You’ve closed the round. The board deck has a hiring plan with a number on it, and that number is bigger than your team has ever been. Now you have to turn funding into shipped product – fast – without the six months of firefighting that usually comes with scaling an engineering team.
That’s the job Runtime does.
We build technical teams for some of the most disruptive, venture-backed tech companies in the world. Not generalist tech recruitment. Engineers built to perform under load, for SaaS companies that need to move.
Build. Ship. Runtime.
Why hiring Engineers post-raise is different
Hiring for a VC-backed company isn’t the same as hiring for an established business, and an agency that treats it that way will cost you. A few things change the moment the money lands:
- The clock is different. Runway is finite and investors are watching the plan. A role open for three months is three months of roadmap you don’t get back.
- The bar is higher. You need engineers who thrive in ambiguity, own outcomes, and can scale what they build. People who don’t just pass interviews.
- The competition is fierce. Every other funded startup is chasing the same shortlist. Offer acceptance and speed matter as much as sourcing.
- Early attrition is brutal. A wrong hire at ten engineers isn’t a rounding error, it’s a setback. Retention is a hiring problem before it’s a culture problem.
What to look for in an Agency for VC-backed hiring
If you’re choosing who to trust with your engineering hires after a raise, these are the questions worth asking any agency – ours included:
- How fast is your shortlist, really? Not time-to-hire in theory. When will quality CVs land? We agree a shortlist within two weeks.
- What’s your offer acceptance rate? Sourcing means nothing if candidates walk at the offer stage. Ours is 94%.
- What happens after the hire? Ask for retention numbers, not just placement numbers. Ours is 95%.
- Do they understand the stage? A partner who gets involved early – vision, roadmap, why this hire and why now – places better than one who just takes a job spec.
- Can they cover where you’re growing? Founders scaling across the UK and US need a partner who can too.
How Runtime works
We run every search through three phases. It’s deliberately front-loaded, because the understanding we build early is what makes the back end fast.
Phase 01 – Build. A shared vision meeting before we source a single candidate. Your value proposition, mission and values, product roadmap, the technical requirements, and why this hire matters now. We agree the ideal candidate profile, the hiring process, and the KPIs we’ll be measured on.
Phase 02 – Ship. Deep market research and talent mapping, multi-channel candidate engagement, screening and skills assessment, shortlisting, interviewing, and offer management through to hire. Shortlist inside two weeks, hire inside eight. Velocity without the firefighting tax.
Phase 03 – Runtime. The part that counts: engineers who perform once they’re in. People who thrive in ambiguity and scale, built for modern software environments.
The Numbers
- 6 weeks – average placement velocity
- 8:1 – CV-to-hire ratio
- 94% – offer acceptance rate
- 95% – retention
How we help you Hire
Whatever stage you’re at, there’s a model that fits:
- Container – exclusive, retained search with guaranteed outcomes. The right call for critical or senior post-raise hires.
- Exec Search – VP and C-suite engineering leadership.
- RPO – fully outsourced hiring when you’re scaling the whole engineering function and need to ramp acquisition capability at a lower cost per hire.
- Embedded – a Runtime hiring expert working inside your team for a set period.
- Contingent, Temp, Fractional and Statement of Work – for speed, flexibility, or defined project teams.
Check our Solutions Page for more information.
Frequently asked Questions
What makes hiring engineers for VC-backed startups different from normal tech recruitment?
Speed, stakes and retention. Runway is finite, so an open role directly costs roadmap. The talent bar is higher because you need engineers who own outcomes and scale what they build, and early attrition is far more damaging at a small headcount.
How quickly can Runtime hire an engineer?
We agree a shortlist within two weeks and our average placement velocity is six weeks, brief to hire.
Do you work with both UK and US companies?
Yes. Runtime operates from a UK HQ in Manchester and a US base in Tampa, Florida, and builds teams for venture-backed companies worldwide.
What engineering roles do you cover?
Software engineering across modern SaaS stacks – from individual contributors through to VP and C-suite engineering leadership via our Executive Search solution.
How does Runtime keep offer acceptance and retention high?
By getting involved early and screening for engineers who thrive in ambiguity and scale, not just ones who interview well. Offer acceptance sits at 94% and retention at 95%.
Choosing the right recruitment agency is about fit, expertise, and trust.
By asking the right questions and digging into their processes, you can find a partner who not only fills roles – but helps you build a Product & Engineering team that fuels long-term SaaS growth.
Invest in a Product & Engineering Recruitment agency and accelerate your path to success.
Reach out to a member of the team here, or see more about how we can support your growth here.
