SURREY & SUSSEX

Recruitment Trends

CrawleyWidely recognised as the region’s primary economic driver. Home to London Gatwick Airport - the UK’s second largest - the region is on 74 countries’ doorstep. Its largest business park, Manor Royal, frequently attracts international investment.

DorkingAn affluent Surrey market town, Dorking also boasts a major business park which houses a number of well-established health, engineering and travel consultancy firms.

Brighton & HoveCelebrated for its artistic culture and eclectic attractions, this thriving hub is home to award-winning creative agencies and tech innovators. Neighbouring Universities, both Sussex and Brighton, inspire the next generation of creatives and professionals.

Redhill & Reigate Significant market leaders in finance and insurance call this area home. It’s home to the highest median full-time earners in the borough. Plus, Redhill’s regeneration is creating new opportunities for professionals, with impact on travel, leisure and business.

Haywards HeathCouncil investment in retail and industrial parks is planned into 2023, with a focus on the generation of corporate facilities that will attract leading accountancy and professional firms.

Optimism can be found throughout

the market, with employers making

significant growth plans for 2018.

Brexit may add uncertainty, certainly

for those who rely on importing

talent, but overall it is very much

business as usual.

Candidates still hold firm control of the market, with opportunity to applicant ratios stacked significantly in their favour. Undoubtedly, this has prompted many businesses to adopt a more ‘people-centric’ approach to future planning, expanding based on available talent and specialist skills.

Employers are also working harder than ever to attract and retain the best. Beyond raising salaries - which certainly remains a key factor - accommodating individuals’ full range of career and lifestyle requirements is becoming of ever greater importance. In a tight market, any point of differentiation is worthy of attention.

Senior positions are being created across the region. With investment flowing into our business infrastructure, ever more head offices and major professional service providers are opening shop here. Filling the resulting vacancies however, remains challenging, with intense demand for the most specialist skills.

Hello and welcome to Ambra’s 2018 report on recruitment trends in the Surrey and Sussex region

London city commuters remain a challenge for local employers to recruit. Differential factors - whether rooted in fact or merely ‘perceived’ – such as salary, career potential and lifestyle benefits present obstacles for Surrey and Sussex employers to overcome. But with commute costs spiralling, ever-more professionals are seeking change.

Ours is also an increasingly global market, so international business skills are commanding a growing premium. Of course, this also adds yet more competition for talent, meaning employers have to work hard to ensure access to the best on the market.

We wish you a prosperous andsuccessful 2018. All the best,

Surrey and Sussex has no ‘capital’. Instead, opportunity is everywhere, with numerous established and emerging commercial hubs currently in growth.

Kerry GillittManaging Consultant

01 Opportunities Clustered In Regional Hubs

100+ Gatwick Diamond

region scores well above national

averageVibrant Economy Index

121Thousand

Business Enterprises

Surrey & Sussex

Surrey & Sussex

Generated

£74.1bnfor the UK economy

in 2013

Numerous highly specialist aviation and aerospace engineering suppliers and technologists operate design and development from sites such as the University of Surrey.

Many renowned and well-respected financial services institutions have a significant presence in the region. It’s a hub for financial, accountancy and investment operations.

Our region sets global trends in environmental innovation and green energy initiatives. Top academic talent and commercial industry undertake world-leading research and development here.

03 World-ClassIndustries Require World-Class Talent

02 Business Growth Out-Performs National Average Substantially

At the forefront of R&D. Surrey is home to numerous cutting-edge medical research projects, driven by collaborations between universities and global businesses.

Driven by international trade, this is a key growth sector. Over 800+ advanced enterprises create wold-renowned specialist products from audio equipment to car components.

Our region competes on the global stage. Key, specialist industries require top class talent to thrive, but with such uncertainty on the international horizon, maintaining or growing the required talent inflow will become increasingly challenging.

Innovation is key to success for FMCG in the region. Creating leading research institutes and global roles in marketing, PD, logistics and more.

Finance

Environmental Technologies

Aviation & Aerospace

Medical &Life Sciences

Manufacturing & Engineering

Food & Drink

“We’re lucky to have an abundance of highly specialist small and mid-sized businesses which compete globally”Mike ChampionSenior Consultant, Ambra

Top centre for theUK’s fastest growing

companies

04 Candidates Still In Control of the Market...There’s no two ways about it: the Surrey and Sussex professional job market remains significantly skewed in the candidates’ favour. With numerous industries in growth, from financial services to aviation, competition for trained and talented professionals remains fierce.

That’s not to say finding a job is easy. Every job search is personal, and professionals are of course looking for the right role. Salaries are creeping up, though, and other factors including streamlined interview processes, additional benefits and flexible working are employers’ go-to when looking to attract the best.

05 ...And They Expect More From Employers, Particularly On ‘Lifestyle Benefits’

Since the recession we’ve all been working harder, many of us for longer and often for less reward than our parents enjoyed. In response, millennials – soon to comprise the largest proportion of the workforce – are increasingly looking for jobs which don’t just deliver on cash, but allow them to live the life they want to. Savvy employers understand this trend and are increasingly emphasising their commitment to work-life balance and their focus on healthy working culture. When as many as 25% of professionals are unhappy with their current working situation, there are big hiring opportunities for those who can accommodate.

75% South-East Employment rates reach record heights

36% Qualification holding residents graduate and above

Work-Life Balance

Progressive Opportunities

Company Culture

TOP CRITERIA

True, there’s an average 13% increase in earning potential. But with commutes costing ever-more - both financially and personally - it’s increasingly questionable whether this salary differential is worth the extra cost.

An Opportunity For Regional Employers

Surrey and Sussex employers have a significant opportunity to employ local talent of world class quality by framing this narrowing differential.

Attracting commuters’ attention away from London, though, isn’t always simple,. Working closer to home has its attractions, but candidates still require reassurance that their role and remuneration will allow them to retain quality of life.

London commutes are costing ever-more. Commuting from Sussex into Central London can now cost well over £4,000, not to mention increased prices for city convenience. All that travel adds up, too, with an average 21 days per year spent on the door to door.

Yearly Rail Fare Rise +1.9%

Time Spent Traveling 21 days

Commute Costs £4348

Average Spend £882

per monthIncl. cost of travel, gym & lunch

per year

+13%Vs. Surrey & Sussex Salary Differential

London

CommuteCalculator

06 City Commuters Travel-Weary, Yet Still Wedded To London’s Perceived BenefitsThe London commuter has been pushed to breaking point with increasing fares and worsening service... but the lure of the city remains strong.

Regional employers know that attracting talent away from the city can be critical to success. Yet, with its’ city-centre lifestyle, increasing earning potential and senior career paths, London is still seen as the ‘default’ for ambitious professionals. Graduates and experiences job seekers alike look to the city first.

“WHAT’S YOUR COMMUTE WORTH?”

07 Salaries Rising to Compete With London-Based Roles

It’s been a long time coming, but employers are finally beginning to realise that quality comes at a price. With the ball so firmly in candidates’ court, higher salaries are the most reliable way to access new tiers of professionals: particularly when advertised upfront.

With employers also increasingly concerned about retention, there’s ever-greater potential for counter offers and late-stage offer increases, but candidates generally expect to know where they stand at first approach or application so it pays to be open about earning potential.

Financial services comprise a significant proportion of the region’s economy, but demand for qualified financial talent remains consistently high in all sectors at managerial level. This is an area where earnings, opportunity and clear leadership are key attraction factors.

Finance

Marketing departments are thriving in Surrey and Sussex as many businesses grow head office operations and utilise agencies based here. Digital skills are top of the demand list, and those with solid credentials who also possess leadership talent are highly prized.

Sales & Marketing

Management

Project Management

Ever more head office operations are basing themselves in Surrey and Sussex for – amongst other reasons – its availability of senior business talent. Leadership comes in many forms, though, and managers of all styles and backgrounds are considered.

Often remunerated on a contract basis, project managers are increasingly favouring the stability of permanent employment in these tighter economic times. Pay can vary substantially dependent on the sector and skillset, but demand overall remains high.

Surrey and Sussex are favouring the stability of permanent employment in these tighter economic times. Pay can vary substantially dependent on the sector and skillset, but demand overall remains high.

Growing business operations invariably means hiring, training and looking after increasing numbers of employees. Effective HR leaders who can deliver on growth are some of the region’s most highly sought-after professionals, though role availability is not always prevalent.

HR

LegalWith the shift in focus to serve operations across global regions. Major businesses and practices are ever more demanding new high-calibre talent - in Europe and beyond. Yet it’s the scope of internal progression that retains and motivates top talent.

SALARYGUIDE

08 Professional Skills in High Demand: Expertise Commands a Premium

Finance Average Higher quartile

Management ReportingFinance DirectorChief Finance Officer

£35,000

£70,000

£85,000

£40,000 - £45,000

£75,000 - £85,000

£90,000 - £120,000

Sales & Marketing Average Higher quartile

Sales ManagerMarketing ManagerMarketing Executive

£35,000

£35,000

£27,500

£40,000 - £45,000

£38,000 - £45,000

£30,000 - £35,000

Management Average Higher quartile

Strategy/AnalystBusiness Development Operations Manager

£37,500

£32,500

£40,000

£45,000 - £65,000

£45,000 - £55,000

£50,000 - £60,000

Projects Average Higher quartile

Project CoordinatorProject Manager

£29,000

£40,000

£30,000 - £35,000

£50,000 - £65,000

Legal Average Higher quartile

Compliance Advisor

Head of Compliance

£29,750

£43,000

£35,000 - £50,000

£40,000 - £55,000

Regulatory Affairs(MLRO / Compliance) £43,000 £40,000 - £55,000

Money Laundering Reporting Officer £60,000 £70,000 - £80,000

INTERNATIONAL: “With such uncertainty on the global stage, businesses in the area need to be ready for export and for import. Language skills, mobility and international business experience are becoming tremendously valuable skills.”

WORKFORCE: “We’ve got a large in-commute, but an even larger out-commute as people choose to work in London, Kent, on the coast or elsewhere. There is labour available but they choose to go elsewhere.”

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES: “The professional services sector is hugely important in our region, and it continues to grow. Most of the major legal and accountancy firms are now represented, and we’re aware of significant additions and expansions planned.”

Jeremy Taylor Chief ExecutiveGatwick Diamond Business

Insight for 2018 from Gatwick Diamond Business

“UNDERSTANDING CANDIDATES’ FULL SPECTRUM

OF REQUIREMENTS ALLOWS YOU TO BUILD THE MOST ATTRACTIVE JOB OFFER”

Kerry Gillitt - Senior Consultant, Ambra

09 Surrey & Sussex Workforce Feel “Most Appreciated” By BossesThe workforce here in the South East feel the more ‘appreciated by their bosses’ than anywhere else in the country. According to the 2017 by Adzuna, Surrey and Sussex employees were among those experiencing high workplace satisfaction, encouraged by factors like promotions within 6 months and regular feedback.

Why does the region do so well? Perhaps that employers know what it takes to retain top class staff: not just good pay, but appreciation.

10 Flexi- And Home-Working High on Candidates’ Search CriteriaA little flex can go a long way. Begun as a means of retaining employees (“don’t leave completely: reduce your hours instead”) flexible working has become highly sought-after by many of the best candidates on the market.

Our workloads are increasingly portable, so working from home or remotely has become ever-more practical. Of course, employers are still keen to ensure team communications and continuity. But offering flexibility in how the job gets done can be one of the most effective ways of attracting applications from the best.

KEY BUSINESS TRENDS

About Ambra

Introducing Ambra, your new professional recruitment partner

Ambra provides influential recruitment services, helping businesses and individuals in Surrey and Sussex thrive.

With 50 years’ extensive recruitment experience across multiple industries, our commercial abilities are broad and assured. We’re the recruiters who listen first, and whose advice you can trust.

Our tailored, personal service is at the heart of everything we do. We’re passionate about securing the best long-term outcome for the businesses and individuals we work with. Achieving that goal takes determination, focus and creativity – it’s how we build a deep understanding of our niche and become a truly valuable recruitment partner.

We aim to meet both clients and candidates whenever possible, and offer support throughout the selection, interview and hiring process.

+44 (0)1737 788 851info@ambra-recruitment.co.ukBetchworth House, Redhill, RH1 1DL

ambra-recruitment.co.uk

Connect With Us

Get in touch with Ambra today for an initial consultation.

Job Specialisms

• Finance

• Human Resource

• Sales & Marketing

• Legal

• Management

When you’re hiring, Ambra helps you identify and attract the expert talent that’s crucial to success. Members of the Gatwick Diamond Business community, we focus on professional roles in Surrey & Sussex:

Hiring professionals?

We offer permanent (contingent and retained), contract and bespoke recruitment services for growing SMEs and corporate business partners, and can also support with confidential search projects.

Contact us today to discuss your hiring plans.

ambra-recruitment.co.uk