Recruitment Services
Framework Description
SUPC's Recruitment Services framework is how universities appoint recruitment agencies. It has seven lots: Non-Specialist, IT, Commercial, Executive/Senior Leadership, Medical/Veterinary and Academic roles, plus a Recruitment One-Stop Shop, with 62 appointed suppliers across them. Applications for this framework are closed; it started on 1 October 2025 and runs until 30 September 2027. This framework is used by SUPC, NWUPC and APUC.
Context & Use Case
HR teams use it when internal advertising is not enough: hard-to-fill IT and commercial roles, senior leadership searches, clinical and veterinary posts in medical and vet schools, and academic appointments. The One-Stop Shop lot suits universities that want a single agency to manage recruitment across role types, while the specialist lots give a choice of agencies for each kind of post.
Scope of Services
Lot: Non-Specialist Roles Lot: IT Roles Lot: Commercial Roles Lot: Executive/Senior Leadership Roles Lot: Medical/Veterinary Roles Lot: Academic Roles Lot: Recruitment One-Stop Shop
Lots
Non-Specialist Roles; IT Roles; Commercial Roles; Executive/Senior Leadership Roles; Medical/Veterinary Roles; Academic Roles; Recruitment One-Stop Shop
Who Can Apply
Suits recruitment agencies and executive search firms with sector specialisms that match the lots, from generalist agencies to academic and clinical specialists. Applications for this framework are closed, so new agencies cannot join until SUPC re-tenders, likely around September 2027.
Buyer Benefits
Universities want agencies that understand academic and university cultures, fill roles quickly, and support equality, diversity and inclusion commitments. Terms agreed in advance and lots split by role type let them pick a specialist without negotiating each time, and the One-Stop Shop gives a single point of contact where volumes justify it.
Next Steps
Decide which lots fit your specialism before the re-tender ahead of 30 September 2027. Follow SUPC's framework page for the notice, and gather placement data, time-to-hire figures, EDI evidence and university or public sector client references. Appointed agencies should log results from current assignments to reuse in that bid.
How Athena Can Help
Agencies on the framework still have to win assignments, and Athena's bid team can help you win them with sharp responses on candidate reach, EDI and time to hire, plus fee models tested against rival agencies.
For agencies outside it, our bid/no-bid planning works out which lots you can win, and our framework registration support prepares the selection stage and builds this re-tender into a wider pipeline of public-sector recruitment frameworks.
