What Daniel Owen does

Daniel Owen is a UK-based recruitment firm founded in 1986, operating as an employee-owned private limited company (Daniel Owen Ltd) with its headquarters in Reading and a national network of 13 offices covering the Midlands, North, South East, South West and London. The company provides permanent, temporary/contract and executive search staffing solutions exclusively to the built environment — spanning 18 disciplines including construction, civil engineering, facilities management, property services, rail, mechanical & electrical, plant & crane, social housing, renewable energy, and design & consultancy. Its candidate database exceeds 15,000 registered workers, supported by the DO All Stars loyalty scheme, an annual Worker of the Year Awards programme, and a Refer a Friend mechanism designed to drive supply-side retention in a sector characterised by high candidate churn.

The business operates a transaction-fee revenue model across two streams: temporary/contract staffing, where it earns margin on worker hourly rates and processes payroll in-house (with workers paid via in-house systems, approved intermediaries or personal service companies), and permanent placement, where it charges placement fees as a percentage of annual salary. Distribution is sales-led through 110 specialist regional consultants organised by sector, with a parallel self-serve channel via the danielowen.co.uk job-search portal and CV submission forms. The firm also holds a wholly-owned executive search subsidiary, GSC Executives Ltd, extending capability into senior leadership mandates.

Daniel Owen's competitive positioning rests on stacked sectoral compliance accreditations (CHAS, ConstructionLine Gold, APSCo Inclusive+, REC, SMAS, Safe Contractor, Builders Profile, GLAA Construction Protocol, Stronger Together), a long operating history, and inclusion in the Recruiter Hot 100 and Recruiter Fast 50 rankings. The firm has recently expanded its geographic footprint with a 2025 Portsmouth office opening and has been actively broadening vertical coverage into renewable energy and decarbonisation project placements. Customer engagement spans enterprise clients across facilities management, construction, social housing, rail infrastructure, local government property services and motor-leasing-adjacent decarbonisation programmes, with documented outcomes including a 90% reduction in recruitment time for an FM client and 20 specialist placements for a rail infrastructure provider.

Name

Daniel Owen

Legal name

Daniel Owen Ltd

Website

https://danielowen.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Daniel Owen is a UK employee-owned recruitment firm (founded 1986) placing permanent, temporary and executive candidates across 18 built-environment disciplines via 13 offices and 110 specialist consultants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction and Built Environment Recruitment Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131), Executive Search Services (561312), Temporary Help Services (56132), Temporary Help Services (561320)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Construction & General Labor Staffing (BPACAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Construction & Real Estate Direct Hire (BPACAFAN), Agent of Record (AOR) for Staffing & Payrolling (BPACAHAF), Administrative, Clerical & Office Support Direct Hire (BPACAFAF)

Keywords

• Construction recruitment
• Temporary staffing
• Permanent placement
• Facilities management recruitment
• Executive search

Headquarters

HQ city

Reading

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Temporary/Contract Staffing: Provides temporary workers to construction and built environment clients. Workers are paid via in-house payroll, approved intermediaries, or personal service companies. Company earns margin on worker rates.
2. Permanent Placement: Permanent recruitment services placing candidates in permanent roles within client organisations. Company charges placement fees for successful hires.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Daniel Owen is a UK recruitment agency that supplies temporary, contract, and permanent workers to construction, property services, facilities management, engineering, rail, and related built environment sectors. The firm operates both as an employment business placing workers on assignment at client sites and as a recruitment agency placing permanent employees, delivering these services through 110+ specialist consultants across 12+ regional offices and supported by an in-house payroll function and a worker loyalty programme.

Product overview

Daniel Owen is a recruitment business providing temporary, long-term, and permanent workers and contractors to the construction, property services, engineering, and rail markets. The company operates both as an employment business (engaging workers on assignments at clients' sites) and a recruitment agency (placing permanent employees within client organisations). Its core offerings include Permanent Staffing Solutions, Temporary Recruitment, and Executive Search, supported by worker-focused programmes such as the DO All Stars loyalty scheme and annual Worker of the Year Awards. The company specialises across 18 sectors including Construction, Civil and Groundworks, Engineering, Facilities Management, Property Services, Rail, Renewable Energy, Mechanical & Electrical, and Social Housing. Services are delivered through 13 UK office locations with dedicated compliance and payroll teams.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Permanent Staffing Solutions Long-term talent acquisition service placing candidates in permanent positions within client organisations across the construction, property services, facilities management, engineering and rail sectors. Aimed at UK built environment employers seeking direct hires.
• Temporary Recruitment Flexible workforce solution supplying temporary and contract workers to construction, property services and facilities management clients to meet project-based demand peaks and short-term staffing needs. Workers are paid via Daniel Owen's in-house payroll with guaranteed on-time payment.
• Executive Search Specialist senior-level recruitment service for placing executives and senior leadership roles in the built environment sector, including Project Directors, Heads of Service and other director-level positions.
• Sector Specialisation Recruitment Services Specialised recruitment delivered across 18 built environment sectors: Civil and Groundworks, Construction, Design and Consultancy, Engineering, Facilities Management, Property Services, Rail, Renewable Energy, Mechanical and Electrical, Plant and Crane, Professional and Technical, Trades and Labour, Commercial Property, Fire, Gas Engineering, Maintenance and Services, Property Management, and Social Housing.
• CV Submission and Job Search Platform Online portal enabling candidates to submit CVs, search and apply for live construction and built environment jobs across the UK, and manage applications with Daniel Owen's consultants.
• Vacancy Upload Service Online portal for clients to submit job vacancies and staffing requirements to Daniel Owen for fulfilment across the built environment sector.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% reduction in recruitment time for facilities management client
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Women in Social Housing (WISH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Sophie Rowley, Associate Director at Daniel Owen, appointed to WISH South East board. WISH is a Community Interest Company established in 1998 to level the playing field for women in social housing, running regional networks, mentoring schemes, and events. Daniel Owen contributes to events, mentoring programmes, and diversity initiatives through this board position.
• Stronger TogethercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegistered Business Partner of Stronger Together, a multi-stakeholder business-led initiative aiming to reduce modern slavery. Signatory to GLAA Construction Protocol. Daniel Owen is committed to ethical recruitment and worker welfare through this partnership, with face-to-face worker contact and pro-active exploitation prevention measures.
• Construction Youth TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to place young people from disadvantaged backgrounds into construction roles. Daniel Owen collaborated with the Trust to place a young labourer who gained CSCS certification and traffic marshal qualification, supporting social value objectives and sustainable talent pipeline development.
• Lighthouse Construction Industry CharitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing 24/7, confidential, free support to everyone in the built environment for emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing. Operates across UK and Ireland. Daniel Owen invests in worker wellbeing through this partnership.
• Thrive Careers HubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiverpool City Region organisation supporting young people facing employment barriers. Kelly Potter, Business Development Director, participated in mock interview sessions. In first year, Thrive supported 396 young people, delivered 747 support sessions, and helped 23 job outcomes.
• Morgan SindallminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction firm partnership for social value initiatives. Daniel Owen participated in social value day supporting Morgan Sindall's community programmes.
• OCO Connect & PecanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with food bank charities. Daniel Owen supported Southwark Food Bank fundraising initiatives.
• Alexander Devine Children's HospiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity partnership. Daniel Owen team completed 18-mile charity walk from Wallingford to Reading HQ, raising £1,000+ for the hospice.
• Panthers NetballminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSports sponsorship. Daniel Owen sponsored Panthers Charity Netball team and Sasha's Project.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Reed: One of the UK's largest recruitment firms, with a significant construction and property services desk. Comparable in service model (temp + perm placement) but operates across all sectors and is much larger than Daniel Owen.
• Randstad: Global staffing leader with a substantial UK construction and property business. Operates in Daniel Owen's verticals but as part of a much broader staffing portfolio across all sectors and geographies.
• Hays: Global FTSE-listed recruiter with a large UK construction & property division. Directly comparable in serving built environment clients, but Hays is a multi-sector generalist with international scale rather than a construction specialist.

Direct peers

• Cityscape Recruitment: UK specialist recruiter focused on construction, property, and real estate. Comparable in vertical specialism, UK-only footprint, and SME scale similar to Daniel Owen.
• Sphere Solutions: Welsh/UK construction and property recruitment specialist with permanent and contract desks. Comparable sector specialism and similar size profile to Daniel Owen, with a focus on built environment.
• Madigan Gill: UK construction, rail, and logistics staffing specialist with strong presence in temporary trades and labour supply. Comparable in sector verticals, temp-heavy revenue model, and UK regional footprint.
• Edge Careers: UK construction and civil engineering recruitment specialist supplying blue- and white-collar workers. Directly comparable in target sectors (construction, M&E, civils) and in temp + perm service mix.
• Brandon James: UK property, construction, and real estate recruitment firm operating permanent placement and executive search. Highly comparable in vertical focus (property/construction) and in the UK market, with a similar specialist-consultant model.
• O'Neill & Brennan: UK-based construction, civil engineering, and industrial recruitment specialist operating across temporary and permanent placement. Closely comparable in sector focus (built environment trades and labour) and UK regional office model.
• Fawkes & Reece: UK specialist construction and property recruiter providing permanent and temporary staffing to main contractors, housebuilders, and consultancies. Highly comparable in target market, sector specialism, and delivery model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/danielowenltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/daniel-owen
• Instagraminstagram.com/danielowen
• Xx.com/DanielOwen_DO

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Daniel Owen