About - Coleman James

Our story

Coleman James is a specialist independent recruitment firm founded by Managing Director Andrew Mackay in June 2016. A professional recruiter with over two decades of experience working in senior roles for national and international recruitment firms, Andrew’s vision is to raise the bar within the recruitment sector for the Built Environment, Facilities Management and Rail industries.

Andrew has an ethical approach to recruitment and a strong focus on long-term partnerships that help businesses and people grow and prosper, adding value at every step. It’s an approach that sees clients and candidates return to Coleman James time and again.

A passionate and focused MD with the ambition of becoming the market leader, the Coleman James brand has personal meaning for Andrew. The company takes its name from an inspirational lady in Andrew’s life, his late Grandma Audrey Coleman. James is his middle name. Audrey was a woman who held integrity, honesty and relationships in high regard, a set of values shared by her grandson.

With an average age profile of thirty-five, Coleman James has a highly experienced senior management team and our professional consultants have over 200 years of combined recruitment expertise.

Headquartered in Newcastle, we opened our first office here in Doncaster in 2021, moving to historic former-rail premises steeped in heritage, in 2023. From our South Yorkshire base, we are perfectly placed to serve our portfolio of Rail clients across the UK.

The firm is underpinned by a set of core values; Integrity, Knowledge, Relationships and Excellence.

Audrey Coleman & Andrew James Mackay

Our values

Relationships

Our business is about people. We listen, we understand and we build rapport quickly with our clients and candidates. We look to add value at every turn, and our professional approach to recruitment and timely delivery instills confidence in our abilities, turning new relationships into long-term collaborations.

Integrity

We have a proven track record built over many years and a deep understanding of the Built Environment and Rail sectors. We don’t cut corners and we remain focused on the needs of our clients and candidates. Our honesty, attention to detail and highly personal service establish trust and lasting partnerships.

Knowledge

As sector specialists, we are proud of our knowledge and our ability to demonstrate that our expertise is best in class. Our industry insight and strategic approach enable us to leverage our extensive network and achieve optimum results, adding value for our clients at every step.

Excellence

We continually strive for excellence and our award-winning team raises the bar within the recruitment sector. Our genuine, highly professional approach yields tangible results in line with commercial and personal objectives. Our proven track record has gained us a reputation for quality delivery.

Expertise that gives you the edge

At Coleman James, our specialist expertise and proven track record help give you the edge, whether you’re a client or a candidate.

We focus exclusively on the built environment and rail sectors. This encompasses architecture, building services, civil engineering, construction, housing, facilities management, interior design and rail.

Our specialist knowledge, built over 200 collective years of practice, means we have a rich database of high calibre candidates and an extensive network of contacts, and a track record of successfully recruiting for your sector, securing only the best talent for businesses.

We offer a consultative, tailored approach. Our clients don’t simply transact with us; instead, we build long-term, collaborative partnerships.

Trusted relationships are at the heart of our bespoke approach. We pay attention to the details, from pre-screening to psychometric testing, we will match the right people to the right roles. We actively headhunt ‘passive’ candidates – off the books in terms of standardised search, but open to us. We’ll bring you market intelligence, salary insights, and introductions to our broad network of complementary businesses and people.

Operating with absolute integrity, we deliver customer excellence at every step and tangible results you can rely on.

We work with contractors of all sizes from the largest international, multi-national and regional organisations, through to specialist, niche outfits and sub-contractors. Our recruitment services including permanent and temporary recruitment and retained/executive search.

Why Coleman James?

Your needs are at the heart of our bespoke, partnership approach
People matter to us. We build relationships, establish trust and deliver tangible results
We are experienced specialists who understand your sector and can leverage our knowledge to help candidates and clients grow and prosper
Our robust search and screen process means we find the right fit for clients and candidates
Service excellence is part of our DNA, from the moment we meet to our premium aftercare
Your people function will be supported by us or we can act as an extension of your team with our fully outsourced offering
Your employer brand is safe in our hands. We take the time to understand your organisation and represent you in the right way.

"At Coleman James our purpose is to support individuals and organisations to grow and prosper. We do that through developing strong relationships; through listening, strategic thinking, applying our expert sector knowledge and using our skills to develop long-term partnerships that deliver tangible results."

Andrew Mackay

About Us