Hiring accelerates in Manchester, overtaking London’s growth

Hiring accelerates in Manchester, overtaking London’s growth

• Manchester is outpacing London in the hiring rebound, signalling a shift towards regional talent hubs.
• Professional roles rose 21% between March and April, ahead of London’s 17% growth.
• Manchester employers are regaining confidence and restarting paused hiring, aligning with regional growth plans.
• Demand is driven by high-impact roles, especially in data, tech, compliance and transformation.
• The surge highlights Manchester’s growing strength as a skilled talent hub, as firms invest in future capability.

Hiring across highly skilled professional services is rebounding at pace across Manchester, with the number of new roles added between March and April exceeding growth rates recorded in London. That’s according to global talent solutions and business consulting firm, Robert Half.

The firm’s latest proprietary job posting database reveals a 21% increase in the number of professional roles added month-on-month in April, 4 points ahead of London. The figures reflect the increasing role regional cities are playing in the UK’s post-uncertainty hiring recovery and signal renewed confidence among employers in the North West.

Among the roles currently in demand, key disciplines include business intelligence & data analysis, compliance, digital transformation, software development & testing, office support, marketing and PR, and human resources.

Manchester’s rapid growth reflects both its rising reputation as a hub for professional and technical talent and efforts to build capability in areas that actively shape its economic future to support long-term development. As the world of work continues to evolve at pace, many businesses are prioritising hires that deliver immediate value while also strengthening future capability.

Catherine Henry, Branch Director Manchester at Robert Half, commented:

“Manchester’s hiring recovery is showing clear signs of renewed momentum and alongside the regional growth agenda, employers are becoming more confident about hiring again. We’re seeing businesses investing in specialised talent that creates real, lasting value: roles in technology, compliance and transformation that not only future proof organisations but open up rewarding career pathways for skilled professionals across the region. Manchester has always been a city of ambition and the pace of hiring right now reflects that.”

ENDS

Press contact:
Vickie Collinge
vickie@bluesky-pr.com
01582 790 705

Tsvetan Gushanski
tsvetan.gushanski@roberthalf.net
+44 (0)777 999 3027

About Robert Half
Robert Half (NYSE: RHI) is the world’s first and largest specialised talent solutions and business consulting firm, connecting highly skilled job seekers with rewarding opportunities at great companies. We offer contract talent and permanent placement solutions in the fields of finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, and HR, administrative and customer support, and we also provide executive search services. Robert Half is the parent company of Protiviti®, a global consulting firm that delivers internal audit, risk, business and technology consulting solutions. In the last 12 months, Robert Half has been recognised as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces by Great Place to Work® (GPTW) and, with Protiviti, has been named one of Fortune® Most Admired Companies™. Explore comprehensive talent solutions, research and insights at https://www.roberthalf.com/gb/en

About the research
Role demand insights are based on a Robert Half analysis of over 55,000 job postings across the United Kingdom from March 1st 2026, to April 30th 2026, provided by Textkernel.