The challenge: source AI talent in New Zealand
AI is ubiquitous, yet local professionals able to realize the opportunities are few and far between. For a rapidly scaling firm operating in this space, securing talent is crucial. However, the specialized nature of AI/ML roles means these positions are challenging and often expensive to fill.
AI professionals in New Zealand attract a significant premium. For example, in 2026, the average salary of a DevOps Engineer is $110,000. Multiply that figure by multiple employees and it’s a hefty expense for any startup to incur.
Relying on local software development agencies was unworkable, as they couldn’t supply dedicated resources to work to the firm’s schedule. Local and offshore contractors weren’t an option either, because retaining a dedicated team with organizational knowledge was too important for the client to consider short-term staff.
Fortunately, the solution was hiding in plain sight: building an offshore team in India.
The solution: build an outsourced AI team in India
To quickly onboard skilled AI talent, companies engage global staff outsourcing company, Outsourced, for its proven track record of sourcing specialised technical roles.
For this client, Outsourced‘s recruitment experts immediately got to work sourcing the perfect candidates, expediting the client’s typical hiring process. Position criteria included excellent technical capabilities relevant to the role, an ability to take initiative, work autonomously and meet deadlines, and strong communication skills. New hires had to hit the ground running, a non-negotiable due to the fast pace of the business.
The startup soon received a curated shortlist of candidates based in India who demonstrated deep technical knowledge and strong problem-solving and interpersonal skills. This meant the client was able to handpick the outsourced AI talent they wanted on board.
Overcoming the company’s biggest growth hurdle took just weeks, saving tens of thousands of dollars in the process.
To date, they have placed three outsourced hires who proactively collaborate with the onshore delivery and technical teams:
The business impact
By leveraging Outsourced’s dedicated offshore team model, the AI consultancy secured faster access to specialized AI talent, reducing hiring time from months to weeks.
This cost-effective approach enabled the company to expand its headcount, accelerate service delivery, retain organizational knowledge, and win additional business by increasing its capacity to serve more clients.
When asked of the new hires’ impact, the client says their technically proficient, independent problem solvers make a great complement to their core team onshore. And with a strong outsourcing partnership in place, this outsourced AI team is set to continually expand in line with business growth. In fact, the company is in the process of filling two more specialized roles through Outsourced.
Outsourced helps you hire and retain the top 1% of talent worldwide, with world-class managed operations supporting your success. Talk to a staffing specialist today — or estimate your monthly savings on popular roles using our calculator below.
