[UK] Self-employed Quality Consultants
I’m currently exploring the transition from permanent employment to private consultancy and would love to get some perspective on the current UK market. I’ve spent the last 14 years in Quality Assurance, currently working as a QA Manager, and I’ve noticed a recurring gap where SMEs and scaling startups seem to lack a high-level testing strategy. They often don't require a permanent, high-salary manager, but they desperately need a specialist to come in for a few months to audit their processes, build out automation frameworks, or steer a digital transformation. I'm curious if those of you in the UK tech or consulting space are seeing a genuine appetite for this kind of "fractional" QA leadership or project-based strategic work.
Beyond just the demand, I’m particularly interested in how people are navigating the current IR35 landscape for private consultancy and whether you're finding it feasible to secure outside-IR35 engagements in this niche. If you’ve made the leap from a senior management role into solo consultancy, I’d value your insight on whether the market feels robust enough right now to support a move away from a stable "Head of" or Manager position. I'd also love to know if there are specific UK-based networking hubs or platforms that have served you better than the standard recruiter-heavy channels on LinkedIn.