October 6, 2026
The Hiring Dept. Celebrating our first five years.
Executive search built on trust, people and purpose.
When I founded The Hiring Dept, I did so with a simple belief: executive search could be more personal, more thoughtful and more human.
I wanted to build a consultancy where organisations knew the person they first spoke to would stay with them throughout the search; where candidates were treated with respect, whether or not they were ultimately appointed; and where success was measured not simply by filling a vacancy, but by making appointments that genuinely strengthened organisations.
Today, I feel enormously proud of what we have built.
The Hiring Dept. has had the privilege of working with remarkable charities and purpose-led organisations, helping them appoint Chief Executives, Chairs, Trustees, Directors, and other senior leaders at moments of opportunity, growth, and change.
None of that would have been possible without trust.
I therefore want to thank every client who has trusted The Hiring Dept. and me with one of the most important decisions any organisation makes: choosing the people who will lead it.
I am particularly grateful to The Gregynog Trust, Deafblind UK, The Gorilla Organisation, Kielder Observatory Astronomical Society, Shakespeare’s Globe, Blackpool Council, Gloucestershire Young Carers, Animal Action Greece, London CLT, Hamelin, Linkage Community Trust, NRAS and The Royal Variety Charity. Your confidence in our approach has helped establish and grow The Hiring Dept, and it has been a genuine privilege to work alongside your Trustees, senior leaders and teams.
I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved, thanks to the trust of our clients, candidates and supporters.
But executive search is ultimately about people, and so an equally important thank you must go to the candidates.
To everyone who has applied for a role, taken my call, agreed to an initial conversation, prepared for an interview, shared their ambitions with me or trusted me with the next stage of their career: thank you.
I know how much candidates invest personally in a recruitment process. Behind every CV is a career, a story and an individual prepared to take a risk on a new opportunity. That deserves respect.
There have been successful candidates, disappointed candidates, unexpected candidates and people I first met through one search who have subsequently become clients, contacts, advocates and friends of The Hiring Department. All have contributed to our story.
I am also grateful to everyone who has recommended us, introduced us to an organisation, shared one of our vacancies, engaged with our work or simply offered encouragement.
The Hiring Dept. remains deliberately personal. When an organisation appoints us, it is placing its reputation in our hands. When a candidate speaks openly with us, they are placing their career ambitions in our hands. Neither responsibility should ever be taken lightly.
As Founder, I am incredibly proud to put my name behind this business and everything it represents.
We have achieved a great deal, but I still feel that we are only getting started.
So, to our clients, candidates, supporters, friends and everyone who has been part of the journey so far: thank you for putting your trust in me, Philip Nelson, and in The Hiring Dept.
Here’s to the appointments we have made, the relationships we have built and the many exciting searches still to come.
Contact Us
For an informal and confidential discussion about this article, or on any other subject, please contact our Founder & CEO, Philip Nelson, on 020 3590 9978 or via email at philip.nelson@thehiringdept.com.
Philip has over twenty years of experience in charity governance and executive search and currently serves as a Trustee of Coram Beanstalk and as the Policy Development Lead for Heritage & Tourism at The Green Party.
