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Consortia
Consortia
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Contract Recruitment

Day-rate and fixed-term specialists for projects, change programmes and interim cover.

Trusted by tech teams from start-ups to globally recognised brands

  • eBay
  • Ocado
  • Sainsbury's
  • Bose
  • LexisNexis
  • Entain
  • babylon
  • Paymentsense
  • FNZ
  • Auto1
  • Synthace
  • PokerStars
  • eConsult
  • Lloyds Pharmacy
Five-star review
“Extremely responsive and professional service. Had a great recruitment experience. Highly recommend Consortia as a talent acquisition partner.”

Pierre C. · AI Program Lead

5.0 on Google from 200+ reviews

Overview

Consortia has supported contract and interim recruitment since 2010 across Product, UX, Data and Engineering. We help companies bring in experienced people quickly when they need extra capacity, specialist skills or support for a defined period of work.

Many of the contractors in our network have worked with us across several assignments, so we know far more than what appears on their CV: the kind of teams they work well in, the projects they have delivered and where their experience is strongest.

We support day-rate contractors, fixed-term appointments and interim hires, including cross-border recruitment and payroll where needed. Consortia has delivered more than 800 contract projects across hundreds of organisations.

Discuss your contract hiring

When to use contract hiring

Contract recruitment works well when the need is immediate, time-bound or still taking shape.

You may need someone to deliver a project, cover leave, add capacity during a busy period or bring in a specialist skill for a defined piece of work. It can also be a practical way to get someone in place quickly while you work out whether the requirement is likely to stay longer term.

That is often how contract hiring evolves. A business may start with a contractor because the priority is to keep work moving, then decide to make a permanent hire once the need is clearer. In some cases, the contractor themselves becomes that permanent hire if the fit is right on both sides.

Contract is not always a stepping stone to permanent. Many contractors prefer to stay in contract work. It can still be a useful route when speed matters and the longer-term shape of the role is still emerging.

If the requirement is clearly ongoing from the start, Permanent Recruitment may still be the more direct route. If the need is for senior input a few days a week rather than full-time delivery, Fractional Leadership may be the better fit. We will talk that through with you before the search begins.

Ways to hire

Other ways to hire

  • Executive Search

    Retained search for technology leaders and hard-to-find specialists.

  • Permanent Recruitment

    Permanent hires for specialist and leadership roles across technology teams.

  • Fractional Leadership

    Fractional leadership for growth, change and key priorities.

Contract recruitment with Consortia

At the start of a contract brief, we want to understand what needs to be delivered, what has already happened, where the gaps are and how quickly somebody needs to be in place. From there we can work out the experience required, likely day rate, start date, duration and working arrangement.

For many searches, we can start with contractors we already know. Where the requirement is more specialised, our contractor recruitment team searches beyond that network and approaches people whose experience matches the problem you are trying to solve.

The aim is a short, relevant shortlist with enough context for you to understand why each person has been put forward, rather than a large batch of available CVs.

Our contract recruitment services also cover the practical side of hiring. We can support you with rates, onboarding, extensions, payroll, IR35 queries and international assignments where required.

What our clients and candidates say

Swipe to read more reviews

  • “I had the pleasure of working with Kat and Nathan at Consortia on a contract opportunity. They were professional, efficient, supportive, and an absolute pleasure to work with throughout the process. I would highly recommend them to any professional or business looking for a seamless recruitment experience.”

    Anuj B.

  • “Highly recommend Consortia. I have been working with them as a Product Designer contractor for the last 2 years. They are extremely friendly, very proactive and have helped me find roles when most other recruiters failed. Would recommend any time and I expect to keep working with them for a long time to come.”

    Lasse L.

    Head of Design

  • “Finn helped me getting contracts with UK leading retail card processing company. He was always proactive and communicative with respective to the role. I always been informed what’s in my way in terms of interview, validating documentation etc.., which helps me prepared and avail for smooth process. Highly recommend Consortia as it helped me to secure my 2nd Contract with same customer whom i worked for last year.”

    Ramesh P.

    Data & Analytics Developer

  • “My experience in signing up for a contract role through Consortia has gone smoothly. Harrison has been prompt with scheduling the interview and mediating the discussion with the client. Additionally, the information both parties got was correct and I was always treated professionally.”

    Dragos M.

    Frontend Developer

  • “Josh has been great to work with. He intuitively understands the market and design roles, and took care to understand my job requirements. I found a fantastic design role through him, and would easily recommend Josh to other contractors in the field. Communication has always been prompt, straightforward and pleasant and I always felt I knew what was happening throughout the recruitment process.”

    Thomas M.

    Designer

  • “Great company with talented people. I recommend Consortia UK to anyone who wants quick, smooth and successful hiring process. They are reliable and maintain relations with us, contractors, keeping our business stable.”

    Stanislav D.

  • “Just had an excellent experience through Consortia. Finn made sure to keep checking how things are going, super transparent and always happy to help. Hope continue working with them, 5 stars doesn't reflect how happy I am since the first time Finn called me with a great opportunity!”

    Jóni D.

    Senior Email Developer

  • “Dealing with Finn to find me a new contract was relevant, quick and professional. The interview process for IT positions is incredibly dynamic these days, without such values it is simply waste of time for both sides. His support didn't stopped past accepting the offer, it did continued way beyond and it still does. Thank you!”

    Stefan J.

Customer Stories

How we've helped

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Market insights· Updated September 2026

Contract recruitment insights

Contract demand is being driven less by headcount growth and more by specific pieces of work that need to move quickly. Most of it sits around AI adoption, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, data and larger change programmes. Businesses are still cautious about permanent headcount, and many can’t wait up to three months for a permanent hire to start. Contractors keep delivery moving, sometimes while a permanent search continues.

Software engineers, cloud and DevOps specialists, cybersecurity, data and AI specialists are in the strongest demand. Product managers, project managers and business analysts are close behind, mostly on delivery programmes. Day rates are rising fastest for agentic AI engineering, cybersecurity and niche cloud skills, where demand still outweighs supply. For general development roles they have levelled off, and clients are paying closer attention to value.

Speed still matters. When everything is lined up, we have placed contractors within 24 to 72 hours, though one to two weeks is more typical. The delays are usually internal: approvals, interview availability, a changing brief, onboarding and security checks. The strongest contractors rarely stay available for long, so clients who decide quickly tend to get first choice.

IR35 continues to shape who clients can hire. Most larger businesses now have a clear policy. Some still default to inside IR35 because it is simpler to manage, while others assess each role individually. Where a genuine outside IR35 engagement is possible, it tends to attract a wider and more experienced pool of contractors. The determination still has to reflect how the work is actually done.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

How are contractor day rates set?

Rates depend on the skill set, the sector, the location and how long the work runs. Shorter engagements usually cost more per day, because the contractor has to find the next assignment sooner. IR35 status plays a part too, as it changes what the contractor takes home. Rates are rising fastest where demand still outweighs supply, such as agentic AI engineering, cybersecurity and niche cloud work. We share current expectations for your role when we scope the brief.

What can we do to get a contractor in place faster?

Finding people is rarely the slow part. Most delays come later: approvals, interview availability, a changing brief, onboarding and security checks. Before the search starts, it helps to have the rate signed off, interview slots held and contract paperwork ready. If the contractor is finishing another assignment, allow a week or two for notice. Clients who can decide within days tend to get first choice.

What should we have agreed before a contractor starts?

The work they are there to do. Contracts go best with a clear outcome, not an open-ended job description. It is surprisingly common for a contractor to arrive on a senior day rate with no plan in place. Agree what needs delivering, what has already been tried, who they report to and what finished looks like. It also makes the IR35 assessment easier, because it reflects how the work will actually be done.

When should we talk about extending a contract?

Earlier than most clients do. We usually start that conversation one to two months before the end date. A contractor with no confirmed extension will be hearing about other roles. Leave it to the final weeks and they may have another offer on the table, often at a higher rate. An early decision, either way, is fairer to the contractor and easier for your team.

Who decides whether a contract is inside or outside IR35?

For most medium and large UK organisations, the client does. You assess the role and issue a status determination statement. For small businesses, the contractor's own company makes the call. The assessment has to reflect how the work is really done, not what either side would prefer. We can talk through how a role is likely to be viewed, alongside your own advisers.

Can we make a contractor permanent?

Yes, if both sides want it. Some clients bring in a contractor to keep work moving, then offer a permanent role once the need is clear. Plenty of contractors prefer to stay contracting, so it is worth raising early. If you think a role may become permanent, tell us at the start and we will look for people open to that route.

How do I start working with Consortia?

Clients can get in touch to discuss a brief, and candidates are welcome to register their interest. The quickest route is our contact page or a call to +44 203 397 4565, and one of our consultants will pick things up from there.

For candidates

Looking for contract work?

We work with contractors across Product, UX, Data and Engineering, from experienced specialists to people weighing up their first move into contracting. Tell us your skills, your availability and the kind of work you want, and we will keep you in mind for assignments that fit.

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For clients

Need help hiring?

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