Technology is constantly changing, and therefore so is the role of the technology professional. If we think back to a decade or two ago, IT professionals’ roles will have been incredibly different to the ones we have today. With many different roles now needing technical skills, the idea of having a dedicated person to handle the bulk of IT tasks seems crazy; there are so many elements to it, it’s become an incredibly complex sector.
Now, tech is moving so quickly that the most in-demand tech roles change year on year. This is why in honour of IT Professionals Day, we’re rounding up some of the most in-demand tech roles right now (according to LinkedIn Talent Insights) to help you better prepare your tech recruitment strategy for 2022.
Data Engineer (+18% Growth)
Data engineers manage, optimise and oversee all data within an organisation, so it’s no surprise that as more of us move elements of our lives online, they’re growing in popularity. Businesses today have so much more data to deal with than ever before. How it’s acquired, stored and distributed is of paramount importance, which is where data engineers come in. They develop, test and maintain architectures, understand databases’ programming, and deploy various statistical models to ensure accuracy.
We can learn a lot from data when it’s handled correctly. It can help businesses to achieve goals and optimise performance. Data engineers are responsible for preparing data, but they also find trends in data, develop algorithms to make data useful and find ways to report data so that business leaders can use it to their advantage.
Data Analyst (+7% Growth)
Data remains to be big the most significant growing trend amongst IT professionals. Data Analysts have the second-highest growth within the UK. A data analyst requires good statistical knowledge as they gather, analyse and interpret data. They bring together theory and practice to provide data-driven insights, helping businesses to remain competitive. Data analysts identify trends in data and also global trends that can impact their industry. They prepare reports to show trends, patterns and predictions which the leadership teams can use. They mine data from various sources, organise it so other team members and machines can read it, then help put the data into context.
Head of Solutions (+6% Growth)
A Head of Solutions is responsible for monitoring the different stages of tech project management and product development strategies. In addition, they lead the solutions architects who are responsible for different elements of the development process and develop new infrastructures like cloud computing and architecture services like data access and integration.
Data Specialist (+6% Growth)
Data specialists are responsible for transferring hard data like paper copies onto digital platforms. They oversee the entire process to ensure that data remains accessible and easy to interpret. In addition, data specialists are responsible for collating and verifying data from different sources, assisting with the implementation of data software storage systems, and executing data transfers.
Solutions Director (+5% Growth)
A Solutions Director and Head of Solutions are incredibly similar in their responsibilities. Their core responsibility is to oversee all aspects of a project which could mean overhauling procedures and operations or supervising the development of products and strategies. In addition, solutions Directors work with a team to develop solutions for specific user issues or help with project planning for new product launches and updates.
The primary responsibilities and duties of a Solutions Director include:
- Taking complete responsibility and accountability for solution management projects.
- Developing and managing budgets.
- Reporting results of the project.
They also prepare resource plans, allocate resources, manage a team of employees and analyse data to identify customer requirements that may require new solutions.
Data Administrator (+5% Growth)
Data Administrators help with day to day administrative tasks. They act as a supporting role to many areas of the business, and it is their job to maintain, analyse and report on data at a basic level which means that projects can proceed. Data Administrators often use specialised software to store and organise data. Then, using investigative and analytical skills, they mine data to provide reports for other areas of the business.
Implementation Consultant (+5% Growth)
Implementation consultants manage various tech projects across the company, providing operational management and guidance. They see the project through from implementation to completion and ensure that they align with the business strategy. The primary responsibilities include:
- Creating timelines and assessing capacity, planning and setting up projects.
- Directing team members.
- Overseeing projects and providing project insight and reports to leadership teams.
Director of Technology (+5% Growth)
A director of technology is responsible for monitoring the operations in the technical side of an organisation. In addition, they manage the efficiency of network systems to ensure the stability and efficiency of business functions. The fact that this role is growing so rapidly reflects the growing importance of technology in many businesses today. Previously, many non-tech companies would not have considered this essential, but now the number of tech candidates taking on Director of Technology roles has increased by 5% in just 12 months, and it’s a role we expect will continue to grow.
Senior Data Analyst (+4% Growth)
We already explained what a data analyst does so that we won’t go into this one too much. Essentially they analyse data, interpret trends and put data into context for senior stakeholders. However, the idea that Senior Data Analyst is beginning to trend as a role is fascinating. Previously, data analysts were hard to come by; now, we have a more senior level, showing that we’re getting more experienced in interpreting data, and the role is moving forward. In addition, it identifies career progression for data professionals.
Chief Technology Officer (+4% Growth)
A Chief Technology Officer is in charge of a company’s information technology and computer system. They’re responsible for assessing current processes, recommending any software upgrades, and directing the executive team on the best strategies to move the business forward. They have a huge level of responsibility when scaling a tech business and ensuring they remain state of the art.
What do these growing roles tell us?
These roles growing at a high-speed rate in the last 12 months explains two key takeaways.
The first is that data is growing in importance. It’s long been said that data is the most valuable asset we have; managing it properly can allow you to be strategic and help your business to make informed decisions. However, the fact that 50% of the highest growing tech roles involve data management shows that businesses are tapping into this. It’s not only tech businesses that rely on vast amounts of data and need to utilise it properly. In fact, now almost every industry you can think of has a role for data professionals. So much so that the primary IT role is now data management.
Secondly, we’re seeing more tech leadership and management roles which shows that tech is gaining more influence in many businesses. However, directors, project managers, and Heads of departments appointed purely for technical purposes indicate that tech is growing insignificantly. Companies realise that they need to prioritise their technical offering to succeed, which means getting technical talent into senior roles, including c-suite positions.
Talent Works specialises in helping scaling tech businesses to find the best technical talent to grow. If you’re interested in sourcing any of the above roles, get in touch and find out how our flexible RPO approach could help you find the right talent in a competitive market while relieving your internal recruitment teams.
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