Market Update: Tech & Change Hot Roles - (w/c 3/11)

The first full week of November marked a return to form after the half-term lull, with both interim and permanent markets picking back up. Momentum is steady rather than spiking — signalling a confident, active market heading into the final stretch of Q4.

Volume & Mix

45 roles total this week.

• Permanent: ~30

• Interim: ~15

• Channel: Around 70% agency-led, with a strong showing of direct appointments across government, higher education, and non-profits — a notable post-half-term rebound in the public sector.

Key Trends This Week

Steady rebound following half-term dip
Hiring volumes recovered to pre-October levels, with balanced demand across transformation and technology leadership. Organisations appear to be pushing ahead with year-end decisions rather than waiting for 2026 planning cycles.

Transformation leadership still dominant in interim
A busy week for Transformation Directors, Programme Directors, and CIOs, particularly across private equity, ERP/Oracle change, and government digital portfolios.
PE-backed transformation and integration roles remain among the most consistent sources of interim briefs.

Permanent hiring regains breadth and depth
High activity in Director-level and Head of Function appointments — including IT Directors, Heads of Data, and PMO leads — shows no fatigue in the permanent market.
The public and education sectors are particularly strong, with new roles across London Met University, HMRC, and The Greater London Authority.

Data & AI leadership sustained
Selective but continued demand in senior data roles: Head of Data, Data Director, and Head of AI positions span financial services, housing, and tech services — reinforcing the integration of AI and analytics in wider digital transformation strategies.

Non-Profit sector staying active
Several high-quality direct appointments across charities such as RSPB, Hospice UK, and Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, continuing a strong Q4 pattern of purposeful digital and data leadership investment.

Week-on-Week

• Up from 39 to 45 total roles, returning to pre-half-term levels.

• Permanent roles up by ~4, showing renewed public-sector and education activity.

• Interim briefs also higher, led by transformation and programme delivery mandates.

• Overall tone: stable and confident, with no signs of end-of-year slowdown.

Month-on-Month (Aug → Nov so far)

The senior tech & change leadership market continues to show impressive resilience heading into November.

• August: CIO and IT Director hiring led the market.

• September: Peak for transformation and data roles.

• October: Balanced but slightly softened with half-term impact.

• November (early): Immediate recovery — a strong, stable market combining permanent breadth and interim transformation continuity.

🟢 Top recurring roles this quarter:
CIO · IT Director · Transformation Director · Programme Director · Head of Data · Head of Change · Head of PMO · Head of IT

📈 Overall: November opens on a positive, steady note — a confident market continuing to invest in senior leadership despite the seasonal backdrop.