The Investment
What a HIPPO engagement costs, what it includes, and how it compares to the real cost of a local hire.
One price.
The full model.
A HIPPO engagement is not a staffing fee. It covers the person and everything it takes to place them well and keep them performing.
That means role design, rigorous recruitment, task mapping and documentation before Day 1, actively supported onboarding, and ongoing coaching, welfare management, and account management for the life of the engagement.
The specialist does the work. HIPPO makes sure the arrangement holds.
The specialist
A vetted, placed, and supported offshore professional. Sourced through HIPPO's Philippines-based talent team and matched to your specific role and working style.
Recruitment
The full recruitment funnel. Sourcing, screening, structured interviews, readiness checks, and shortlist endorsement. You meet two or three endorsed candidates.
Documentation
Task mapping and SOP development before your specialist starts. The work is captured and documented before Day 1, so there is no ramp-up from the beginning.
Ongoing support
Structured coaching, welfare management, performance reviews, role calibration, and escalation pathways. HIPPO stays involved for the life of the engagement.
What a local hire actually costs
The number on a job ad is not the cost of a hire. In Australia in 2026, mandatory employment on-costs add 40 to 55 percent above base salary before the person does a day's work.
That figure does not include recruitment. The average cost to hire one person in Australia is $23,860, and the average time to fill a role is 40 days. When a role turns over, that cost repeats.
A comparable HIPPO engagement covers the same work for $30,000 to $38,000 per year, fully inclusive.
Three tiers.
One decision.
HIPPO pricing runs across three tiers based on the role's complexity, ownership level, and the type of specialist required. Most roles sit in Operator or Builder. Architect is for specialists who own a function or bring a technical capability.
Operator
The right specialist for roles built around defined, repeatable work. Administration, data entry, inbox management, scheduling, reconciliations, customer coordination, and similar execution-focused tasks.
Builder
The right specialist for roles built around process ownership, coordination across teams, and work requiring judgment alongside execution. Operations support, marketing coordination, project administration.
Architect
The right specialist for roles with a technical dimension or specialist skill set. Digital marketing, automation and systems management, technical administration, and bookkeeping and finance operations.
Run your numbers
Select the role type, hours, and HIPPO tier. The calculator shows HIPPO's annual cost alongside the estimated loaded cost of a local hire. Enter a salary to use your own figure.
Enter an annual base salary to replace the default benchmark.
Recruitment costs are not included in the local hire comparison above. The average cost to hire one person in Australia is approximately $23,860, and this resets every time the role turns over.
Local hire benchmarks are full-time equivalent Australian salary estimates based on role-specific research across recent HIPPO roles, last reviewed June 2026. Loaded-cost multiplier is 1.35× to reflect superannuation, payroll tax, workers compensation, leave entitlements, and overhead. Part-time comparison is pro-rated at 0.5 of the full-time loaded figure. Recruitment costs are excluded. HIPPO pricing is ex GST. All figures are indicative estimates, not audited costs.
The price reflects the model.
Cheaper offshore options exist. Platform marketplaces, directory services, and low-cost placement agencies can put someone in a role faster and for less money upfront.
What they do not include is the role design work that determines whether the right person is hired. The recruitment depth that filters for fit rather than availability. The documentation that means the specialist starts with clarity. The ongoing support that keeps the arrangement stable after the first few weeks.
When those elements are absent, offshore arrangements fail for predictable reasons: unclear expectations, shallow hiring, no structure after placement. The cost of a failed placement, including the time lost, the rework, and the rehire, usually exceeds what was saved on the original engagement.
HIPPO charges more than a commodity option because the model includes more. The investment is in a placement that holds, not just a placement that starts.
Commodity offshore
Lower upfront cost. Role posted, CV forwarded, engagement begins. Client carries the setup, training, management, and any problems that follow.
HIPPO
Higher upfront structure. Role designed before recruitment begins. Specialist documented before Day 1. Coaching and welfare management included.
Book a Connect Session
The Connect Session is where HIPPO works out whether a role makes commercial sense and which tier and hours fit what you are trying to do. You leave with a written summary and a clear picture of what the engagement would involve.
Book a Connect SessionWritten summary sent the same day.