be a published article, a salary survey, a LinkedIn post with significant engagement, or an internal report you are able to share.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The process will consist of an initial screening conversation with ADLIB's senior leadership, followed by a practical assessment involving a short market analysis exercise, and a final-stage interview with the Head of Technology Recruitment and a member of the B Corp leadership team.

We aim to complete the hiring process within three to four weeks of receiving your application. Early applications are encouraged as we are looking to make this appointment promptly to support our 2025 planning cycle.