Our Story

Built From Determination. Driven By Purpose

Evolve Within Recruitment wasn’t born in a boardroom. It was built from a garden office during one of the most uncertain periods in modern history, by two people who believed the early years recruitment sector could — and should — do better.

Built From Determination. Driven By Purpose

Evolve Within Recruitment wasn’t born in a boardroom. It was built from a garden office during one of the most uncertain periods in modern history, by two people who believed the early years recruitment sector could — and should — do better.

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3,000+ Placements per year  |  700+ Five-star reviews  |  30+ Years of experience  |  24/7 Out-of-hours support  |3,000+ Placements per year  |  700+ Five-star reviews  |  30+ Years of experience  |  24/7 Out-of-hours support  |

How We Started

From a Garden Office to a Market Leader

In 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, husband and wife Ryan Manning and Vivian Mac made a bold decision. While the world stood still, they saw an opportunity for a fresh start and from that, Evolve Within Recruitment was born.

Those early days were defined by determination and long hours, often working from 7am until close to midnight. There were no shortcuts, no easy wins just a shared commitment to providing the best possible service no matter what it took.

In July 2021, Evolve secured its first official office — a significant milestone that marked the company’s next stage of growth and set the tone for everything that followed.

The Founders

Meet the People Behind Evolve Within

Ryan Manning — Co-Founder

Ryan has worked in the early years recruitment industry since 2014, beginning as a trainee recruiter and progressing to managing a team of 30. His journey took him through two organisations one building his understanding of recruitment fundamentals, the other deepening his expertise within the early years sector. By the time Evolve was founded, Ryan had spent years understanding not only what works well in early years recruitment, but what could be done better.

Vivian Mac — Co-Founder

Vivian brings a perspective that sets Evolve apart. Before co-founding the business, she built an impressive career outside of recruitment first as a highly successful estate agent at one of the largest property companies in the UK, then moving into a senior role within a large healthcare organisation. Her background brought a strong commercial mindset and a deeply people-focused approach that lives at the heart of everything Evolve does.

Eddy — Director of Smiles

Eddy burst onto the scene in 2025, quickly establishing himself as the most enthusiastic member of the Evolve Within team a title nobody else was particularly fighting for. Born with an unshakeable smile and an infectious love for early years, Eddy has never had a bad day, never missed a deadline, and has never once complained about the office temperature. His sole mission is simple to remind everyone that working in early years is one of the most important jobs in the world, and that it should always be fun.

proudly Trusted by

Partou Nursery Logo
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Busy Bees Nursery Logo
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Busy Bees Nursery Logo
Partou Nursery Logo
n-family Logo
Kindred Nurseries Logo
Our Journey

How We’ve Grown

From a garden office to a market leader — here’s the Evolve Within story.

Swipe to follow our journey 

Our Ethos

E.V.O.L.V.E

Evolve’s Ethos is the mindset to achieve the best. It is the pathway of improvements to your career progression and success fulfilment.

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Empower

We empower early years professionals to reach their full potential, helping them shape young minds and build fulfilling careers.

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Value

We value every individual we work with — educators, nurseries, and children — treating each with respect, kindness, and appreciation.

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Opportunities

We create opportunities not just for career growth, but for personal development, encouraging professionals to set and achieve their goals..

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Love What You Do

We believe in enjoying life and finding joy in our work, fostering positivity and passion in everything we do.

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Vision & Versatility

We have a clear vision for the future of early years education and adapt to challenges with resilience, always going above and beyond.

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Excellence

We strive for excellence in every placement, every relationship, and every interaction, ensuring mutual respect and success for all.

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Trusted, Accredited, Approved

Our Memberships & Affiliations

We are proud to be recognised by the industry’s leading bodies. Every accreditation we hold is a reflection of our commitment to compliance, professionalism, and the highest standards in early years recruitment.

Recruitment & Employment Confederation We are proud members of the REC, the professional body for the UK recruitment industry.

Disability Confident Employer Logo in black on a transparent background

We are a Disability Confident Committed employer, dedicated to inclusive recruitment practices that give everyone a fair opportunity.

Our candidates have access to me learning’s industry-leading training resources, ensuring their knowledge and skills remain current and compliant.

Where We Are Today

Early Years Recruitment, Done Differently.

Today, Evolve Within Recruitment has grown into a market leader within the early years sector, employing over 1,000 staff members and becoming PSL approved for many of the UK’s leading nursery chains. But the values that drove Ryan and Vivian in that garden office in 2020 haven’t changed. We still work with the same determination, the same commitment to quality, and the same belief that when you put people first — everything else follows.

Where We Are Today

Early Years Recruitment, Done Differently.

Today, Evolve Within Recruitment has grown into a market leader within the early years sector, employing over 1,000 staff members and becoming PSL approved for many of the UK’s leading nursery chains. But the values that drove Ryan and Vivian in that garden office in 2020 haven’t changed. We still work with the same determination, the same commitment to quality, and the same belief that when you put people first everything else follows.