Our Team & Ethos
 

We’re a close-knit team that embraces collaboration and fosters teamwork, ensuring that all mandates and hiring processes are supported by all three Directors. We do not delegate work to less experienced colleagues or work in defined silos like some other firms. By providing insight from our three respective networks, we can ensure maximum coverage and greater access to HR talent for the benefit of our clients.

We genuinely enjoy networking with HR professionals and thrive on building new relationships. We’re always looking at ways to improve processes, strengthen our brand and evolve and adapt with the times.

We are huge advocates of equality, inclusion and diversity in the workplace and are committed to providing diverse shortlists which represent the communities in which we operate.

 

Neil Smith

 

Neil has worked in the recruitment industry for over 20 years. Working both in agency and in-house roles across the UK, US and Asia-Pac.

Neil is passionate about the HR space and values the depths of the relationships he's worked hard to establish. He understands how life changing a new career move can be for his candidates and how important it is for his client to hire the right person for their team.

When not recruiting, Neil can be found cooking up a storm in the kitchen hosting for friends and family, listening to classical music or planning his next holiday.

He's a talker and loves a good natter over a brew or a cup of good quality coffee.

 

Helen Easter

 

Helen began her Recruitment career in 2004 when she moved back to Leeds, a city she’d fallen in love with as a student in the late 90s. She’s spent the last 15 years recruiting HR professionals across the region and loves building close relationships with her candidates some of whom she’s now placed two, even three times!

Helen loves the flexibility of working for herself as it fits in with her family life. She’s a huge advocate of agile working and likes nothing more than helping other working parents achieve success in their careers, without having to compromise their home/ family lives.

When she’s not working, Helen can be found socialising (and running!) in north Leeds or researching her next Greek holiday.

 

Jonathan Kirby

 

With over 15 years of HR recruitment experience, Jonathan has supported a diverse range of clients with mid-to-senior level HR mandates. Having spent a great deal of time mentoring and developing others whilst managing teams, in 2018, Jonathan decided to have a more personal career focus as a business owner and joined Helen & Neil to help further establish Fólk.

Having solely specialised in HR throughout his recruitment career, Jonathan is seen as a trusted advisor to many organisations when they are looking to hire / establish HR teams.  

Outside of work, Jonathan is a qualified FA Level 1 football coach and devotes a lot of his time to coaching a junior football team. Jonathan can be found spoiling a good walk on the golf course, and when time permits, he has this year come out of retirement after 25 years, to play cricket for a local team, taking 3 wickets on his debut!