As technology recruitment specialists, Harvey Nash have a front-row seat to the evolving IT job market – and Leeds is one of the most exciting regions to watch.
While some traditional tech centres are experiencing growth slow or plateau, Leeds is moving in the opposite direction. With tech jobs on the rise and investment in artificial intelligence (AI), cloud, and data roles at an all-time high, the city is positioning itself as a centre of innovation.
New data shows that Leeds’ digital tech sector is growing 125% faster than the national average, with a 46% increase in tech roles – from 23,734 to 34,742 in just a few years (The Data City).
Read on to discover how the city is investing in high-impact, future-facing areas and how this is impacting job trends in the region.
Across Leeds, there’s a growing appetite for expertise in data science, cybersecurity and cloud. From start-ups to well-established businesses, organisations are actively seeking data scientists and cloud architects to strengthen their teams.
Salaries in the region are moving towards that A Head of Data role in the city can now command salaries of up to £120,000 (Yorkshire Times), on par with London benchmarks, highlighting just how far Leeds’ tech job market has progressed.
The Harvey Nash Tech Talent & Salary Report 2024 found that the number of companies with a Head of AI position has tripled in five years, growing by 28%. This aligns with what we’re seeing in Leeds: strong demand for roles like machine learning engineer, data scientist, and AI product manager across sectors including legal, finance and healthcare.
Salaries reflect this demand. UK-based AI and machine learning specialists now earn a median of £87,500, with upper quartiles hitting £130,000 (Harvey Nash, 2024).
Nationally, the cybersecurity sector has seen a slight dip of 0.6%.
In Leeds it’s a different story.
The city recorded a 9.9% rise in cybersecurity roles (The Data City). With organisations prioritising cyber resilience alongside digital expansion, hiring for cybersecurity-focused roles remains consistent.
Another unique aspect of Leeds’ tech scene is the growth of digital agencies, many of which are female-founded.
These agencies are contributing significantly to the city’s creative and digital economy and are hiring across content, UX, digital marketing, and project delivery.
This diversity in business leadership is helping to shape a more inclusive economy, ultimately driving collaboration and new ideas.
With the rise of cloud and automation, demand for traditional IT services and hardware manufacturing is shrinking in Leeds, mirroring a broader national trend.
Employers are increasingly focused on cloud-first infrastructure and SaaS solutions, which has led to a drop-off in desktop support and infrastructure-heavy roles.
As a result, many professionals are successfully reskilling, moving into cloud engineering, DevSecOps and platform automation roles, which remain in high demand.
Leeds’ success is no accident. It’s built on:
Notably, 37% of tech workers in the UK now enter the industry via alternative routes like bootcamps, career changes or self-teaching, further fuelling Leeds’ accessible and diverse tech culture (Harvey Nash, 2024).
Leeds is rapidly becoming a magnet for major investment, underpinning its transformation into a leading tech and innovation hub.
The West Yorkshire Investment Zone is revitalising historic landmarks like the Old Medical School on Great George Street, converting them into vibrant innovation campuses and co-working spaces. This ‘Innovation Arc’ is already attracting R&D teams and tech start-ups, further strengthening the city’s digital ecosystem (Deloitte).
In July 2024, the UK Government launched a £7.3 billion National Wealth Fund (NWF) dedicated to supporting low-carbon projects. The fund’s delivery arm, the UK Infrastructure Bank, is based in Leeds, firmly establishing the city as a focal point for sustainable investment and green technology innovation (Leeds City Council).
Adding to this momentum, the 2024 International Investment Summit saw the UK secure £63 billion in new investment pledges, which is expected to create around 38,000 jobs nationwide. Key commitments include hyperscale data centres, sectors where Leeds’ strong digital and advanced manufacturing capabilities position it to benefit significantly (The Guardian).
Leeds has emerged as one of the UK’s most resilient and forward-thinking tech hubs, and at Harvey Nash we’ve seen that first-hand. From AI to data and cloud, the city is not only keeping up with national demand, it’s setting the pace.
Whether you’re a candidate exploring your next career move or a business looking to build a future-ready team, Leeds offers fertile ground for tech innovation.
For deeper market insight, download the Harvey Nash Tech Talent & Salary Report to explore salary benchmarks, hiring trends, and the most in-demand tech roles across the UK.
