Plans for Growth

Leading specialist recruitment company, MCS Group, is one of the latest tenants to take up office space in The Ewart in Belfast city centre, paving the way for significant growth and job creation over the next few years.

Established almost 15 years ago and run by joint Managing Directors Louise and Barry Smyth, MCS Group is Northern Ireland’s leading specialist recruitment consultancy, supporting companies seeking talent across a variety of fields including technology, finance, manufacturing, marketing, HR and legal.

The move to The Ewart, which took place in early 2023, saw MCS Group and its 85+ staff occupy 11,500 sq ft on the 10th floor of the building which is located in the heart of Belfast’s business district.

The space will be used to accommodate the company’s growing team and will have multi-functional event space, enabling the company to play a key role in the development of the sectors it supports. MCS Group has an international blue-chip client base, while also helping SMEs, start-ups and inward investors build their businesses by acquiring the best talent. All will benefit from the new facilities on offer at The Ewart.

Commenting on the move, Barry Smyth says the decision to expand office space paves the way for future growth.

“Everyone at MCS Group is really excited about our move to The Ewart. We feel that it is a deserved step forward and a key milestone in the business trajectory of the organisation.

“We have always aspired to set the highest standards for our industry and the quality of office space at The Ewart is totally in line with our ambitions. Doubling our office footprint will not only give us the space we need for the future growth we have planned but will also allow us to configure our offices to meet the needs of our people, our customers and the wider community.”

Louise Smyth says that the move to new premises is shaping the vision of the business post-pandemic: “At MCS we’re championing flexible working. The purpose of our office has changed in recent years; we’ve seen that our people can work from anywhere with the right tools and technology. We want to give our people a place to not only work, but also network and collaborate together, whilst also facilitating coaching and mentoring. Above and beyond the design and cosmetics we just wanted to make the office feel a little bit more like home, so our team can connect socially and see things with a level of autonomy, just as they would at home.

“MCS is a relational business and from the beginning that’s what we wanted our DNA to be. We thrive on making connections and building partnerships with our customers and communities. We have always felt that down the years office spaces across the city were underutilised, now our new home at The Ewart gives us the ability to provide support to many different groups in society, whether it be education providers, social support systems or just building a hub which allows our own team to connect, celebrate and communicate in person.”

The move to The Ewart reflects the firm’s continued growth in recent years, both within Northern Ireland and new territories including GB, RoI and the US.

In 2022, MCS Group saw opportunity to expand operations beyond Northern Ireland and opened its first international branch in Boston, Massachusetts, with the aim of raising the sector’s game by applying new levels of service quality.

The company has since developed a growing customer base and the first year of trading, under Regional VP (and Boston native), Ryan Quinn, has validated the decision to make the move, with significant further growth planned, which will create jobs both in the US and in Belfast.

At the same time, the company entered the Republic of Ireland market. Early success has already been achieved and optimism is strong for the future of the Irish business in 2023 and beyond. New hiring has been ongoing and the team will almost triple in size this year.

For the GB market, a small team is already in place helping the company establish itself in what is the second largest recruitment market globally, after the US.

Barry Smyth commented: “Our mission has been to raise the bar, set the standard, and be the benchmark for specialist recruitment in today’s world. It is this desire to provide exceptional service levels to clients regardless of where they are based, which has led us to this point and the launch of our new businesses in the US, Ireland and GB.

“But we will never forget our home market. MCS Group is a Belfast headquartered company and that will continue to be the case. We see the long-term potential of Northern Ireland and will continue to drive forward in our chosen niches, supporting businesses of all sizes, in what is likely to remain a very challenging talent acquisition environment.”