Intelligent People

We specialise in identifying executive level talent for high-growth firms throughout Manchester. Our primary focus as an executive search firm in Manchester is sourcing exceptional candidates in the areas of product management, product design and UX, marketing, eCommerce, and commercial leadership.

An overview:
Intelligent People?

We’re a boutique Manchester recruitment agency and consultancy firm specialising in placing skilled and executive level candidates in product management, product design & UX, marketing, eCommerce, and commercial leadership for scale-up and enterprise brands in Manchester. Our extensive candidate network and talent search capabilities extend beyond the city limits, across the UK and EMEA. Whether you require a permanent or contract/interim leader, our team of specialist executive recruitment consultants in Manchester are ready to help you.

Manchester executive search recruitment

Intelligent People is an essential partner for Manchester’s scale-up and enterprise companies seeking to recruit the top talent in the job market. Drawing upon our in-depth knowledge of the executive level market, we to ensure that only the most suitable and qualified individuals are presented for consideration and offer consultancy services on a range of recruitment areas:

– executive search and headhunting

– employer brand

– CV selection

– industry-knowledge including job descriptions, salary benchmarking, and engagement strategies

– assessment and selection processes, through to onboarding.

Manchester’s employers can benefit from our highly personal, supportive retained search offering for C-level executive search candidates, or engage with us on a contingency basis as needed. We pride ourselves on offering a bespoke recruitment service to both candidates and clients, providing support and resources throughout the process.

Helping candidates in Manchester find their next role

Intelligent People is a trusted partner for candidates seeking new opportunities in Product, Marketing, or eCommerce roles, whether in Manchester or across the UK.

Our executive search team in Manchester team takes the time to understand each candidate’s unique goals and career trajectory, providing bespoke advice and guidance to help them navigate the job market with confidence. With our commitment to transparency and communication, we keep candidates informed at every step of the recruitment process, providing valuable support and resources to help them succeed.

Are you a candidate looking for your next move? Click here for more helpful information and to browse current vacancies.

Local Manchester recruitment news

DWP announces big changes to job centres which could affect millions of people

The government has announced big changes to job centres as it puts Labour’s Back to Work plans into practice. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has now committed to creating a new national jobs and career service to help get more people into work.

The move means that Jobcentre Plus and the National Careers Service will be merged. The DWP has also announced a new Youth Guarantee, promising more opportunities for training, an apprenticeship or help to find work for everyone aged 18 to 21 years old.

Read the full article here

Manchester employment stats

Manchester Office for National Statistics

Currently a 71.4% employment rate, compared to 67.8% last year. Although, Manchester’s employment rate was lower than across the North West as a whole in the year ending December 2023
5.1% unemployment rate currently, falling from 6.3% in the previous year.
The latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) from the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce paints a more optimistic picture than the first quarter of the year, with increased sales and growth in both business and consumer confidence. The Greater Manchester Index, a composite indicator made up of key QES measures, has come in at 30.6, a 27-point increase from the previous quarter.
The QES results – which were released at the Chamber’s Q2 Economic Review – are the latest to suggest signs of recovery in the North West economy.

Read the full article here

Reputable businesses we work with

I need to hire

We deliver quickly for our employers, without ever compromising on quality.

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We’re experts at finding our candidates the next step in their career.

Our placement results do the talking

Businesses that trust us

Happy employers returning to us within a year

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Quality candidates on our database

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A Manchester executive search recruitment agency with a unique approach

Intelligent People was founded in 2002 by co-founders Chris Mason and Doug Bates, and from the outset, our brand mission has been to assist our clients in finding top talent and leaders in the fields of product, product design and UX, marketing, and eCommerce.

At the same time, we strive to provide the most compelling career opportunities to our extensive candidate network. Our success in achieving this goal is a result of our unwavering commitment to understanding the needs of our clients and the aspirations of our candidates. This approach has enabled us to establish ourselves as a highly reputable recruitment agency in Manchester, trusted by many large and scaling businesses to deliver outstanding results.

Case study: Ben @ Amber River

‘Chris was able to help with the executive search process from end-to-end, including everything from finessing the job description, mapping out salary expectations, putting together the recruitment process, delivering a shortlist, interview preparation and managing the offer negotiations

We found the whole process to be extremely well managed – Chris was able to challenge our thinking where we needed it, but he also listened to our needs and showed flexibility to our existing recruitment processes. The way in which Chris and his team worked was complimentary to us, a real partnership. There was no ‘one size fits all approach’ and that allowed the whole executive search process to run smoothly.‘

Read full case study

Case study: Product recruitment

‘Chris provided a strong understanding of the product management recruitment market, advising us on what calibre of candidate we could secure against our budget. Chris helped to define salary expectations for the candidates, and we were clear on how we could move forward with the recruitment process.

We would absolutely recommend Intelligent People as a recruitment partner. In fact, we’ve come back to Intelligent People again to help recruit for other positions since.‘

Read full case study

We support Tree-Nation

As a business, we pledge to to support Tree-Nation with their mission to reforest the world, planting trees to fight Climate Change.

For every candidate placement that we make, Intelligent People pledge to plant 20 trees to help:

protect biodiversity
restore forests
create jobs
support local communities

By working with us as a recruitment agency, you can build high-performance teams for your business and contribute towards Climate Change, reforestation efforts and building a more sustainable future – all at the same time.

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Speak in confidence to a recruitment expert today

Doug focuses on delivering executive level search campaigns for his clients. He is particularly proud that the business is the market leader in marketing, product and eCommerce – genuinely exciting areas which allow him to learn about innovative technologies every day.

Doug Bates
Co-founder, Intelligent People

Chris focuses on leading the team to success, working directly with clients that need help in finding experienced, executive level candidates. Chris gets a buzz from the work he does, solving clients’ problems and changing people’s lives by finding the perfect opportunity.

Chris Mason
Co-founder, Intelligent People

Manchester recruitment agency

An overview:Intelligent People?