Our annual UK salary survey for the Communications, Public Affairs and Digital Marketing sectors is out!
At Hanson Search, we help organisations recruit business-critical roles that drive revenue, reputation, and risk – from strategic communications and public affairs, to digital marketing, sales and sustainability leadership. Our 2025 UK Salary Survey for the communications, public affairs and marketing industries provides up-to-date insights into the evolving talent landscape, shaped by real-time data from Q1 and informed by the priorities of both clients and candidates.
If 2024 was the year of resilience, 2025 is already shaping up to be a year of recalibration and cautious progress. Businesses are reassessing priorities, realigning teams, and preparing for future growth – even amid continued macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty.
In this context, demand for senior-level talent with the skills to lead transformation, manage complex stakeholder environments, and drive commercial impact remains high. While salary inflation has cooled, competition for top performers is still fierce – and total compensation packages, including equity, performance bonuses, and flexible benefits, are playing a bigger role in attracting and retaining talent.
Key Talent Trends in 2025 from our UK salary survey:
- Employers are hiring with precision, prioritising roles that directly contribute to growth, brand resilience, and risk mitigation.
- Executive search briefs are increasingly focused on hybrid skill sets – particularly at the intersection of strategy, storytelling, and sustainability.
- Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) continues to matter. Even where investment has been dialled back globally, UK talent remains values-driven – and the organisations that stay committed to inclusive hiring are better placed to attract and retain the best.
- Interim and freelance hiring is rising – offering businesses flexibility while ensuring access to specialist expertise and leadership during periods of change.
After a prolonged period of uncertainty, the UK market is starting to turn a corner. We’re seeing a shift towards quality over quantity in hiring – and businesses are leaning on trusted partners to help them secure transformational talent.
A Note from Our Founder: Alice Weightman on Building Teams That Lead Through Change
This year’s salary guide goes beyond pay – offering a detailed analysis of benefits, work-life balance, career drivers, and what today’s top talent is really looking for. We’ve drawn on our experience working with leading organisations to shape high-performing teams across corporate, agency, and scale-up environments.
At Hanson Search, we partner with clients on their most critical hiring needs – whether that’s permanent leadership roles, specialist freelance briefs, or interim cover for transformation projects. From CEO succession planning and communications leadership to ESG strategy, we help businesses navigate complexity and build the teams they need for what’s next.
If you’re planning your next strategic hire, considering your next career move or need further insights into the permanent, interim or freelance markets – we’d love to support you.
Looking for international advice – we also cover the European, US and Middle East markets.
enquiries@hansonsearch.com