Recruitment Process outsourcing, or RPO, assigns an agreed part of recruitment delivery to an external partner. The scope may cover a continuing programme or a defined hiring project. To evaluate a proposal, start with the work your organisation needs done, not the label on the service.
Decide what problem the arrangement should solve
Consider hiring volume, role complexity, geography, time constraints and internal capacity. An RPO programme, a specialist search assignment and an in-house team solve different problems. There is no single headcount threshold at which outsourcing automatically becomes the right answer.
Identify the stages that need support: market mapping, sourcing, screening, interview coordination, Offer Management or joining arrangements. State what will remain with your own team.
Compare five areas
- Scope and ownership. Ask who does each activity, how work is handed over and what the client must provide. A delivery plan should include the availability of hiring managers and decision-makers.
- Evidence and measurement. Agree definitions for measures such as time to fill, offer acceptance, joining and retention. Examine the recruitment funnel and source quality, not just the number of CVs submitted.
- Commercial terms. Compare the full scope and internal coordination costs as well as the fee. Put replacement arrangements, changes in scope and exit responsibilities in writing.
- Information handling. Clarify access to candidate data, permitted uses, retention, handover and the responsibilities of each party. Review the requirements relevant to the actual project and locations.
- Relevant delivery capability. Look for evidence of work with similar roles, industries or markets. Discuss the people and channels that would support your assignment.
UB hunter delivery example
In 2025, UB hunter supported a Chinese internet company building teams in Thailand and Vietnam. The brief covered 30 roles across marketing, customer service and supply chain. The project delivered 30 people joining within the agreed two-month period and three replacements during that project’s 90-day guarantee period.
For your project, we agree the role scope, delivery milestones and replacement arrangements at the outset.
Use a defined initial project to test the working relationship
Before expanding a programme, agree a manageable role group or project with clear milestones. Review not only hiring results but also the quality of feedback, the visibility of obstacles and how quickly both teams resolve decisions.
A useful evaluation makes responsibilities and evidence comparable. It should leave both sides clear about the work, the information they need and the terms on which success will be assessed.