About Citrus Connect
Citrus Connect. Est 2009.
How Citrus Connect Started.
“I started my career in sales, not recruitment. My first big contract at Citrus Connect was growing the AA's direct sales force — and over an 18 month period, we increased headcount by over 200%. It was that experience that taught me what good direct sales recruitment actually looks like, and more importantly, what it feels like when it goes wrong.
When I set up Citrus Connect in 2009, I had one very clear goal: to build a recruitment agency that actually understood the direct sales world. Not an agency that could recruit for any function in any sector, but one that specialised deeply in one area and knew it better than anyone else.
Fifteen years and over 3,500 placements later, that specialism is still what defines us. We work with clients across the UK, placing everything from door-to-door canvassers to national sales directors. We have built sales teams of 2 and sales forces of 280. And we have done it because we know the difference between a good sales person and a great one — and we know how to find them.”
– Leena Parmar, Founder and CEO, Citrus Connect
The Citrus Manifesto
"Work is not a separate entity from a fulfilled life, but a vital component of it."
What Citrus Connect Does
We work nationally. While we are based in Leeds, our clients and placements span the whole of the UK. We specialise exclusively in direct sales recruitment. That means we recruit for:
/ 01
Field sales teams - territory-based, B2C and B2B
/ 02
Self-employed and commission-based sales professionals
/ 03
Door-to-door and canvassing teams
/ 04
Telesales — inbound and outbound
/ 05
Sales management — team leaders through to national directors
/ 06
Sales designers — in-home, kitchen, bathroom, and home improvement
Citrus CSR Focus
We focus on 4 areas within our Corporate Social Responsibility.
/ 01
Environmental efforts
Businesses, regardless of size, have large carbon footprints. We take all possible steps to ensure we reduce those footprints and focus on environmental sustainability.
/ 02
Ethical labour practices
We promise to engage in work that is legal, and fair and ensure decent treatment of workforces, whilst promoting a full DEI strategy.
/ 03
Community volunteering
We volunteer within various organisations, offering our expertise to audiences of different audiences and sizes to positively impact people’s careers.
/ 04
Worldwide philanthropy
Every year we will support a campaign that is close to the Founders’ heart. Currently, we are supporting Kings Ransom Foundation building orphanages in India, Kenya and Belize.
Supporting Kings Ransom Foundation
Citrus Connect has an active goal of raising £100,000 for Kings Ransom Foundation, supporting orphanages in India and Pakistan.
Supporting the Kings Ransom Foundation is investing in the future of children who would have no opportunities without our donations. We will legitimately transform generations. We put food in the mouths of orphans, give them the opportunity to receive an education that can pave a path of opportunity for themselves.
Meet the Citrus Leaders
Leena Parmar
Founder & CEOLeena started her career in fashion and sales before moving into recruitment — which is why she understands both sides of the desk. Her first major project was growing the AA's direct sales force by over 200%, and it was that experience that convinced her most recruitment agencies fundamentally did not understand the direct sales world. She founded Citrus Connect in 2009 to fix that. Fifteen years and 3,500+ placements later, Leena still leads every key client relationship and sets the standard for how Citrus works.
Rumina Islam
Head of RecruitmentRumina is the strategic engine behind Citrus Connect's client work. Data-driven and precise, she analyses every engagement to make sure clients are not just filling vacancies but hitting their commercial goals. Where others rely on instinct, Rumina builds a picture from the numbers — and that approach consistently translates into better outcomes for the businesses she works with.
Robyn-Kate Jones
Marketing LeadRobyn-Kate keeps Citrus Connect ahead of the curve. She follows what is happening across direct sales, recruitment, and the wider market — and makes sure Citrus is always positioned to respond before the industry catches up. If there is a shift in how candidates look for roles, how employers make hiring decisions, or where the market is heading, Robyn-Kate has seen it coming.
Recognition
We are proud of our awards — not because of the trophies, but because they reflect what we have built over 15 years.
Business Awards UK
Best Sales, Marketing and National Recruitment Agency
SME Northern Enterprise Awards
Best Independent Sales Recruitment Specialists - West Yorkshire
SME UK Enterprise Awards
Best Sales Recruitment Agency
Recruitment and employment confederation
REC Professional Member
Northern Enterprise Awards
Best Nationwide Sales Recruitment Specialists 2024
Corporate Vision
Best Sales and Marketing Recruitment Agency 2025 – UK
Recruitment and employment confederation
REC Shortlist - Candidate experience of the year
All Right Leeds
Best Employment Agencies Leeds
Find out more
We connect ambitious companies with sales talent that actually drives revenue.
