Moving jobs is a huge decision, whatever stage you're at in your career. With so many tech businesses looking to recruit the best talent, it's sometimes difficult to cut through the noise and find the right company that reflects your values and aspirations. BPT strive to treat your next career change with the respect and professionalism it deserves. Whether you're a self-taught coder looking to take your first step into software development or a seasoned CEO, we pride ourselves in delivering a confidential, professional recruitment experience.
The Tech & Software Development Team
Jacob Ovendale
Consultant
Specialist Area :I specifically specialise in JavaScript but can-do anything tech and software development related. From self-taught or junior developers right through to Engineering Manager. (and everything in-between!)Why I joined Better Placed:I wanted to join a business that would allow me to express myself and my expertise in tech and software development and I am very excited to be apart of the team and company that I’ve heard so much about! Why send us/me your CV:I have always seen myself as someone with a keen eye for detail and when it comes to your CV, I can guarantee I will treat your application with the respect it deserves and can consult you on bringing the best version of you on paper if you need support with your CV 😊One interesting fact about me:I can solve a Rubik’s cube in under 45 seconds.
Tom Griffin
Consultant
Specialist area: I specialise in recruiting tech & software development roles across the North of England. Why I joined: I joined Better Placed as I wanted to join one of the best-known agencies in tech, digital and marketing recruitment. To be allowed to express myself and my expertise in tech and software development with a respected brand. Better Placed was recommended to me as a great company to work at so I was very excited to join the team! Why send CV: I take great care in reading and analysing any CV I am sent in detail and will give you the respect and time you deserve. One interesting fact about me: I did an economics degree at university but the best grade I ever got was in ancient Chinese Philosophy (I only picked it to avoid an economics exam).
Rachel O'Sullivan
Board Director
I have built an exceptional reputation internally and externally since joining the Group in 2010. Now a Board Director, my expertise spans retail, e-com, hospitality and leisure sectors and I have a first class network throughout marketing and digital functions in particular. My clients range from major high street retailers to emerging scale-ups and disruptors and I've helped many individuals transition between the twoI'm not afraid to challenge traditional thinking and try to bring a fresh perspective to my client’s search criteria and I have a strong track record in helping women to secure leadership positions. I would like to think I have an incredible work ethic and a honest approach and this has proved a very successful combination throughout my career, and for that reason, I'm often the chosen recruitment partner for many businesses and candidates alike.
Ben Greensmith
Senior Consultant - Tech
Specialist Area :All roles within the software space but with a particular love for open source software development. Why I joined Better Placed:Better Placed has a fantastic reputation as an agency and I wanted to join a business where I would have the opportunity, responsibility and freedom to help develop their Tech offering. Why send us/me your CV:I have a genuine interest in helping you find a role that fits what you are looking for. I get to know each individual candidate and offer honest advice based on market knowledge and experience. One interesting fact about me:I speak Greek (badly!)
Jonathan Moran
Board Director - Tech
Specialist Area :Anything tech and software development related. From self-taught or junior developers right through to CTO level. (and everything in-between!)Why I joined Better Placed: Better Placed are one of the best-known agencies in Digital and Marketing. I wanted to join a business that would allow me to marry my expertise in tech and software development with an established brand that complimented what I do, Better Placed ticked every box!Why send us/me your CV: I have a genuine network that goes beyond “LinkedIn Connections” and will treat your application with respect it deserves. One interesting fact about me: I’ve dislocated my knee 8 times!
Beth Thompson
Consultant - Tech
What’s your specialist area?All roles within IT and tech! Why did I join Better Placed?Having worked within recruitment before, I already knew that Better Placed had an amazing reputation as an agency, so I was excited to find out that they had expanded into IT and tech recruitment. I wanted to join a business that would allow me to learn and grow with plenty of opportunities! Why send me your CV?I have a genuine interest in finding the perfect role for each individual candidate. In the past, I have recruited for a variety of roles within IT, including Software Developers, Business Analysts, Project Managers, Heads of IT and more! This allowed me to expand my knowledge on these roles to help me build strong relationships with my candidates. Something you may not know about me is…I have a pet tortoise named Winnie who freely roams around my living room and garden.
Tech & Software Development - Latest Jobs
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"One of the few recruiters who understands the tech world"
I had the pleasure of working with Jonathan as part of my latest quest for a great new opportunity. Jonathan understands that everyone has their own needs and works with every person to find a suitable position. Had Jonathan not been so attentive to my needs, I probably would have settled for another development role instead of progressing onward into the Cloud and Ops world. For me, he is way more than just a recruiter since his career guidance helped me immensely.
Jonathan's biggest strength is that he is one of the few recruiters who understand the tech world. Following our first discussion, he knew precisely the most suitable team and the role I would fit in. It took us just three days from our first interaction to the moment I signed the contract, which is a statement of his quality in the recruitment industry.
If you are passionate about what you are doing and seeking new opportunities, I wholeheartedly recommend having at least a discussion with Jonathan and his colleagues at BetterPlaced.
"The communication in particular was standout!"
Big thanks to Jonathan for helping me find my new role, and supporting me through the application process. An overall excellent service, but the communication in particular was standout!
"A very smooth transition, thanks a lot for your hard work!"
I had the pleasure of having Jonathan as recruiter for Beauty Bay, he helped a lot for sorting out my cv and answering any questions regarding with the new role, it was very smooth transition, thanks a lot for the hard work!
"My Go-to Recruiter!"
I've worked with Jonathan on multiple roles over the past few years. He has always found great candidates quickly when others have struggled. He's my go-to recruiter!
"Finding us the right people at the right time"
Jonathan has been a fixture on my limited, trusted list of recruiters since 2018. He’s someone who understands the cultural fit of an employee and employer as much as the business one. He’s done an amazing job of finding us the right people at the right time. Always available, nothing’s ever too much trouble and has been able to produce results against the odds or with limited information to go off.
Nothing was too much
Jonathan recently helped me land a new role. From my initial message Jonathan was super responsive & helpful, nothing was too much and he was a joy to work with. I look forward working together in the future to help me fill positions in my team.
"He was there every step of the way"
Ben was a great recruitment consultant to work with. He was there every step of the way through my interview process and always available to answer any questions I had. He even called me on his day off to tell me I had received a job offer!
"The best recruiting process I have ever participated in"
I'm so grateful that I can barely put it into words. Jonathan helped me get my first job as a software developer. It was the best recruiting process I have ever participated in. He was very professional, he knew what he was talking about. I got tremendous support during recruitment. You're great at what you do. Thank you Jonathan!
"Professional, friendly and extremely communicative"
Jonathan took the time to see and understand the potential in my skillset and advise me on my approach to applying for positions. He successfully secured me in an exciting new role that I may have overlooked without his support and confidence. He has been professional, friendly and extremely communicative throughout the whole process. I would highly recommend and work with with him again.
"Extremely professional and helpful"
Extremely professional and helpful, Jonathan has been amazing to work with. I have worked with a broad spectrum of recruitment and placement specialists, it is rare to find someone who is interested only in your best interests and takes such a composed and professional approach to helping you find your next role. Nothing but positive experience with Jonathan, cannot recommend enough.
"He has an excellent network"
I’ve worked exclusively with Jonathan for four years now. During this time he has sourced the majority of our software development team. He has an excellent network and has unearthed some great developers from a diverse range of backgrounds. Always willing to go the extra mile and provide detailed market knowledge I’d have no hesitation in recommending Jonathan to any tech business looking to scale up.
"The did an excellent job"
Having had bad experiences with a recruitment company I was reluctant to engage again, however Jonathan and his team visited our business twice pre engagement and I felt they understood our wishes, we explained what we thought we wanted. After careful consideration they asked us to reconsider the candidate's entry level . We interviewed several good candidates, then they turned up trumps. Whilst we broke the bank to fill the role what they predicted is happening the more senior role has added value immediately and we are delighted with the result. I’d have no hesitation to recommend Jonathan and his team. They did an excellent job!
What's going on?

Overview
BETTER PLACED REVEALS PLANS TO DOUBLE SIZE OF NEW TECH DIVISION AS IT EXPANDS INTO YORKSHIRE
Jonathan Moran, Director of Better Placed Tech, has revealed how the new division plans to double in size in 2022, as it expands into Leeds and Yorkshire after a successful 2021.Better Placed Group was founded in 2001, and in November 2020 launched its tech division under the direction of Jonathan Moran, who it hired to lead the new business, part of the wider group. Since then, the division has seen significant success, placing 53 tech professionals in new roles over the course of the last year. And its team has also grown - Moran brought on Ben Greensmith in March 2021, and Beth Thompson in September. Moran told Prolific North: “It’s been a great first year… there are three of us now and we're looking to double in size in 2022.” One of Better Placed Tech’s most recent developments has been the launch of its new Leeds office. Originally opening in Manchester, they have opened a new office to tackle the Yorkshire market based on Better Placed’s heritage in Leeds - “it made sense for us to have a tech offering over there.” Greensmith is to lead the new Leeds operation, being the “hands-on” figure for Leeds and the rest of Yorkshire. Early successes include being named as a preferred supplier for tech at Sky TV. Launching in the midst of a pandemic, the success of Better Placed Tech has been very much in line with the health of the regional sector itself. “Q1 last year was a little bit slow,” said Jonathan. “We'd come out of Christmas and been put in this lockdown again, [so] businesses were naturally more nervous. It suddenly got to March-April and it was go-time; we were never so busy.” On the whole, however, he acknowledges that tech was less affected than lots of industries, which has been a bonus for Better Placed. It’s ultimately been a successful year-and-a-half for Better Placed Tech, which has helped create a “complementary skillset” within the wider group, said Jonathan. Taking place before the launch of the tech division, the group’s April 2021 move to employee ownership has been “well received by everyone”, he added. With an employee on its board of trustees, the interests of staff can be represented directly.The year aheadHaving seen success over the course of 2021, Moran said: “We're hoping quite significantly to ramp that growth up this year - certainly 40% growth on revenue.” This increase is set to contribute significantly in helping the group surpass £4 million in billings. “We've now placed 19 people since January, so we're well on course for hitting our revenue targets in 2022.” Despite this, it’s not plain sailing and though they’re keen to expand, Moran said - “ironically being a recruitment business, we're finding it hard to find and hire good people. “If I could click my fingers and get three people in tomorrow, I would do so - we're ready to!” Another of Better Placed Tech’s goals is to work with a more diverse client base. The division was launched in Manchester, but they have opened up a new market with the opening of the Leeds base. “We were very Manchester-centric in Year 1… We’re looking to diversify into Leeds and Yorkshire,” Moran added. Having developed an extensive contact list in Manchester and got to know the local sector very well - Moran spent the majority of his career in and around the city - he is relishing the new challenge. “It surprised us just how large the market was out there,” he said. “In Leeds, I'm learning again… it gives you new impetus.” The competition for tech talentBeing in the position he is, Jonathan can see which changes have happened recently in the tech sector, and what businesses need to do to attract the best technical talent. In the “go-time” of Q2 last year, he said, there was suddenly a huge desire to hire as projects got going, leading to businesses being “desperate to hire… almost regardless of what the cost is. “Salaries rose significantly, April right through to December last year,” Moran said, stating they saw examples of some salaries almost doubling upon moving. But the SMEs that he has so much experience working with, and which make up a significant portion of the Northern tech sector, can’t keep up on salaries with the big tech players operating in or moving to the North. “Small to medium enterprises have felt the squeeze, because salaries have gone up and up,” he said. “What some of the smarter companies are starting to do is to start to look at how they can modify the traditional working week.” Whether that be simple flexible working or looking to introduce a four or four-and-a-half day week, there is now significant demand among tech talent for greater flexibility, which will help organisations no matter their size “make themselves competitive in a tough market.” He said: “If businesses are very insistent on a rigid nine-to-five, five days in the office scenario, it gets very difficult to recruit for them.” Junior talent “neglected”Another consequence of the recent situation where salaries skyrocketed as digital businesses got back to work, Jonathan said some were “quite naive” in how they acted. They looked to only bring on talent at mid-level - “there wasn't a massive growth in senior developers, and there certainly wasn't junior.” It led to businesses “almost neglecting” junior and graduate talent, as they weren’t willing to train people up from entry-level - instead desiring talent that could hit the ground running and be profitable almost immediately. This seemed to be true across the board, at tech firms of all sizes, despite the fact that recruiting junior talent can be an exceptionally good way of acquiring a loyal employee - once they’ve been brought in and trained up. Jonathan predicts, however, that this could also lead to serious consequences, saying: “There could be a bit of a black hole where you've not got the juniors coming through, and you're caught in this vicious cycle of rotating mid-level developers from other places. “Further down the line are we going to get this black hole of mid-level people stepping into senior roles and no-one coming through at the other end?” He also believes a greater focus on diversity and inclusion - which Better Placed has pledged its commitment to - will help tech businesses of all sizes, as well as improved tech education not only reserved for those heading to university. “We still have this big skills gap,” said Moran. “I think that's going to start to close in the next five or six years. “It won't just be the kids who are fortunate enough to go to university and study computer science, it'll also be kids from a whole diverse range of backgrounds who have been given that exposure from a very young age.”
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