HR Design

What HR Design does

HR Design BV is a Belgian HR consulting firm headquartered in Meise, Belgium, founded by Catherine Vanhullebusch. The firm serves Belgian scale-ups and SMEs, primarily those with 30 to 100 employees whose founders or CEOs have managed people by intuition and now require structured HR strategy to support continued growth. Its core offering is the placement of freelance HR consultants on a part-time or full-time embedded basis for a minimum engagement of six months, with the goal of building the client's internal HR capability over time.

The service catalog spans strategic HR policy development, HR process implementation, recruitment and onboarding support, performance management, compensation and benefits structuring, employer branding, employee engagement, leadership coaching, change management, organization design, and HR manager hiring. A related sub-brand, Job Design, extends the offering into outplacement and job design services. Delivery follows a three-step process: a free introductory meeting to define an HR roadmap, embedded implementation by a matched consultant, and either transition to an internal HR hire or long-term retained support. No proprietary technology platform underpins the service; the product is entirely human-delivered professional services.

Revenue is generated through consulting fees on freelance HR engagements under a quote-based pricing model established after the introductory meeting. The go-to-market is sales-led, with the founder conducting direct outreach and inbound leads originating from the hrdesign.be website. The firm operates exclusively in Flanders, Belgium, with no disclosed geographic expansion. Headcount is reported at five employees, with no disclosed funding, M&A activity, or external ownership.

Name

HR Design

Legal name

HR Design BV

Website

https://hrdesign.be

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HR Design BV is a Belgian HR consulting firm that embeds freelance HR consultants part-time or full-time into Belgian scale-ups and SMEs (typically 30-100 employees) to build strategic HR policies, processes, and internal HR capability.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Resources Consulting

NAICS

Human Resources Consulting Services (541612), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPACAJAA

HR Strategy & Operating Model Design

Business & Public Services/HR, Staffing & Recruitment Services/HR Consulting & Advisory (HR Strategy, Org Design, Change)

SECONDARYBPACAJAC

Workforce Strategy & Strategic Workforce Planning

Business & Public Services/HR, Staffing & Recruitment Services/HR Consulting & Advisory (HR Strategy, Org Design, Change)

SECONDARYBPACAJAE

HR Service Delivery, Shared Services & HR Operating Model Advisory

Business & Public Services/HR, Staffing & Recruitment Services/HR Consulting & Advisory (HR Strategy, Org Design, Change)

Keywords

• Strategic HR consulting
• Freelance HR consultants
• HR policy development
• Head of People advisory
• Scale-up HR services

Headquarters

HQ city

Meise

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Freelance HR Consulting Engagements: HR Design provides freelance HR consultants who embed part-time or full-time within a client's team for a minimum of 6 months. Consultants implement HR processes, coach people managers, and build strategic HR foundations. The engagement model transitions from external consulting support toward helping the client build an internal HR team. Long-term support is available for clients who do not require a full-time or permanent hire. Revenue is generated through consulting fees for these professional service engagements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

HR Design provides strategic HR consulting to Belgian scale-ups and SMEs by placing experienced freelance HR consultants who work part-time or full-time as embedded members of the client's team for a minimum of 6 months. Deliverables include strategic HR policy development, HR process implementation, performance management, compensation and benefits structuring, employer branding, leadership coaching, recruitment support, and transition toward building an internal HR function.

Product overview

HR Design is a consulting firm (not a software platform) offering strategic HR services for scale-ups and SMEs. The core offering consists of HR Design Consulting Services — strategic HR policy development, Head of People consulting, and HR process implementation delivered by freelance HR consultants over a minimum 6-month engagement. A related sub-brand, Job Design, handles job design and outplacement services. The service delivery follows a three-step process: (1) introductory meeting to define HR roadmap, (2) implementation of strategic HR policy with an embedded consultant, and (3) building the client's internal HR team. The company is led by founder Catherine Vanhullebusch, who brings experience from Showpad, Novartis, BNP Paribas, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Job Design: Associated company founded by Catherine Vanhellebusch, mentioned in conjunction with outplacement services and coaching.

Products and services

• HR Design Consulting Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Clients report structured, clear, and transparent HR policies and processes that eliminate employee frustration and support growth.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Intopay: Belgian payroll and HR outsourcing provider serving SMEs with bundled HR administrative services; competes for the same Belgian SME HR support wallet.
• SD Worx: Major Belgian/European HR and payroll services provider offering HR consulting, payroll outsourcing, and HR technology to SMEs and larger enterprises — overlapping customer base but with a much broader portfolio.
• Securex: Belgian HR and well-being services provider offering HR advisory, payroll, insurance and HR tech to Belgian SMEs — competes for the same founder-led SME HR support budget.
• Visma | Protime: Visma's Protime brand provides HR and workforce management software and services to Belgian employers; they target the same SME/scale-up HR tooling budget that often overlaps with consulting decisions.
• Acerta: Belgian HR services group providing HR consulting, payroll, social secretariat, and compliance services to Belgian SMEs and employers — same domestic customer base with broader service suite.

Direct peers

• Eight Eighty Eight Strategic HR: Belgian boutique HR consultancy serving SMEs and scale-ups with strategic HR advisory — directly overlapping HR Design's ICP and freelance/senior HR consulting delivery model.
• HeadFirst Group: Benelux-based HR services and interim management provider offering senior HR professionals on a project basis, very similar service model to HR Design's embedded consulting engagements.
• Maison HR: Belgian HR consultancy focused on SMEs and scale-ups, providing strategic HR support and interim HR management — directly comparable in target segment and service model.

Regional players

• iDiensten (HR & payroll): Belgian regional HR services provider combining HR consulting and administrative support for Flemish SMEs — directly comparable geography and customer profile.

Emerging players

• Buro Boonstra: Dutch/Benelux HR boutique consultancy focused on SMEs and scale-ups providing interim HR management and strategic HR advisory — comparable model but primarily Dutch market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hrdesignbelgium

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 HR Design