Noorderlink
Noorderlink is a regional job marketplace and HR collaboration network serving Northern Netherlands (Groningen, Friesland, Drenthe), connecting 90+ member organizations with 20,000+ vacancy alert subscribers across government, healthcare, education, and private sector through a job board, professional networks, and learning offerings.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersGroningen, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Noorderlink does
Noorderlink is a regional collaboration network (samenwerkingsverband) and job marketplace focused exclusively on the Northern Netherlands labor market across the provinces of Groningen, Friesland, and Drenthe. The platform aggregates vacancies from 90+ member organizations spanning government, healthcare, education, and the private sector, and surfaces them through a job listings portal (noorderlink.nl), a vacancy alert email service reaching 20,000+ daily subscribers, and five professional networks (HR-link, Younglink, Traineelink, Noordkracht, Managementondersteuners) engaging 250+ participants. The technology stack combines a self-serve recruiter portal at portaal.noorderlink.nl with a vacancy posting API for ATS/HRIS integration, a 'Werken-bij' employer branding page module, and a skills-based matching initiative co-developed with regional universities, vocational schools, labor union FNV, employer federation VNO-NCW, and applied research organization TNO.
The business model is a hybrid of annual tiered memberships (Small free up to 25 employees, Medium €10,963/year up to 250 employees, Large €21,926/year for 250+ employees), per-vacancy transaction pricing (€445–€501 single post; bundled packages from €2,375 for 7 vacancies to €11,915 for 50), a one-time €99 fee for a standalone employer branding page, and fee-based learning offerings (workshops and learning paths priced €95–€2,994 with member discounts). Go-to-market is sales-led combined with community-led engagement, leveraging direct account management (e.g., contact Philip Smits) and recurring networking events. Named customers include UMCG, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Gemeente Groningen, Provincie Groningen, Martini Ziekenhuis, N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie, Nationale Politie, Hanze Hogeschool, Defensie Noord-Nederland, and Wetterskip Fryslân.
Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Groningen with an 11–50 employee base, Noorderlink positions itself as the dominant regional employment infrastructure provider rather than a national job board competitor, targeting organizations that need locally committed talent pipelines and HR practitioners seeking regional professional development. Revenue, ownership, and funding history are not publicly disclosed; the organization operates as an independent member-supported collaboration with no parent company or external investment identified.
Noorderlink firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Noorderlink
- Legal name
- Noorderlink
- Website
- https://noorderlink.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Noorderlink is a regional job marketplace and HR collaboration network serving Northern Netherlands (Groningen, Friesland, Drenthe), connecting 90+ member organizations with 20,000+ vacancy alert subscribers across government, healthcare, education, and private sector through a job board, professional networks, and learning offerings.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Noorderlink industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Regional Job Marketplace
- NAICS
- Employment Placement Agencies (561311)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local & Regional Generalist Staffing Agencies (BPACACAH)
Keywords
Where Noorderlink is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Groningen
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Noorderlink business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership subscriptions: Tiered annual membership fees based on organization size: Small (free up to 25 employees), Medium (€10,963/year up to 250 employees), Large (€21,926/year from 250 employees). Members receive access to job portal, vacancy posting credits, network access, and learning offerings.
- Vacancy posting packages: Per-vacancy and bundled pricing for job postings. Single vacancy €445-501, bundles from 7 vacancies (€2,375) to 50 vacancies (€11,915). Includes free working-at page and placement service.
- Working-at page standalone: Standalone employer branding page for €99, allowing organizations to showcase their employer brand without full membership.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | First vacancy posting |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Single vacancy standard |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | 7 vacancies bundle |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | 15 vacancies bundle |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | 35 vacancies bundle |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | 50 vacancies bundle |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standalone working-at page |
| Subscription | Annual | Small membership (free) |
| Subscription | Annual | Medium membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Large membership |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Noorderlink product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Noorderlink operates a regional job marketplace and HR collaboration network for Northern Netherlands (Groningen, Friesland, Drenthe), aggregating vacancies from 90+ member organizations and reaching 2+ million annual visitors and 20,000+ daily vacancy alert subscribers. The core offering combines a self-service job board platform, tiered membership subscriptions, vacancy posting services, employer branding pages, professional networking communities, and learning/development programs. Revenue is generated through membership fees (€0–€21,926/year based on organization size), per-vacancy and bundled posting fees, and standalone employer branding products.
Product overview
Noorderlink is a regional employment network and job marketplace for Northern Netherlands (Groningen, Friesland, and Drenthe) offering a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core product is the Vacatures (Job Listings Platform) which aggregates vacancies from over 90 member organizations across sectors including healthcare, government, education, and more. Supporting modules include Vacature Alert for personalized job notifications, Leeraanbod for training and workshops, five professional Netwerken (HR-link, Younglink, Traineelink, Noordkracht, Managementondersteuners), Vacatures Plaatsen for employer recruitment services, Skills Based Werken consulting, and tiered Lidmaatschap membership with Werken-bij employer branding pages. The platform reaches over 2 million annual visitors and sends 20,000+ daily job alerts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- HR-link: Network for HR professionals in Northern Netherlands focused on skills-based working
- Younglink
- Traineelink
- Noordkracht
- Managementondersteuners
Products and services
- Vacatures Plaatsen (Job Posting Service) Employer recruitment service allowing organizations in Northern Netherlands to post vacancies on the Noorderlink platform. Offers tiered pricing bundles (1 to 50 vacancies) with options for manual posting, API integration, or managed placement.
- Lidmaatschap (Membership) Three-tier membership structure: Klein (up to 25 employees, free), Midden (up to 250 employees, €10,963/year), and Groot (250+ employees, €21,926/year). Membership includes access to job portal, vacancy credits, network access, free/discounted learning offerings, and employer branding tools.
- Vacatures (Job Listings Platform) Noorderlink's primary job marketplace for Northern Netherlands (Groningen, Friesland, and Drenthe). The platform aggregates vacancies from over 90 member organizations, enabling job seekers to search and apply for positions across sectors including healthcare, IT, education, government, and more.
- Skills Based Werken (Skills-Based Working) Consulting and framework for organizations to implement skills-based hiring and development. Part of the 'Project Effectieve Matching' (Effective Matching Project) collaboration focused on internal/external mobility, better candidate matching, and strategic workforce planning.
- Leeraanbod (Learning & Development) Educational offerings including workshops, training courses, leergangen (learning paths), and events focused on professional development topics such as leadership, AI skills, communication, and personal growth for professionals in Northern Netherlands.
- Netwerken (Professional Networks) Five professional community networks: HR-link (for HR professionals), Younglink (for young professionals), Traineelink (for trainees and recent graduates), Noordkracht (for networking and labor market insight), and Managementondersteuners (for executive assistants). Over 250 participants engage in 15+ annual events.
Quantifiable outcome
- 2+ million website visitors per year
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Noorderlink
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Noorderlink technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Noorderlink partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Stichting Carrière MatchingtoolcoreCollaborative partner in Project Effectieve Matching, focused on skills-based working and matching in Northern Netherlands labor market.
- VNO-NCWcoreEmployer federation partner in Project Effectieve Matching, representing business interests in skills-based working initiative.
- FNVcoreLabor union partner in Project Effectieve Matching, bringing employee perspective to skills-based working initiative.
- Hanze (Hogeschool)coreUniversity of applied sciences partner contributing academic expertise to Project Effectieve Matching skills framework.
- RUG (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen)coreResearch university partner providing academic research and validation for Project Effectieve Matching initiative.
- NoorderpoortcoreVocational education partner in Project Effectieve Matching, bridging training and labor market needs.
- TNOcoreApplied research organization partner providing expertise in labor market research and skills validation for the project.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Noorderlink competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Indeed Nederland: Largest global job-search engine, with a significant Netherlands footprint. Comparable as a vacancy marketplace destination for both employers and candidates, but operates at vastly larger scale and with a free-listing-led model.
- StepStone Group: European online job-board operator with strong Netherlands presence and ownership of Nationale Vacaturebank and Intermediair. Comparable as a paid job-posting platform targeting professional roles with similar buyer (HR/recruiter) and pricing structures.
- Intermediair: Dutch hoger-opgeleid job platform owned by StepStone, focused on higher-educated professionals. Comparable in targeting professional-level vacancies with employer branding and network-driven content; broader geographic reach.
- Jobat: Benelux job marketplace combining job listings, employer branding, and recruitment content. Comparable as a multi-country paid job-posting platform serving employers and candidates — a useful pricing and bundling analog.
- Monsterboard Nederland: Dutch arm of the global Monster job-board network, competing for employer recruitment ad spend and candidate traffic in the Netherlands. Comparable in product and pricing model but with national rather than regional specialization.
- LinkedIn (Talent Solutions / Jobs): Global professional network whose Jobs and Talent Solutions products compete for employer recruitment budgets and job-seeker attention in the same Dutch labor market. Adjacent business model (subscription + advertising + network effects) but at vastly larger scale.
Direct peers
- Nationale Vacaturebank: The Netherlands' largest national job board, operated by VNU/StepStone. Comparable as a vacancy marketplace serving Dutch employers and job seekers, though operating at national rather than regional scope.
Others
- Visma | Raet: Dutch HR/HRIS vendor whose payroll and HR software is widely used by Noorderlink's enterprise/government members (UMCG, RUG, municipalities). Comparable as part of the HR ecosystem — a potential integration or distribution partner rather than direct competitor.
Regional players
- Werk.nl (UWV): Dutch public employment service job platform operated by UWV. Comparable as a job marketplace for Dutch job seekers and employers — including the Northern Netherlands population Noorderlink serves — with overlapping vertical (government, healthcare).
- Werkgeversservicepunt / regionale werkgeversnetwerken: Regional employer service points under UWV and municipalities that coordinate public-sector hiring in Dutch regions. Comparable in regional labor-market intermediation role for Northern Netherlands and overlap in municipal/healthcare/education employer base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Noorderlink social profiles
Digital presenceNoorderlink financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Noorderlink leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Noorderlink funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Noorderlink M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Noorderlink
What does Noorderlink do?
Noorderlink operates a regional job marketplace and HR collaboration network for Northern Netherlands (Groningen, Friesland, Drenthe), aggregating vacancies from 90+ member organizations and reaching 2+ million annual visitors and 20,000+ daily vacancy alert subscribers. The core offering combines a self-service job board platform, tiered membership subscriptions, vacancy posting services, employer branding pages, professional networking communities, and learning/development programs. Revenue is generated through membership fees (€0–€21,926/year based on organization size), per-vacancy and bundled posting fees, and standalone employer branding products.
Is Noorderlink a public or private company?
Noorderlink is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Noorderlink founded?
Noorderlink was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Noorderlink based?
Noorderlink is headquartered in Groningen, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Noorderlink make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are vacancy posting packages and working-at page standalone.
Who are Noorderlink's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Indeed Nederland, StepStone Group, Intermediair, Jobat, Monsterboard Nederland and LinkedIn (Talent Solutions / Jobs). Nationale Vacaturebank is listed as a direct peer. Visma | Raet is listed as an others. Regional players are Werk.nl (UWV) and Werkgeversservicepunt / regionale werkgeversnetwerken.
Does Noorderlink have an API?
Yes. Noorderlink offers an API connection (API-koppeling) for organizations to automatically post and sync job vacancies to their platform. The API allows recruiters to connect their ATS/HR systems directly to the Noorderlink vacancy database, enabling automatic vacancy publication and management through their recruiter portal at portaal.noorderlink.nl. Developer documentation is at portaal.noorderlink.nl.
What industry is Noorderlink in?
Noorderlink's product category is Regional Job Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACACAH, Local & Regional Generalist Staffing Agencies. Its NAICS code is 561311 and its SIC code is 7361.