Understand where the biggest technology skills gaps are in the UK and see how difficult different roles and specialisms are to hire for in todayβs market.
Our UK Tech Skills Gap Grid helps you quickly compare talent availability, hiring demand and market pressures across key technology areas, helping you plan your recruitment strategy with greater confidence.
Simply explore the grid below to see where skills are most in demand and where hiring challenges could impact your plans.
UK TECH SKILLS GAP GRID
See where the UK tech talent pool is thinnest right now
Enter your email to unlock the scarcity grid across Microsoft Cloud, Data Analytics & AI, Software, Infrastructure & Support and Cyber Security.
Please enter a valid email address.
We’ll only use your email to follow up about your results β no spam.
Q4 2026
UK TECH SKILLS GAP GRID
Where the UK tech talent pool is thinnest right now
A live view of hiring difficulty across five specialisms, scored on time to fill, candidate pool depth, counter-offer risk, salary inflation and demand growth.
Filter by scarcity
Copilot and AI investment is pulling demand into Power Platform and security-adjacent Modern Workplace roles fastest, while SharePoint/SPFx development stays a steadier, deeper-pooled hire.
1β4 of 18 roles
Power Platform Practice Led
High
3.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
The smallest pool in the specialism β very few candidates combine delivery credibility with commercial practice ownership.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Power Platform Solution Architect
High
3.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
Design-authority Power Platform talent is thin; most strong candidates are already committed to a practice.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Power Platform Senior Consultant
High
3.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
A tightening pool as more clients invest in Power Platform-led transformation.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Power Platform Senior Developer
Moderate
2.8/ 5.0 scarcity score
Senior build talent is harder to prise loose than the consultant-track equivalent.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Power Platform Consultant
Moderate
2.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
Steady demand with a workable, if competitive, mid-level pool.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Power Platform Mid Developer
Moderate
2.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Reasonable supply at this level, particularly from candidates cross-training out of SharePoint.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Power Platform Junior Developer
Low
1.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
An accessible entry point into the specialism β a healthy junior pool.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth2
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
SharePoint / SPFx Lead Developer
Moderate
2.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Lead-level SharePoint talent is scarcer than the mid-level pool beneath it.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
SharePoint / SPFx Senior Developer
Moderate
2.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
A workable, moderately competitive search at senior level.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
SharePoint / SPFx Mid Developer
Low
1.8/ 5.0 scarcity score
One of the more established Microsoft Cloud skillsets β a deep, reliable candidate pool.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth2
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Modern Workplace Practice Lead (Productivity)
High
3.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Practice-level ownership candidates are scarce across both Modern Workplace tracks.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Modern Workplace Solution Architect (Productivity)
High
3.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
Design-authority talent on the productivity track is tightening as adoption grows.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Modern Workplace Senior Consultant (Productivity)
Moderate
2.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
A steady, moderately competitive mid-senior search.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Modern Workplace Consultant (Productivity)
Moderate
2.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
The steadiest hire in the specialism, with a healthy pool at consultant level.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Modern Workplace Practice Lead (Security)
High
3.8/ 5.0 scarcity score
Security-flavoured practice leadership is the scarcest role on the whole Microsoft Cloud grid.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk4
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Modern Workplace Solution Architect (Security)
High
3.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
Sits across productivity and security, which narrows the realistic candidate pool considerably.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Modern Workplace Senior Consultant (Security)
High
3.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Security-flavoured Modern Workplace consultants are tighter to find than the productivity-track equivalent.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Modern Workplace Consultant (Security)
Moderate
2.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
A growing requirement with a moderately competitive pool.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
AI and ML engineering are the tightest hires in the specialism, while data analysis, BI and governance roles remain comparatively deep and quicker to fill.
1β4 of 37 roles
Chief Data Officer
Critical
4.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
The scarcest hire on the whole grid β a genuinely small pool of candidates with board-level data accountability.
Time to fill5
Candidate pool depth5
Counter-offer risk4
Salary premium trend4
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
AI & ML Specialist
Critical
4.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
A blended skillset few candidates hold end to end; expect a long search for the right fit.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth5
Counter-offer risk4
Salary premium trend4
Demand growth5
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
AI Engineer
Critical
4.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
GenAI demand has outpaced supply by a wide margin β one of the tightest hires on the whole grid.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth5
Counter-offer risk4
Salary premium trend4
Demand growth5
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Head of Data
Critical
4.0/ 5.0 scarcity score
Senior data leadership hires are consistently the longest, most competitive searches in the specialism.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk4
Salary premium trend4
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Head of Data Architecture
High
3.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
Design-authority leadership at this scale is genuinely scarce across the UK market.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Enterprise Data Architect
High
3.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
Enterprise-scale design authority narrows the pool considerably versus solution-level architects.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
ML Engineer
High
3.8/ 5.0 scarcity score
Production-grade ML pipeline experience is still scarce outside a handful of scale-ups.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk4
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Head of Data Engineering
High
3.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
Leadership-level data engineering hires take considerably longer than IC roles beneath them.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Head of Data Science
High
3.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
Senior data science leadership is harder to place than the individual-contributor roles beneath it.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Lead / Principal Data Engineer
High
3.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Principal-level engineering talent is tightening as more clients scale their data platforms.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Lead Data Scientist
High
3.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
A workable but competitive search β strong candidates rarely stay on market long.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Data Science Manager
High
3.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
Management-track data science hires compete directly with lead IC roles for the same shallow pool.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Senior / Lead Data Architect
High
3.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
Senior design talent is scarcer than architect-level roles further down the ladder.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Data Architect
High
3.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
Design-level data talent is tightening as more clients modernise legacy platforms.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Solution Architect (Data)
Moderate
2.8/ 5.0 scarcity score
A moderately competitive search, comparable to the core Data Architect track.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Senior Data Engineer
Moderate
2.8/ 5.0 scarcity score
Senior-level engineering demand consistently outpaces the mid-level pool beneath it.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Data Engineer
Moderate
2.8/ 5.0 scarcity score
Solid, consistent demand; good candidates move fast once they’re on the market.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Copilot Studio Specialist
High
3.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
A newer skillset β demand has surged with client investment in Copilot, and few candidates have delivery experience yet.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Head of Data Governance
Moderate
2.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
A shallow pool of candidates with genuine governance leadership experience.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Head of BI
Moderate
2.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
BI leadership hires take longer than analyst or developer-level roles beneath them.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Data & Analytics Manager
Moderate
2.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
A moderately competitive management-track search.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Senior Data Scientist
Moderate
2.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
A reasonable pool overall, though the strongest candidates get snapped up within days.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Data Scientist
Moderate
2.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
One of the more accessible mid-level hires in the specialism.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Data Governance Manager
Moderate
2.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
Management-track governance hires are workable, if slightly niche.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Data Quality Manager
Moderate
2.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
A steady, moderately competitive management search.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
BI Manager
Moderate
2.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
Workable pool of candidates with both technical and people-management grounding.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Lead Data Analyst
Moderate
2.0/ 5.0 scarcity score
A comparatively deep pool versus the engineering and science tracks.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Data Governance Analyst
Moderate
2.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
A growing requirement for regulated clients, with a comparatively shallow dedicated candidate pool.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Data Steward
Moderate
2.0/ 5.0 scarcity score
A steady, if niche, hire with a workable candidate pool.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
BI Developer
Low
1.8/ 5.0 scarcity score
One of the deeper pools in the specialism, with plenty of tool-transferable candidates.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth2
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Power BI Analyst / Developer
Low
1.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
A very accessible hire given how widely Power BI skills have spread.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth2
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Junior Data Engineer
Low
1.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
A healthy entry-level pool feeding the rest of the engineering track.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth2
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Junior Data Scientist
Low
1.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
An accessible entry point with a solid junior candidate pool.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth2
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Data Quality Analyst
Low
1.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
One of the more accessible hires in Data Governance & Quality.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth2
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth1
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
BI Analyst
Low
1.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
A reliable, quick-turnaround hire with a broad candidate pool.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth2
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Data Analyst
Low
1.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
The most straightforward hire in Data Analytics & AI β wide salary band reflects a broad, accessible pool.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth1
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Junior Data Analyst
Low
1.0/ 5.0 scarcity score
The deepest, quickest-turnaround pool in the whole specialism.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth1
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth1
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Python continues to pull ahead on demand thanks to its AI/data overlap, and cloud-augmented fullstack talent commands a premium, while PHP and general web development stay comparatively easy to resource.
1β4 of 33 roles
Fullstack Software Director (.NET, JS, Cloud)
Critical
4.0/ 5.0 scarcity score
The scarcest hire in Software β very few candidates combine cloud-scale technical depth with director-level ownership.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk4
Salary premium trend4
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
C#.NET Software Director
High
3.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
Director-level candidates with deep .NET credibility are consistently hard to find.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk4
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Fullstack Software Director (.NET + JS)
High
3.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
A small pool of candidates able to own both technical direction and commercial delivery.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk4
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
PHP Software Director
Moderate
2.8/ 5.0 scarcity score
One of the more accessible director-level hires, reflecting PHP’s steadier demand growth.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Fullstack Software Architect (.NET, JS, Cloud)
High
3.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
Cloud-augmented architecture talent is scarcer than core fullstack architecture roles.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Fullstack Dev Manager (.NET, JS, Cloud)
High
3.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Management-track candidates with cloud depth are tightening as demand grows.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Python Dev Manager
High
3.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Management-track Python talent is pulled along by AI and data engineering overlap.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Fullstack Dev Manager (.NET + JS)
High
3.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Candidates who can code credibly and lead a team are consistently in short supply.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk4
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Front-End Dev Manager (React/Angular/Vue)
Moderate
2.8/ 5.0 scarcity score
A moderately competitive management-track search.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
C#.NET Dev Manager
Moderate
2.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
A steady, well-supplied management-track search relative to newer stacks.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
PHP Dev Manager
Moderate
2.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Reasonable supply at management level, consistent with PHP’s steadier demand.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Web Dev Manager (HTML/CSS/JS/WordPress)
Moderate
2.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
The most accessible management-track hire across the whole Software specialism.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Python Senior Developer
High
3.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Senior Python talent is genuinely tight given the overlap with AI and data roles.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Fullstack Senior Developer (.NET, JS, Cloud)
High
3.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
Cloud-augmented senior talent commands a premium and takes longer to place.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Fullstack Senior Developer (.NET + JS)
Moderate
2.8/ 5.0 scarcity score
Senior fullstack talent is workable but moderately competitive.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Front-End Senior Developer (React/Angular/Vue)
Moderate
2.8/ 5.0 scarcity score
Healthy framework-transferable pool at senior level; a reliable, moderate-pace hire.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
C#.NET Senior Developer
Moderate
2.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
A steady, well-established senior candidate pool.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
PHP Senior Developer
Moderate
2.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
Reliable senior supply, with lower demand growth than the newer stacks.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Web Senior Developer (HTML/CSS/JS/WordPress)
Low
1.8/ 5.0 scarcity score
One of the deeper senior-level pools in the whole specialism.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth2
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Python Mid Developer
Moderate
2.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
A tightening mid-level pool as AI-adjacent demand pulls candidates elsewhere.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Fullstack Mid Developer (.NET, JS, Cloud)
Moderate
2.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Cloud exposure at mid-level is a differentiator that narrows the pool slightly.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Fullstack Mid Developer (.NET + JS)
Moderate
2.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
A workable, moderately competitive mid-level search.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Front-End Mid Developer (React/Angular/Vue)
Moderate
2.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
Reasonable supply at mid-level across most JS frameworks.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
C#.NET Mid Developer
Moderate
2.0/ 5.0 scarcity score
A healthy, well-established mid-level candidate pool.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
PHP Mid Developer
Low
1.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Consistent supply at mid-level, reflecting PHP’s mature candidate base.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth2
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Web Mid Developer (HTML/CSS/JS/WordPress)
Low
1.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
One of the quickest mid-level hires across the whole specialism.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth2
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth1
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Python Junior Developer
Low
1.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
A healthy junior pool, though many progress quickly into more senior AI-adjacent roles.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth2
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Fullstack Junior Developer (.NET, JS, Cloud)
Low
1.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
An accessible entry point given the growing appetite for cloud-native skills.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth2
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Fullstack Junior Developer (.NET + JS)
Low
1.0/ 5.0 scarcity score
A solid junior candidate pool feeding the rest of the track.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth1
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth1
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Front-End Junior Developer (React/Angular/Vue)
Low
1.0/ 5.0 scarcity score
A deep junior pool across most JS frameworks.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth1
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth1
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
C#.NET Junior Developer
Low
1.0/ 5.0 scarcity score
A consistently deep, quick-turnaround junior pool.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth1
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth1
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
PHP Junior Developer
Low
1.0/ 5.0 scarcity score
One of the most accessible junior hires in the specialism.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth1
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth1
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Web Junior Developer (HTML/CSS/JS/WordPress)
Low
1.0/ 5.0 scarcity score
The fastest, deepest junior pool across the whole Software specialism.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth1
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth1
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
The steadiest of the five specialisms β most roles are fillable within a normal process timeline, with technical architecture and IT leadership the exceptions.
1β4 of 15 roles
IT Director
High
3.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Director-level IT leadership hires take considerably longer than any other role in the specialism.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Head of IT
High
3.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Senior IT leadership hires are consistently the longest searches in Infrastructure & Support.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Technical Architect
High
3.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Design-authority infrastructure talent is scarcer than the delivery-focused roles beneath it.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Infrastructure Manager
Moderate
2.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
Management-track hires take a little longer than individual contributor roles, but the pool is workable.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
IT Manager
Moderate
2.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
A moderately competitive, workable management-track search.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Project Manager (Infrastructure)
Moderate
2.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
Reasonable supply; timeline mostly depends on client process speed rather than candidate scarcity.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Technical Consultant
Moderate
2.8/ 5.0 scarcity score
A broad remit that narrows the pool slightly compared with more clearly scoped engineering roles.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Network Engineer
Moderate
2.8/ 5.0 scarcity score
Design-level network talent takes a little longer to place than analyst-level roles.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Project Engineer
Moderate
2.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
A workable, moderately competitive search across most infrastructure projects.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Infrastructure Engineer / Systems Administrator
Moderate
2.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
A core, consistently available hire across most infrastructure searches.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Network Analyst
Moderate
2.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
Entry-to-mid network talent is one of the more accessible hires in the specialism.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Service Desk Manager
Moderate
2.0/ 5.0 scarcity score
Workable pool of candidates with people-management experience layered on technical grounding.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth2
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
3rd Line Support Engineer
Moderate
2.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
Requires deeper technical range than 1st/2nd line, so takes a little longer to place.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
2nd Line Support Engineer
Low
1.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Slightly tighter than 1st line, but still a quick, reliable fill.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth2
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
1st Line Support Engineer
Low
1.0/ 5.0 scarcity score
The fastest hire on the whole grid β a very deep candidate pool.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth1
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth1
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Cyber remains the most consistently under-supplied specialism, with executive leadership, security architecture and incident response the sharpest pinch points.
1β4 of 28 roles
CISO (Global / EMEA)
Critical
4.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
The scarcest hire on the whole grid β a genuinely small pool of candidates with global-scale accountability.
Time to fill5
Candidate pool depth5
Counter-offer risk4
Salary premium trend4
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Head of Information Security (10+)
Critical
4.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
Large-team leadership hires are extremely limited across the UK market.
Time to fill5
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk4
Salary premium trend4
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Head of Cyber Security
Critical
4.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
Senior cyber leadership hires are consistently the longest, most competitive searches in the specialism.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth5
Counter-offer risk4
Salary premium trend4
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Enterprise Security Architect
Critical
4.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
Design-authority security talent at enterprise scale is extremely hard to prise from existing roles.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth5
Counter-offer risk4
Salary premium trend4
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Head of Security Architecture
Critical
4.0/ 5.0 scarcity score
A very small pool of candidates who can own architecture strategy at this level.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk4
Salary premium trend4
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
BISO (Business Information Security Officer)
Critical
4.0/ 5.0 scarcity score
A hybrid business-and-security remit that very few candidates are genuinely equipped for.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk4
Salary premium trend4
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Head of Information Security (<10)
High
3.8/ 5.0 scarcity score
Still a demanding leadership search even at smaller team scale.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk4
Salary premium trend4
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Head of Incident Response
Critical
4.0/ 5.0 scarcity score
Candidates with genuine live-incident leadership experience are hard to find at any price.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk4
Salary premium trend4
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Head of Security Operations
High
3.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
Operations leadership hires compete for the same shallow senior pool as other Head-of roles.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Head of GRC
High
3.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Regulatory pressure (NIS2, DORA) is pulling more senior GRC candidates into competing roles simultaneously.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Head of Cyber Threat Intelligence
High
3.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
A very shallow pool of candidates with dedicated threat intelligence leadership experience.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Application Security Architect
High
3.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
Application-layer architecture talent is scarce and heavily sought after by regulated clients.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Cloud Security Architect
High
3.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
Multi-cloud security design skills at architect level are rare and heavily counter-offered.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Security Solutions Architect
High
3.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
Consistently hard to fill; strong candidates are usually promoted internally before they reach the market.
Time to fill4
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Information Security Manager (5+)
High
3.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
Experienced management-track candidates are tightening as demand grows.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Application Security Engineer
High
3.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
A specialised engineering skillset with a shallower pool than generalist security roles.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Cloud Security Engineer
High
3.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Multi-cloud security design skills are rare and heavily counter-offered.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
DevSecOps Engineer
High
3.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Sits at the intersection of two scarce disciplines, which narrows the pool further.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Threat Detection Engineer
High
3.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
Demand has grown quickly as clients build out in-house detection capability.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst
High
3.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
A tightening pool as more clients build dedicated threat intelligence functions.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth4
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend3
Demand growth4
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Information Security Programme Manager
Moderate
2.8/ 5.0 scarcity score
Programme-level candidates who can manage security transformation at scale are hard to find.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk3
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Information Security Officer
Moderate
2.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
Mid-senior GRC talent is workable but tightening as regulatory requirements expand.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Information Security Engineer
Moderate
2.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
Solid, consistent demand across most regulated clients.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Security Operations Manager
Moderate
2.6/ 5.0 scarcity score
A moderately competitive management-track search, sitting between GRC and Security Ops.
Time to fill3
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Information Security Project Manager
Moderate
2.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
A workable, moderately competitive project-management search.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Information Security Analyst (GRC)
Moderate
2.2/ 5.0 scarcity score
A reasonable pool for mid-level GRC analyst roles.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Cyber Security Analyst
Moderate
2.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
The deepest pool in the specialism β a reliable, quicker-turnaround hire.
Time to fill2
Candidate pool depth3
Counter-offer risk2
Salary premium trend2
Demand growth3
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Junior Information Security Analyst (GRC)
Low
1.4/ 5.0 scarcity score
An accessible entry point into GRC with a healthy junior pool.
Time to fill1
Candidate pool depth2
Counter-offer risk1
Salary premium trend1
Demand growth2
+ TAP FOR BREAKDOWN
Want to explore the data in more detail?
Download our Where the UK Tech Talent Pool Is Thinnest Right Now report to see all of these roles in one place, save the insights for later and understand where technology talent is becoming increasingly difficult to find.
Why hire with Mexa Solutions?
Finding the right technology talent isnβt always easy. Thatβs where we come in.
As specialist technology recruiters, we combine in-depth market knowledge with a personal, tailored approach to help businesses find and secure the people they need.
With a 4.9-star Google rating from more than 100 reviews, our clients trust us to deliver a recruitment service built around quality, insight and, most importantly, results.
Posted on Google
Arran Penfold
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Had a great experience with Mexa Solutions. Dom Buck reached out to me and was brilliant to deal with throughout, quick to respond, kept me updated at every stage, and made the whole process smooth and easy. He clearly took the time to find the right fit rather than just filling a role. Ended up landing a great new position as a result. Highly recommend Mexa Solutions if you're looking for a recruiter who actually follows through.
Posted on Google
Mark Thwaite
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Simon from Mexa Solutions has been instrumental in helping me land my new role as a consultant. I am very grateful to him and Mexa Solutions for the support during the interview process. Simon was responsive, informative, and even checked in after my start day to ensure I was settling in. Thank you to both Simon and Mexa for their help!
Posted on Google
Ellen W
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
After being made redundant, I wasn't really sure what to do next. I was applying for many jobs every day, and I'd had bad experiences with recruiters in the past with ghosting me, being unable to help me find work, etc. So, when I was called by Bob Bath, I was naturally skeptical. He mentioned he'd found my CV online and thought I'd be perfect for a role. I gave him the go ahead and expected to never hear back from him, but it was the complete opposite. Bob managed to get me an interview, gave me good information on the company, and was always checking up on me during the process. I felt like Bob actually cared about the outcome of the process, and thankfully, I was able to secure my newest job thanks to him. Thank you Bob for restoring my faith in recruiters!
Posted on Google
IndianGovt
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
I had an excellent experience with the recruitment process from start to finish, and I couldn't be happier with the outcome. Thanks to their support, I've secured a new position as **Senior Infrastructure Consultant. A special thank you goes to **Bob Bath**, who was outstanding throughout the entire process. From our very first conversation, Bob took the time to understand my experience, career goals, and what I was looking for in my next role. His communication was excellent, keeping me informed at every stage and offering valuable advice before each interview. Bob's professionalism, encouragement, and genuine commitment made what can often be a stressful process feel straightforward and well managed. I always felt that he had my best interests at heart, and his support gave me the confidence to perform at my best. I would highly recommend both Bob Bath and the recruitment team to anyone looking for their next opportunity. Thank you again for helping me secure a fantastic roleβI truly appreciate everything you've done!
Posted on Google
Andy Nicholls
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Mexa Solutions are excellent, I would highly recommend them, my overall experience was top class! Bob and his team kept me well informed during the whole interview process and provided me valuable tips and info to help me along the way. 5 star service!
Posted on Google
Tom Reed
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
I was very impressed when working with Mexa, Dom was regularly in contact during the hiring process and helped to make sure I was fully prepared for interviews, etc. Highly recommend π
Posted on Google
Chirag Trivedi
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
I worked with Bob during my recruitment process. From start to finish, Bob was absolutely amazing. From the very first call, right to the end, Bob was nothing but helpful. Everything was communicated extremely clearly, and he would always make himself available for any questions. Just want to take the time to say thank you to Bob for all his hard work during the process.
Posted on Google
Chris Boseley
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Iβve worked with Bob and the Mexa team for several years across multiple employers. After juggling far too many responsibilities and spending countless hours on recruitment, partnering with Mexa was a breath of fresh air. They reminded me of the value that a dedicated, specialist recruiter brings to the hiring process. Their support freed up a huge amount of my time, improved candidate quality, and made everything significantly easier. Thank you, Bob and the team β keep up the exceptional work!
Posted on Google
Glen Knight
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Can highly recommend Mexa Solutions. Dom was excellent, making sure I was comfortable with the recruitment process, badgering the new employer when I needed re-assurance. Found me the perfect role.