Market Update: Tech & Change Hot Roles – WC 29.09.25

This week marks a clear shift back toward interim-heavy hiring, with programme and transformation briefs driving activity across insurance, government, charity, and consulting. Permanent roles remain strong, particularly in CTO, data leadership, and functional head positions, but the balance is closer to 50/50 than recent weeks.

Volume & Mix

• 36 roles this week – flat vs last week (42) but still above August averages.

• Interim dominates (17 roles, ~47%) – strongest interim showing in September, led by programme directors, programme managers, and transformation leadership.

• Permanent steady (19 roles, ~53%) – across CTOs, IT Directors, technology/digital directors, and functional heads.

• Agency briefs dominate, though notable direct hires include Sue Ryder (Interim IT Director), Homes England (Director of Data), Spirax Group (Head of Digital Delivery), Pet Drugs Online (Head of Technology).

Key Trends This Week

1. Interim rebound – programme/change surge

   • Programme directors & managers make up the bulk of interim roles.

   • Strong spread across insurance, local government, consulting, and charity.

   • ERP and SAP-specific briefs highlight ongoing transformation spend.

2. C-suite presence steady but quieter than early September

   • Interim CTO (FinTech) and perm CTOs (Germany medical, Manchester finance SME, Lancashire).

   • More regional CTO briefs, showing demand beyond London.

3. Data leadership visible again

   • Interim Data Director (FS).

   • Permanent Homes England Director of Data (high-profile government role).

   • Head of Data (B2B SaaS).

4. Charity & housing continuing as active employers

   • Sue Ryder (Interim IT Director), multiple charity programme roles, Target Ovarian Cancer last week, and this week’s Director of Technology in charity.

   • Housing again represented via Head of Business Architecture.

5. Functional heads diversify

   • Head of IT Security, Head of PMO, Head of Service Delivery, Head of Digital Delivery, Head of Technology (Pet Drugs Online).

   • Emphasis on strengthening service, security, and delivery functions beneath CIO/CTO.

Week-on-Week Comparison

• Total flat (36 vs 42) – market holding steady at mid-September levels.

• Interim share up (47% vs 38%) – first week where interim has nearly matched permanent in volume.

• Programme/change leadership dominant again, whereas last week functional head and charity clusters stood out.

• CIO/CDO/CTO quieter than earlier in the month but still present.

• Data leadership remains steady with both interim and perm roles.

Month-on-Month Trend

• August: Averaged ~25 roles/week, perm-heavy but with regular interim activity.

• September: Surged to 57 at peak, then normalised at 36–42, with perm driving most of the growth but interim climbing in the final two weeks.

• September overall: ~187 roles vs 76 in August — more than double the volume.

• Late September: Interim regains momentum, balancing the previously perm-dominant market.