How is this different from using a recruiter?

Recruiters fill a gap. We deliver a capability. Our specialists are pre-vetted, deployment-ready, and we oversee the engagement including IR35 compliance. Delivery is our responsibility. Unlike interim recruiters, there's no 6-month commitments, and no weeks of interviews.

We already use a consultancy for this.

We know. And you're probably paying £1,800 a day for it. Many of our clients came to us after realising they were paying consultancy rates for what was essentially body-shopping. We provide the same calibre of specialist at a fraction of the cost, with full transparency.

What if we only need someone for a few weeks?

That's exactly what we're built for. No minimum engagement period. If you need two weeks of category support to close a sourcing event, that's a perfect fit. You pay for what you use. Equally if you need a specialist to deliver a more significant cost out project over several months, we can also support.

How do you handle IR35?

It's our problem, not yours. We are the service provider. SmartBuyer was co-founded by the UK's #1 IR35 expert in Procurement, who has trained over 100 CPOs on the legislation. We take full responsibility for IR35 status — we structure every engagement to be fully compliant from day one. It's not an afterthought. It's built into our model.

Can your specialists actually deliver at enterprise level?

Our network includes 500+ Procurement professionals, many of whom have held senior roles at blue-chip organisations. We've delivered engagements for FTSE 250 and Fortune 500 companies. This isn't a freelancer marketplace. It's a curated network of proven specialists.

Extra procurement capacity.
Deep category expertise.

Give your team the procurement capacity and specialist knowledge to move critical projects forward, challenge supplier costs and secure better deals — without adding permanent headcount.

Access 500+ category experts across 250+ areas of spend, with support available in as little as 48 hours.

Book a Discovery Call

500+ Category Specialsts

Trusted by FTSE 100 & Fortune 500 companies

250+ sub-categories managed

IR35 managed by UK's #1 Procurement expert

Some of the companies our Specialists have supported

You’re expected to deliver more.
You’re not given the resources to do it.

Your board wants more savings, while stakeholders expect faster sourcing support. Meanwhile, your team is already stretched to breaking point.

And when you do need external help, you’re trapped between two options:

Option 1

Hire a contractor via a recruiter

Option 2

Engage a consultancy

The pressure builds. Headcount doesn’t. And neither option was built for how Procurement actually works today.

There’s a third option.
And it changes everything.

SmartBuyer gives procurement teams flexible access to specialist procurement capacity without the cost, delays or long-term commitment of traditional recruitment and consultancy models.

Access expertise across 250+ specialist sub-categories, growing week by week

We use specialists, not generalists. As a result, you can access expertise across indirects, direct procurement, ESG, policy, process and ProcureTech.