Market Overview
Over the past three months, salary trends have shown a healthy concentration in the mid-market range, with the majority of vacancies between £50,000 and £80,000. This remains the most active band, underlining consistent demand for experienced professionals who can deliver impact quickly. At the senior end, activity above £100,000 has been encouraging, with momentum building across July and August. Roles which sit within our Oakleaf Executive brand, have shown a clear pickup since June, with organisations moving ahead on leadership and specialist hires. While volumes are naturally smaller at this level, the activity reflects confidence in investing where strategic capability is most needed.
From a role perspective, HR generalist, payroll, and talent positions continue to lead demand, supported by steady growth in analytics and technology. This shows that businesses are both maintaining core HR delivery and expanding future-focused, data-driven functions.
By industry, financial services has remained the strongest driver of activity, though consumer and professional services have gained pace, creating a more balanced market. Overall, the last quarter has been consistent, with healthy hiring across levels and clear signs of renewed commitment to senior appointments in the executive space.
