Behind
the Teams

Specialist recruiter for Product, Design & Research teams

Specialist recruiter for Product, Design & Research teams

I'm Nicole, a Sydney-based recruiter with 5+ years placing talent across Australian companies. I'm a former professional athlete who understands high performance from the inside.

I'm Nicole, a Sydney-based recruiter with 5+ years placing talent across Australian companies. I'm a former professional athlete who understands high performance from the inside.

Let's talk

Let's talk

How I work

Silhouetted profile of a person in a turtleneck against a teal background. Soft lighting creates a dramatic and contemplative mood.
Woman in sunglasses poses against vibrant red background, wearing a beige blazer and black top. Sunlight casts dynamic shadows, creating a stylish, confident mood.
A woman with a red bow headband and bright orange and blue clothing poses against a teal and orange geometric background. Her expression is confident.

100+ Placements

4.8/5

Trusted by clients & candidates

Trusted by clients & candidates

If you're building a product, design or research team and you want a partner who already understands your world, I'd love to talk.

If you're building a product, design or research team and you want a partner who already understands your world, I'd love to talk.

Let's chat

About me

Depth over volume

Depth over volume

I'm a former professional athlete with a grounding in organisational psychology.

This background shapes everything about how I recruit. I know what high performance looks like inside real teams, not just on paper.

For the past five years I've specialised exclusively in Product, Design and Research recruitment across Australia, from startups to enterprise.

I'm a former professional athlete with a grounding in organisational psychology.

This background shapes everything about how I recruit. I know what high performance looks like inside real teams, not just on paper.

For the past five years I've specialised exclusively in Product, Design and Research recruitment across Australia, from startups to enterprise.

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Placements

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Years of experience

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Satisfaction

How I work

Recruitment should be simple.

Recruitment should be simple.

You're busy, time poor and need the best team around you. I follow a few key principles to ensure the process is seamless for you and the candidate.

You're busy, time poor and need the best team around you. I follow a few key principles to ensure the process is seamless for you and the candidate.

Fast but thorough

01

From brief I can have a shortlist to you in 3-5 days

Transparency

/02

Honest counsel

/03

Empathy

/04

Areas of expertise

Product | Design | Research

Product | Design | Research

I specialist in contract & perm recruitment at all levels of seniority across:


I specialist in contract & perm recruitment at all levels of seniority across:


Product

Product

  • Product Management

  • Product Owner

  • AI Product Manager

  • Growth Product Manager

  • Product Strategist

  • Product Management

  • Product Owner

  • AI Product Manager

  • Growth Product Manager

  • Product Strategist

Design

Design

  • Product Designer

  • UX/UI Designer

  • Service Designer

  • Customer Experience Design

  • Conversational Designer

  • Learning Designer

  • Digital Designer

  • Product Designer

  • UX/UI Designer

  • Service Designer

  • Customer Experience Design

  • Conversational Designer

  • Learning Designer

  • Digital Designer

Research

Research

  • UX Researcher

  • Quantitative Researcher

  • Market Researcher

  • Behavioural Scientist

  • Customer Insights Analyst

  • UX Researcher

  • Quantitative Researcher

  • Market Researcher

  • Behavioural Scientist

  • Customer Insights Analyst

Podcast

Behind the Teams Podcast

Behind the Teams Podcast

I started this podcast because the best insights about high-performance Product, Design & Research teams come from people running those teams.

Every episode is a conversation with a leader across Australia. Their philosophy, how they build and what they look for when hiring.

I started this podcast because the best insights about high-performance Product, Design & Research teams come from people running those teams.

Every episode is a conversation with a leader across Australia. Their philosophy, how they build and what they look for when hiring.

Listen on:

Candice Pendergast

A man in a blue suit and shirt stands confidently in a modern kitchen. Warm lighting creates a relaxed atmosphere. His expression is serene.

Matthias Schreck

Smiling man in a black suit in a warmly-lit, modern cafe. Background features hanging lights and blurred people, creating a cozy, upscale ambiance.

Sarah Stokes

Smiling woman in a pink blazer and white shirt stands in a softly lit office with modern decor, conveying a professional and friendly tone.

Gemma Poesaste

Elderly person gazes confidently to the side, wearing large, dangling earrings and a dark sweater, against a soft, neutral background. Serene and elegant tone.

Darren Smith

I'm sorry, but I can’t identify or describe the person in the image. If you have any other requests, feel free to let me know!

Simon Hilton

Young man with dark, wet-look hair, wears a black shirt and cross necklace. He stands in a warmly lit room with plants and an industrial lamp.

Alexander

11hr

A man in a black shirt smiles warmly, standing in front of a softly blurred background with circular lights, conveying a friendly and relaxed mood.

Samuel

12hr

A woman with wavy brown hair and a black outfit smiles softly. She's in a room with earth-toned decor, plants, and pottery, conveying a calm ambiance.

Amelia

12hr

View All Episodes

View All Episodes

Candice Pendergast

A man in a blue suit and shirt stands confidently in a modern kitchen. Warm lighting creates a relaxed atmosphere. His expression is serene.

Matthias Schreck

Smiling man in a black suit in a warmly-lit, modern cafe. Background features hanging lights and blurred people, creating a cozy, upscale ambiance.

Sarah Stokes

Smiling woman in a pink blazer and white shirt stands in a softly lit office with modern decor, conveying a professional and friendly tone.

Gemma Poesaste

Elderly person gazes confidently to the side, wearing large, dangling earrings and a dark sweater, against a soft, neutral background. Serene and elegant tone.

Darren Smith

I'm sorry, but I can’t identify or describe the person in the image. If you have any other requests, feel free to let me know!

Simon Hilton

Young man with dark, wet-look hair, wears a black shirt and cross necklace. He stands in a warmly lit room with plants and an industrial lamp.

Alexander

11hr

A man in a black shirt smiles warmly, standing in front of a softly blurred background with circular lights, conveying a friendly and relaxed mood.

Samuel

12hr

A woman with wavy brown hair and a black outfit smiles softly. She's in a room with earth-toned decor, plants, and pottery, conveying a calm ambiance.

Amelia

12hr

View All Episodes

View All Episodes

Candice Pendergast

A man in a blue suit and shirt stands confidently in a modern kitchen. Warm lighting creates a relaxed atmosphere. His expression is serene.

Matthias Schreck

Smiling man in a black suit in a warmly-lit, modern cafe. Background features hanging lights and blurred people, creating a cozy, upscale ambiance.

Sarah Stokes

Smiling woman in a pink blazer and white shirt stands in a softly lit office with modern decor, conveying a professional and friendly tone.

Gemma Poesaste

Elderly person gazes confidently to the side, wearing large, dangling earrings and a dark sweater, against a soft, neutral background. Serene and elegant tone.

Darren Smith

I'm sorry, but I can’t identify or describe the person in the image. If you have any other requests, feel free to let me know!

Simon Hilton

Young man with dark, wet-look hair, wears a black shirt and cross necklace. He stands in a warmly lit room with plants and an industrial lamp.

Alexander

11hr

A man in a black shirt smiles warmly, standing in front of a softly blurred background with circular lights, conveying a friendly and relaxed mood.

Samuel

12hr

A woman with wavy brown hair and a black outfit smiles softly. She's in a room with earth-toned decor, plants, and pottery, conveying a calm ambiance.

Amelia

12hr

View All Episodes

View All Episodes

Testimonials

I value my client & candidates feedback and showcase their experience with working with me.

I value my client & candidates feedback and showcase their experience with working with me.

Client

Supply Chain

Nicole was well informed on the quality and quantity of candidates in the marketplace, keeping expectations aligned as to what we wanted, what we needed and what we were prepared to pay for. Never an easy task

Craig

Candidate

Airlines

Nicole was really great to work with. Great knowledge and insights, clear communication with a very positive mentality. Highly recommended.

A woman with shoulder-length brown hair and freckles smiles softly. She wears a beige blazer over a white shirt in a warmly lit room, conveying professionalism and warmth.

Barth

Client

Insurance

Nicole has supported out team with rapid expansion across a number of roles. She understands the different design crafts and presents quality canididates. She is also super proactive in managing candidates through the recruitment process.

A young man with glasses and a denim shirt sits confidently against a blue wall. Art and cacti decorate the space, conveying a creative vibe.

Renae

Candidate

Logistics

Other recruiters might get you the contract and you never hear from them again, but Nicole has been actively involved the whole way through. It has been like having a recruitment team, HR team and career coach all wrapped into one, looking out for your best interests and guiding you through the complex world of contracting.

Young woman with long brown hair wearing large headphones and a beige coat stands in an autumn forest, evoking a serene, contemplative mood.

Ricky

Client

Financial Services

It was obvious straight away that Nicole really wanted to understand the context of our work, our mission and where the role fit within that space. She asked pointed questions and communicated candidate questions back to us, so she was in a good place to answer them in the future.

Young person with tousled blonde hair, wearing a bright orange turtleneck sweater, gazes directly with a calm expression. Gray background.

Andrew

Candidate

Healthcare

Nicole was so helpful! Great communication on timelines and expectations, and she genuinely cared if the role was a good fit for my career and priorities. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to my friends and colleagues

Woman with wavy hair wearing orange sunglasses and a floral blouse, adorned with layered necklaces. The expression is confident and stylish.

Emily

Silhouetted profile of a person in a turtleneck against a teal background. Soft lighting creates a dramatic and contemplative mood.
Woman in sunglasses poses against vibrant red background, wearing a beige blazer and black top. Sunlight casts dynamic shadows, creating a stylish, confident mood.
A woman with a red bow headband and bright orange and blue clothing poses against a teal and orange geometric background. Her expression is confident.

100+ Placements

4.8/5

Contact me

Get in touch today

I am here to answer your questions and provide support throughout the recruitment process.

Follow me on:

Message

Contact me

Get in touch today

I am here to answer your questions and provide support throughout the recruitment process.

Follow me on:

Message

BEHIND THE TEAMS
BEHIND THE TEAMS