The story behind Achieve Recruitment

Founded on the belief that recruitment should value people's time as much as their talent, we help organisations and candidates make confident, well-informed hiring decisions.

How it started

Since beginning a recruitment career in 2011, our founder, Jen James, has worked in-house for some of the UK’s most well-recognised commercial, leisure and public sector brands, working closely with recruitment agencies and seeing where the industry was falling short.

Achieve Recruitment was launched to operate as an extension of HR and recruitment teams, removing the pressure and process management that takes up valuable time, while giving candidates an honest, supportive experience at every stage. That ethos has shaped genuine, lasting relationships with businesses and candidates across the UK.

THE ACHIEVE STANDARD

What drives us

Time-first

We design every stage to be streamlined and purposeful — from the first vacancy brief right through to the final offer, ensuring everyone’s time is respected throughout.

Honest, always

Clear, candid feedback at every stage. We tell you what we see, even if it means reshaping the brief.

Relationship led

Long-term partnerships, not one-off transactions.

Insight driven

In-house experience on both sides of the hiring table means we understand what good looks like in your sector.

Specialist sectors

Deep knowledge across finance, HR, operations and commercial — we don't pretend to do everything.

Discreet by default

Confidential search built into every senior engagement. Reputation and trust matter.

Honest fees

Contingency, retained or RPO — clear pricing models, no hidden costs.

Beyond placement

We don't disappear after offer accepted. Onboarding support and follow-up come as standard.

Our team

Meet the team

Our senior team with real in‑house experience on both sides of the hiring table, working closely with every client and acting as a dedicated recruitment partner throughout.

Jen James

Founder and Director

With over 14 years of recruitment experience, Jen has worked in‑house for some of the UK’s most recognised brands, collaborating closely with agencies and seeing first-hand how an effective hiring process protects the one thing everyone values most: time. Achieve Recruitment was founded on that principle, operating as an extension of internal teams to remove pressure, streamline every stage and create long-term success for both clients and candidates.

Russell James

Director of Finance

With over 24 years of retail management experience, Russell has spent his career building strong store teams and personally interviewing every hire that joined them. That frontline insight into how good people drive commercial performance now underpins his role as Finance Director at Achieve Recruitment, where he combines operational understanding with financial leadership to support a service built on clarity, efficiency and long‑term value.

CLIENT VOICES

What our clients say

Real partnerships, honest words. Hear from the businesses and candidates we've worked with about their experience of recruiting with Achieve.

Read success stories

Financial Advisor

Jen gave fantastic, timely feedback and supported the process at every step. She offered her expert advice and guidance and helped us to find a suitable candidate that met our requirements. Jen dealt with a significant amount of the process allowing us to continue working with minor interruptions and only referred candidates once they have passed her vetting process. Amazing service and we will be sure to use her in the future!

Matthew L. · Finance Director, SME · Portsmouth/London

Founder & MD

Working with Jen was a breath of fresh air! She’s everything that you hope a recruiter would be; authentic, easy to deal with and you can tell that she truly cares about building a recruitment business with a strong brand and ethics!

Robert C. · Founder & MD · Wiltshire

HR Business Partner

I had a fantastic experience working with Achieve Recruitment. Jen took the time to understand specific needs of both us as the client and any potential candidates. She was incredibly responsive throughout the entire process and her personalised approach made everyone feel valued. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a professional and tailored recruitment service!

Lisa B. · HR Business Partner · London

Head of Operations

Discreet, professional, and absolutely the right candidate. They handled a sensitive senior search with complete confidence and the hire is now two years in.

Tom P. · Head of Operations · Winchester

Talent Lead

From brief to placement in under four weeks. They challenged us on the role spec in a good way and the hire we made was spot on.

Lisa M. · Talent Lead · Bournemouth

Commercial Director

What stood out was the honest dialogue. We were told when a role was tougher than expected, and the candidate brief was always realistic.

Daniel H. · Commercial Director · Remote

Ready to work with a recruitment partner who values your time?

Get in touch to find out how Achieve Recruitment can support your next hire.