About us.
Our story.
Circular Design Recruitment was founded on a simple frustration: recruitment in our sector too often becomes a numbers game. Too much volume, too little care, and not enough honesty.
We believe the process can be better. More thorough, more human, and built around doing the job properly. In Building Services design, careers aren’t casual decisions. For engineers, a move can be one of the most stressful moments in their working lives. For hiring managers, the wrong hire costs time, money, and momentum.
That’s why we take responsibility for the process. We stay close to the market, ask better questions, and focus on fit, motivation, and long-term outcomes, not just CVs.
We’re intentionally specialist and relationship-led. No hype, no CV-slinging, just clear communication, strong market knowledge, and genuine care on both sides.
Our clients.
We work with UK Building Services consultancies and design-led contractor teams who care about hiring well, not just hiring quickly. Typically, our clients are growth-minded leaders Directors, Associates, and Team Leads who want a recruitment partner that understands their market and protects their reputation.
You value a clear process, honest market insight, and shortlists that make sense. You’re frustrated by CV volume, repeated candidate profiles, inflated salaries, counteroffers, and candidates who disengage halfway through a process.
We’re at our best when working with teams who respect recruitment as a profession, value communication, and want a long-term partner rather than a transactional supplier. If that sounds like you, we’ll bring structure, clarity, and consistency to your hiring.
Our candidates.
We work with Building Services design professionals at all stages of their careers, from early-career engineers through to Associate, Associate Director, and Director level. Many of the people we support aren’t actively job hunting. They’re busy, settled, and selective about when and why they move.
You want straight advice, discreet conversations, and a clear view of salaries, roles, and long-term progression. You’re frustrated by being pushed into roles that don’t fit, vague feedback, unclear career paths, and recruiters who disappear when things get uncomfortable.
Our role is to advocate for you. We’ll take the time to understand what matters, be honest about options, and support you through every stage, so any move you make is a confident one.
What we stand for.
To take the stress and uncertainty out of hiring and job moves in Building Services by running a clear, honest, human recruitment process.
To become one of the most trusted specialist recruitment partners in Building Services design, known for quality shortlists, straight-talking advice, and outcomes that last.
These principles guide how we work, how we communicate, and how we run every recruitment process.
- Do it properly – thorough, not volume-driven
- Straight-talking – honest feedback, no hype
- Warm and respectful – people first, always
- Quality over quantity – selective, focused shortlists
- Follow-through – clear updates, no disappearing
- Always learning – staying close to the market and the detail
To connect MEP Building Services design professionals with consultancies where they can do their best work, using a specialist, relationship-led process built on market knowledge, careful qualification, and clear communication from first call to start date.
Meet our founder.
Alex is the Founder and Managing Director of Circular Design Recruitment, specialising in permanent MEP Building Services design recruitment across the UK. With over 11 years’ experience in the sector, Alex is known for his straight-talking, consultative approach and strong commitment to building long-term relationships.
He works closely with both clients and candidates to fully understand motivations, culture, and technical requirements, ensuring every hire is made for the right reasons. Alex believes recruitment should be thorough, honest, and human, and has built CDR around those principles.
Outside of work, Alex values time with his family and brings the same care and responsibility to his business as he does to the people he works with.
