Three senior JavaScript hires through a post-acquisition rebuild

VesselMan is a SaaS business founded in Oslo in 2015, focused on project management for large-scale maritime dry-docking and vessel maintenance. The platform supports ship owners and operators running time-critical inspection and repair programmes, where delays cost serious money.

In 2023, VesselMan was acquired by Marcura, a global maritime software group. The business stayed small and product-led, with a team of around 22 in Oslo, while gaining group funding and shared resources. Post-acquisition, the focus shifted to modernising a legacy platform and delivering new features at speed.

VesselMan needed to hire senior JavaScript engineers quickly as it moved to a modern JavaScript and Next.js stack. The brief was for two senior hires, and with the technology shift still underway, the detail of each role was evolving with the stack. Hiring was open across Oslo, the UK and Southern Europe, which brought different salary levels, notice periods and remote working arrangements into the search.

VesselMan was hiring while its platform was mid-move to a modern JavaScript and Next.js stack, so the brief needed to keep pace with the technology. Consortia worked with the VesselMan and Marcura teams to shape two distinct senior roles around where the platform was heading, and built the screening around the backend depth each one called for.

Delivery could not wait for a permanent search to finish. Consortia suggested a contract hire to cover the gap, and within days a full-stack JavaScript developer was sourced, vetted and working with the team.

The permanent search ran alongside across Oslo, the UK and Southern Europe, with a focus on engineers who were not actively looking. Consortia kept product, engineering and group stakeholders aligned throughout. Screening for Next.js backend capability early meant the candidates VesselMan met were closer to the brief, and more of them stayed in the process through the final stages.

Consortia made three placements: a contract Full-Stack JavaScript Developer, a permanent Senior Full-Stack JavaScript and Next.js Engineer, and a permanent React Native Engineer focused on mobile. Together they grew the team by more than 10 percent and supported VesselMan as it moved its platform away from legacy systems.

I worked with Consortia on a recent contract and they were excellent throughout: diligent, responsive and properly on top of things. Clear in communication, easy to deal with, and they made the whole process feel much smoother than it usually does. One of the best recruiters I've worked with.

Software Engineer, VesselMan