Project & Programme Manager Market September 2022
With a strong demand being driven by multiple market catalysts, salaries have remained strong in project management. The seemingly never-ending requirement for compliance-driven projects in the multitude of highly regulated industries, including; financial services, gambling, healthcare and pharmaceutical, has a significant role to play in maintaining demand. The high volume of transformation or digitalisation programmes that organisations with a large presence in Ireland are undertaking also contribute to strengthening the demand side of the ledger.
There has also been a resurgence of the project management role in a product-structured environment since driving things through to completion often requires the diligence and meticulous outcome-oriented approach a strong project manager brings to the fray.
In the past, companies based beyond commuting distance to Dublin could expect to secure a project manager at a lower salary level but since remote working has taken hold this is no longer the case. There has been a normalising of the salaries being paid across the 26 counties since a good size proportion of companies are willing to give a project manager the leeway to come to the office on an “as needed” basis.
By the same measure, Dublin-located businesses that allow project managers the flexibility of working remotely are sometimes able to hire at a lower salary point. This has resulted in some companies having to play catch-up while others have made the most of the opportunity. The project managers that are best able to lead and manage a disparately spread project team are tending to outperform colleagues that were historically reliant on being in the office with their team 5 days a week.
Companies are also valuing loyalty at a premium and focusing on candidates that have 2+ year tenures with each employer rather than jumping ship every 6 to 12 months. Although this is not a new trend it is certainly a more prominent feature of the current zeitgeist.