Meet The Team

Each of our Directors has a clear role in the business with James Smith focusing on the direct one-to-one management and development of staff to drive high performance throughout the business. Working with our external training partner, he leads new starters and trainees through our six-month development programme to ensure that all staff have the skills, habits and behaviours required to become a high calibre recruitment consultant.

James also continues to actively recruit within the Consulting Engineering sector, both Civil Structural and Building Services. Working with clients on long-term recruitment and retention strategies.

James is a dad to two boys and leads an active lifestyle outside work, playing football and hiking. He is a Man Utd fan which makes for some friendly rivalry in the office.

As a Director, James is responsible for day-to-day business operations, internal recruitment, marketing & business development. He has always had a keen interest in business, starting his first venture aged 17 and now has over 20 years of experience in the property and construction industry.

As well as leading the business, James continues to play a hands-on role in our Construction Consultancy and Developer division, specialising in strategic recruitment for senior/director roles in Quantity Surveying, Project Management and Development Management.

Outside work, James is a dad to three boys who keep him extremely busy and a big Man City fan much to his fellow Director’s disdain. Vertical Recruitment is also a proud sponsor of James’ son’s football team AFC Monton.

Brin is Vertical’s longest-serving team member and has enjoyed and a successful and rapid career progression. In 2021, Brin was appointed as a Director and is now responsible for our London office, from where he provides Fire Engineering, Building Surveying, Project Management and Quantity Surveying recruitment services.

Outside work, Brin is a dad and after 12 years up North, he has recently moved back down South where him and his wife are originally from.

James specialises in Building Services and white-collar MEP disciplines from Project Managers to Quantity Surveyors. So far he has 14 years of experience recruiting for large multi-disciplinary consultancies, independent, regional and national M&E contractors as well as main contractors. He believes the key to success is shared values, solid relationships with both clients and candidates and of course hard work.

James is originally from South East London and is an avid football fan (Tottenham Hotspur supporter unfortunately) but now lives in Manchester with his wife and two girls (he is well and truly outnumbered at home).

Amber joined Vertical Recruitment in 2022 as a Trainee Recruitment Consultant after finishing university. Since then, she’s taken on a dual role, leading the company’s marketing and social media efforts while continuing to recruit across the built environment sector. She also organises internal team activities and events.

Working closely with James Smith, Amber focuses on headhunting candidates for Civil, Structural, and Infrastructure roles across the UK. Their clients range from global consultancies to regional independents, and they take a tailored approach to each vacancy.

Outside of work, Amber enjoys running, hiking, and catching up with friends… usually accompanied by good food!

Adam is a specialist recruiter and Director at Vertical Recruitment, with over 15 years of experience in the recruitment industry, including time spent in Australia where he focused on Fire Engineering. At Vertical, Adam now leads the Fire team and Building Services desk in London working closely with top-tier firms such as Arup, Aecom, Buro Happold, OFR, and Black White, placing mechanical and electrical design engineers, as well as fire engineering professionals, across the UK and internationally.

Known for his consultative and relationship-driven approach, Adam combines deep sector insight with a commitment to delivering long-term value for both clients and candidates.

Outside of work, Adam enjoys spending quality time with his daughter and staying active. He likes to take part in 10km charity runs, raising money for various causes, and is a passionate NFL fan — Let’s Go!

Alex works as a Senior Consultant working with Vertical for over two years with a background in the UK Manufacturing Engineering Sector for 7 years.

Alex is expanding our Consulting Engineering offering, working with candidates and clients in Yorkshire and the North East to recruit in both the Civil Structural and Building Services sectors. He is working on some fantastic opportunities with a variety of leading companies.

In his spare time Alex enjoys indoor climbing, outdoor walks and watching live music

Charlie joined Vertical Recruitment in 2024 and specialises in quantity surveying and project management roles within London’s building consultancy market. She works closely with directors Brin Gleeson and Adam Wheatland in the London team and has also expanded her focus to building surveying roles across the UK. She is currently working with a wide range of clients, from specialist firms to leading multidisciplinary consultancies.

Originally from East Sussex, she moved to Manchester at 18 and has worked in sales ever since. Outside of work, she loves spending time away from the city centre - going on walks, discovering new places to eat, shopping for homeware, and making the occasional long trip back home to see her family and friends.

Connor joined the Vertical as a Recruitment Consultant in April 2024, bringing with him two years of experience in manufacturing and tech recruitment. Since joining, he has been establishing the Midlands desk, focusing on a broad range of engineering disciplines including building services, structural, civil, geotechnical, and sustainability. Connor partners with a diverse mix of consultancies across the built environment sector, from global firms to regional SMEs.

Outside of work, Connor enjoys watching the best team in the West Midlands (Wolves), playing football, going to the cinema, and attending live music events.

Freya has recently joined Vertical Recruitment as a Trainee Consultant, taking her first steps into the world of recruitment. She brings with her over nine years of experience in retail and sales, as well as a background in performance.

Working alongside James Adamson, Freya focuses on headhunting candidates within Project Management and Quantity Surveying. She’s actively growing her network and engaging with professionals across the industry via LinkedIn and over the phone. With a strong drive to learn and succeed, Freya is excited to be building her career in recruitment.

Outside of work, Freya enjoys live music, exploring new places to eat and keeping active.

Ayanna is a specialist recruiter within Building Services and white-collar MEP disciplines, successfully placing professionals across roles ranging from Quantity Surveyors to M&E Site Managers. With 3 years of recruitment experience and a strong foundation in the Oil and Gas sector, her skills proved easily transferable across industries, allowing her to quickly adapt and succeed within Building Services and MEP.

Partnering closely with James Cooper, who oversees the permanent desk, Ayanna leads the contracting desk and delivers M&E contracting solutions UK-wide. Her approach is proactive, personable, and focused on building long-term partnerships with clients and candidates alike.

Beyond her career, Ayanna enjoys hiking, is a horror movie enthusiast, and a keen traveller who takes every opportunity to catch a flight and escape Manchester’s miserable weather.

As a recruitment consultant, Callum Snazel is Vertical Recruitment’s first team member to lead and develop the firm’s US presence.

Callum specialises in recruiting Cost Managers/Quantity Surveyors across the United States, working closely with construction consultancies, developers, and owner-representative teams.

Having spent time living in both Western Massachusetts and Raleigh, North Carolina, Callum brings a practical understanding of the market and a genuine appreciation for American culture helping him to build strong relationships with both client and candidates.

Outside of work, Callum is an avid freestyle wrestler, a not so proud supporter of Manchester United and a Detroit Lions fan.

Kieron brings over 10 years of experience in the recruitment industry, 6 of those recruiting within the Architecture and Design industry across the UK.

His clients have defined architectural standards, playing key roles in designing one of the world’s largest retail destinations, leading heritage preservation projects, and earning widespread acclaim for government infrastructure initiatives. Using a values-based approach, Kieron has a high degree of knowledge and understanding of his market and network, providing a service to his customers that is impactful and long-lasting.

He is passionate about the sector and recruitment and believes it is vital that the right hire is made for the right impact on a business. He spends time getting to know the people in his market, developing a deep understanding of motivations, goals and experiences to introduce people to each other to help facilitate the building of long-term relationships and careers.

From Partners to Heads of Departments, Kieron has successfully introduced hundreds of people of all experience levels across a wide range of Architectural and Design practices, leveraging his knowledge and network for that all-important next hire.

In his spare time Kieron is a Dad to one human baby, 5 dogs and a cat, so spends a lot of time outdoors, or talking in baby.