Market Update: Tech & Change Hot Roles (w/c 19/01)

The third week of January saw a sharp decline in hiring activity, with volumes dropping by approximately a third compared to the prior week. This likely reflects a return to more typical January hiring patterns, after early-month activity that may have carried roles deferred from the shortened December period. The permanent-to-interim balance shifted slightly, with interim roles accounting for a larger proportion of the total. Agency involvement remained high, though direct recruitment was visible across public sector bodies, charities, and corporate organisations.

📊 Volume & Mix

• 37 roles total this week

• Permanent: ~23

• Interim: ~14

Channel: Agency roles accounted for approximately 80% of the total. Direct hires were concentrated in public sector (National Highways, Cleveland Police), charities (Royal British Legion), higher education, and corporate employers.

Down from 54 roles in the previous week.

💡 Key Trends This Week

• Head-level roles were the most frequently recurring this week, with Head of Technology, Head of Change, Head of IT Architecture, Head of Information Security, and Head of AI positions appearing across retail, marketing, public sector, insurance, and real estate sectors.

• Interim CIO and IT Director roles featured across public sector, housing associations, and defence contexts, suggesting ongoing leadership gaps or transition projects in these areas.

• Programme and transformation delivery remained present in interim capacity, including ERP Programme Director (manufacturing), Infrastructure Director, and Global Transformation Director roles, though overall volume was lower than the prior week.

• Change leadership appeared multiple times, with Head of Change and Director of Change roles across insurance, private sector, charity, and higher education, indicating sustained focus on organisational change capability.

• Security and governance roles included Head of Information Security, Chief Information Security Officer, and Head of GRC positions, reflecting ongoing investment in cyber resilience and compliance.

📅 Month-on-Month (rolling view)

• January 2026 (w/c 06/01): 64 roles; permanent hiring dominant; IT Director and Head of IT most common titles; housing and charity sectors notably active.

• January 2026 (w/c 13/01): 54 roles; interim activity up, particularly in private equity; programme and carve-out work more visible; public sector presence reduced.

• January 2026 (w/c 19/01): 37 roles; volumes down by a third; Head-level roles most frequent; change leadership and security roles notable; interim proportion increased.