For the financial year to 30 June 2024, Talent has continued its track record of profit growth. Following the exit of the UK market for management to focus on its growth regions (ANZ/US), revenue increased 4.4% to $992m (FY23 $950m)* and EBITDA increased 1.2% to $26.1m (FY23 $25.7m)*.

This growth is despite permanent income coming off 27%, in a year which saw the recruitment sector heavily impacted by a global downturn in requirements. Talent’s reduction in permanent income was offset by continued contractor growth, primarily in QLD and WA, and exceptional growth in Talent’s technology project delivery and consulting business, Avec.

For the 2024FY, Avec achieved significant success growing by 48.5% to generate $48.6m in revenue. This success is underpinned by the growth of its team which increased from 47 to 83. Avec will continue to scale organically and through niche acquisitions which complement its service offering.

In FY24, Talent continued to build out its contractor engagement solution, ENGAGE. New functionality includes the ability for 20,000+ ENGAGE members (Talent’s prior contractors) to apply for available positions in seconds and receive priority processing as proven candidates. Additionally, for the first time, ENGAGE is now available on an invitation-only basis to top tier candidates who have not yet been placed. These developments position ENGAGE as an elite talent pool of vetted specialists, offering clients access to high-quality, proven professionals.

Talent’s charitable foundation, Talent RISE, continued to support young people facing barriers to employment in FY24. During the year, Talent RISE expanded its operations to Auckland and successfully placed 61 young people from challenging backgrounds into meaningful employment and put over 500 through training and coaching. This milestone has the potential to be truly life-changing for these candidates, offering them the opportunity to overcome adversity and thrive in the workforce.

Mark Nielsen, Talent’s Global CEO, praised the Talent team on delivering these results, “These results show the grit and resilience of our team and our business. We have now fully embedded a growth mantra into the business. We have done this by embracing change as the new norm, continually raising the bar and uniting the team for growth. We have a strong culture with a world class engagement rate of 90% which goes to show our focus and passion of building a better world of work for all.”    

Talent Global COO, Megan Woodbury, said, “I am so proud of the team for achieving such an incredible result especially after a challenging year for the industry. We continue to invest, innovate, propel efficiency with our stakeholders, and expand our service offering to drive our business operations forward.”  

*Prior year numbers excluding discontinued operations.

Empowering Excellence: Celebrating Black Female Leadership in a Male-Dominated Industry

In this installment of our Leading the Way series, we speak to Talent’s own Finance Manager, Nadia Clarke. Nadia is an experienced financial executive with a remarkable ability to navigate and lead organizations through diverse projects while establishing robust infrastructure within the business.

Throughout her career, Nadia has been a key supporter of high-growth start-ups and has actively contributed to strategic initiatives that have had a significant impact across various business functions. From implementing cost control measures to drive revenue growth to positively influencing business performance, Nadia has played a pivotal leadership role in numerous organizational transactions.

Read on and discover how Nadia has built her career as a specialist in niche FinTech hiring and, as we recognize Juneteenth, how there’s still progress to be made for the inclusion of and opportunities given to the Black community in these industries.

Tell us a bit about how you started your career and the journey that led you to your current role as Talent’s Finance Manager.

I started my career in the accounting department of a distribution company, where I gained valuable experience in financial management. After a couple of years, I then transitioned into the tech industry, working with a Danish start-up company which provided me exposure of international markets. I was able to operate in these global markets, and adhere to international accounting regulations, while learning to scale and grow their business.

As I moved on to work with more start-ups, I focused on providing structure to help them scale effectively. My career journey eventually led me to Talent, where I now serve as the Finance Manager. At Talent, my role involves working closely with the business to manage growth and expectations. Here, the focus is on long-term profitability and managing growth, as opposed to answering investors. It’s an exciting and challenging role that allows me to apply my expertise in finance to drive the company’s success.

Building a career in finance, within an industry that’s lacking racial diversity and is heavily male dominated, what are some of the challenges you’ve overcome and how have you learned to overcome these obstacles?

In my experience, some challenges I have faced are being treated as if I am not enough and ignored. Another challenge is finding mentors in the finance community. I don’t find many men willing to mentor women, and the small number of female leaders who have made it don’t seem to want to share their knowledge. While those experiences have been unfortunate, I’ve learned not to take them personally. It mainly shows the individual’s insecurities and does not reflect me.

What does Juneteenth mean to you and what are some ways that you’ll be celebrating?

Juneteenth is symbolic to how my ancestors struggled to have fundamental rights and freedoms, which many people take for granted today. I use that time to reflect on past traumas, uplifting our innovators, and celebrating how beautiful and diverse our culture is. I like to celebrate by attending cultural events around the city, visiting museums or shows, and finding art highlighting Black culture.

What are some ways that organizations can amplify and encourage Black leadership in the workplace?

Creating racial equity by embracing diversity and inclusion is a start—not just having a policy but also taking action. Showcasing diversity at the top of an organization makes a strong statement and shows true commitment. Organizations need to reevaluate their recruiting strategies and focus on training those employees to get there. Creating safe spaces is critical. Whether that’s through inclusive policies, open communication, or promoting representation, those can help address the challenges in the workplace. ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) help bridge the gap between underrepresented employees and the organization.

What’s a piece of advice you’d like to pass on to other Black female leaders, managers, or aspiring young professionals?

Networking is key! Always strive to grow your personal and professional network. I find that in this day and age, many people play it safe. Maybe out of fear of failing or rejection, but as the saying goes, “closed mouths don’t get fed.” Take control of your destiny and invite people to virtual or in-person coffee. I also like to volunteer, where I meet great professionals willing to give back and mentor. One thing I practice is never to stop being a student. Whether it’s through podcasts, books, videos, or conferences, make sure your mindset is constantly evolving.

Lastly, what are some actionable ways we can all practice non-prejudiced recruitment strategies?

We can start by addressing the unconscious bias in the hiring process. The first actionable step is to expand recruiting efforts that tap into new talent pools such as city colleges in underserved areas. These colleges or communities could have incredibly gifted professionals who don’t have the resources for broader exposure.

It is also important to address unconscious bias among hiring managers. By raising awareness of bias and encouraging them to think outside the box when considering candidates, we can open the door to individuals from different industries that possess transferrable skills which can be invaluable in other roles.

Additionally, we can incentivize the referral process to encourage more diverse candidates into the mix. There should be a greater incentive for referring candidates from underrepresented backgrounds, including women, people of color, and non-US citizens, to further help diversify our talent pool.

Most importantly, there must be support for professionals in underrepresented groups such as mentorship programs and access to company-sponsored education. This support can help ensure that everyone has equal opportunities for growth and development. This is something Talent already provides through the “Learn Anytime” benefit, which gives every employee access to study leave and where agreed upon with their manager, financial support from the company to undertake their study course, which ensures employees have the tools and support we need to succeed.

By implementing these actions, we can practice more inclusive recruitment processes and create a better world of work for all.

In 2024, the US tech hiring market remains in a strong position, with an abundance of opportunities on offer. Salaries remain high as candidates have a wide range of choices available to them and companies are competing to attract the best, keeping candidates in the driver’s seat. So, which roles make the cut as the highest paying this year? We dive into it:

1. Cloud Data Engineer

• $110-165k (US salary range)
• $85-105 (US contract rate range)

Cloud Data engineers are integral for designing and developing data engineering and data management solutions within the cloud infrastructure. Seamless integrations and cloud support solutions are increasingly important in cloud data ecosystems. As technology evolves, and threats rise, innovative solutions are needed as digital transformations to the cloud continue.

“Cloud Security and Data Analytics opportunities have seen high demand over the past year and are two of the most in-demand skills” shares Colin Etheridge, Talent North America CEO.

2. Cybersecurity Architect

• $148k (avg US salary)
• $115-130/hr (US contract rate)

Increasingly necessary to an organization are Cybersecurity Architects, management-level professionals who oversee the security of an organisation’s network. These professionals are needed when the network is first designed, built, and implemented, as well as throughout the entire lifecycle. The ideal candidate has a deep understanding of cybersecurity principles, strong technical expertise, and the ability to develop security architectures.

Talent New York Senior Consultant, Emma Corcodilos shares that there is a strong need for these skillsets in the market, “It’s important now, more than ever, for employers to seek top cybersecurity skills such as risk and compliance, cybersecurity operations, and cloud experts.”

3. Applications Architect (SAP, Oracle)

• $145k (avg US salary)
• $110-160/hr (US contract rate)

Applications Architects are increasingly important as they evaluate business solutions to provide an integrated approach for SAP or Oracle providers. They’re mainly responsible for solution design, configuration, and customization of SAP or Oracle products. Architects define scope for projects while delivering customized solutions for each respective platform. SAP capabilities, paired with Business AI, will increase this area focus and heavily increase productivity rates.

As more SAP and Oracle technology evolves, organizations must provide their clients valuable insights and solutions to ensure customer success, while attracting and retaining the top SAP experts. “As SAP & Oracle technologies continue to evolve, organizations must adapt to all these changes by attracting and retaining top SAP professionals. Similarly, organizations need to be mindful of the existing talent they have in-house and make it a deliberate point to invest in their existing team. They can do so by providing stipends for additional tech certifications & trainings, offering promotion targets for upward mobility, giving them increased responsibilities on specific projects, and hiring internal SMEs and Change management experts to support them” Dylan Cohen, Talent New York Director of Microsoft & Cloud Solutions shares.

4. Dynamics 365 BC Architect 

• $150-175k (US salary range)
• $135-$160/ hr (US contract range rate)

The Dynamics 365 Business Central Architect plays a pivotal role in designing solutions to business problems while working with cross functional teams to coordinate, plan, and participate in execution of projects. Strong client-facing communication skills are a must along with performing Gap Analysis to identify issues and limitations between business requirements and proposed solutions. Responsibilities also include preparation of documentation, specifications, defining sprint tasks, software development plans and schedules to manage the technical solution development. This solutions-oriented role is crucial to any Business Central project implementation and transformation.

Talent New York Senior Consultant, Mike D’Esposito tells us that roles such as these are “crucial positions in helping build out the Business Central  practices, as they lead customer engagements while providing key insights.” As Microsoft continues to evolve their Business Central technologies and offerings, an increased demand for these skills continues in the 2024 market.

5. Dynamics 365 F&O Architect 

• $150-$210k (US salary range)
• $120-150/ hr (US contract range)

The position directs and participates in  system architectural design, initialization, database management, integration design, fit-gap analysis, training, and reporting aspects of D365 Finance and Operation implementations.

Talent New York Principal Recruitment Consultant, Luke Burggraf shares that the Dynamics 365 F&O Architect should possess “a strong background in Finance, T&L, Supply Chain, and someone that will be capable of providing experienced and professional consultation for customers.” This role requires a firm understanding of a wide range of business processes, such as finance, order management and pricing, integrations, planning, forecasting, inventory management, production, warehouse management, fulfillment, and more.

6. Salesforce Architect 

• $160 – $180k (US salary range)
• $90-130 (US contract range)

A Salesforce Architect is a professional with expertise in designing and implementing Salesforce solutions to meet the needs of an organization. Salesforces is a cloud-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform that offers tools and services for sales, marketing, and more. The role of a Salesforce Architect involves a combination of technical skills and the ability to design effective solutions on the Salesforce platform.

“Salesforce Architects are important as they lead the technical design and can guide the developers and administrators.” Director, Jason Pho shares regarding his search for this talent in North America. “Communication and technical skills are both important, but in the US, we’re seeing a demand in Salesforce Lightning, Apex, Marketing Cloud.”

7. Microsoft 365 Architect

• $170-200k (US salary range)
• $125-160/ hr (US contract range rate)

Designing and implementing M365 solutions, along with meeting the business needs of an organization are top responsibilities in this role. Microsoft 365 is a suite of cloud-based tools that includes applications such as SharePoint, Exchange, Teams, and newer E5 features with a security focus such as Defender, Purview, and Entra ID. The role of a Microsoft 365 Architect involves a combination of technical expertise, strategic planning, and collaboration with stakeholders.

Technical skills are critical, but being able to guide the client through Microsoft solutions is also a major responsibility in roles such as this. “In this, and in any M365 role, delivery is expected on full project lifecycle responsibilities from pre-sales, implementations, to post go-live support” Talent New York Senior Consultant Mike D’Esposito shares.

8. Senior Oracle Functional Consultant

• $160 – $180k (US salary range)
• $80-120 (US contract range rate)

Oracle consultants provide support and other services for organizations on all Oracle related software programs, databases, and applications. They assist with pre-installation planning, product selection, and overseeing integrations, to customize systems and support for customers. It’s integral that those in this  role have both the technical skills and client-facing communications skills to provide the best solutions.

“The most in-demand skillsets for roles like these in North America, are client-facing, communication skills, Oracle Financials, Supply Chain Management (SCM), Human Capital Management (HCM), and Oracle Cloud experience” Talent New York Director of Digital Recruitment, Jason Pho shares.

9. Director of Product Design

• $190k-$250k (US Salary range)
• $140-180/hr (US contract rate)

Director of Product Design plays a crucial role in steering the visual and user experience of a product. The Director must be a leader in building strategically significant, customer-centric experiences and prioritizing new areas to tackle. It is also increasingly important to manage both high-level project and product development in this role.

So how can you break from the pack? “Strong Design leaders that are able to integrate data and user centric design principles, with strong understanding of how UX and Visuals affect the overall customer experience” are what Will Boulton, Talent New York Director of Recruitment, looks for when searching for these professionals.

10. Head of Engineering

• $190k-$250k (US salary rate)
• $120-150/hr (US contract rate)

The Head of Engineering is responsible for leadership and strategy to drive overall technical engineering of any organization. In this role, responsibilities include overseeing product engineering operations to ensure exceptional architecture and design practices are followed in the right timeframe. This leadership role will plan and coordinate the ongoing work of the engineering team to meet proper goals and objectives. Leaders will also be expected to build and manage their teams, providing mentorship and guidance to their direct reports. Extensive knowledge of solutions architecture, scripting languages and coding best practices are a must to collaborate and lead high-performing teams.

So, which skills do you need to possess to succeed in this role in 2024? New York’s Senior Consultant Sydney Gagnon shares that the “ability to manage high-level projects and product development is a must.” The top engineers are also after the top companies, and in a fiercely competitive market, candidates who are able to leverage AI and Machine Learning principles have the best advantage.

Interested in the average salary for your role and how you can get ahead in the current market? Check out our More Than Money Salary Guide 2024. Looking for your next role? Visit our job search for hundreds of opportunities in tech, transformation and beyond.

As the US market landscape continues to evolve, one thing remains the same: the need for experts with niche tech skills. If you’re looking to put your best foot forward to employers this year, it may be time to upskill in one of these coveted competencies. Discover how these in-demand skills can pivot your 2024…

1. Cybersecurity

With cyberattacks on the rise, the need for cybersecurity professionals who can shore up company systems is only growing – however, the availability of this talent is scarce. It’s estimated that there is a shortfall of 3.4 million cybersecurity candidates globally. As technology continues to innovate, and cyber attacks rise, employers are going the length to secure top skillsets.

There are currently over two million cyberattacks recorded per year, and by 2025, these attacks are With cyberattacks on the up, companies are recognizing that now, more than ever, securing their systems needs to be a top priority. “It’s important now, more than ever, for employers to seek top cybersecurity skills such as risk and compliance, cybersecurity operations, and cloud” Senior Consultant and Talent cybersecurity expert, Emma Corcodilos shares.

In 2024 there has been a notable increase in AI demand and integrations within cyber technology. It’s been especially interesting to see how cyber and compliance has been impacted by the rise of AI. So far, these new innovations are ensuring that the demand for cyber skillsets is only growing.

Uncover more about the latest in cybersecurity in our Cybersecurity Hiring Market Snapshot here.

2. Artificial Intelligence

As AI takes off, the need for talent who understand the ins and outs of this cutting-edge tech is higher than ever. As generative AI becomes even more prominent in the US, Data from Oxford University also reveals that globally, the demand for AI skills has increased five-fold since 2015.

As companies continue to adopt this technology and cybercriminals increasingly leverage AI tools to develop more sophisticated attacks, demand is only set to increase for those with competencies in machine learning, data science, natural language processing (NLP), and beyond. In fact, it’s predicted that by 2025, 97 million new AI-related roles will be created, however, the supply of talent simply isn’t there yet – in the US and UK, 51% of organizations note that they currently don’t have enough appropriately skilled employees in-house to execute their AI strategy, while 20% of this group expects it will be a challenge to recruit the right talent. As such, AI can craft strategic threats making it impossible to provide a solid approach without the right people on board, driving significant demand for AI and cyber professionals.

AI is also integrating with Microsoft technologies in a product called Microsoft CoPilot, a large language model (LLM) to enhance Microsoft Graph and M365 workspace. This integration is both taking AI and the Microsoft space by storm, by changing the way we work, and creating a new wave of productivity that the industry has never seen before. Ultimately this will increase the need for professionals with skillsets in both spaces to provide optimal solutions.

3. Cloud Security, Infrastructure, and Data Analytics

Cloud Security, Infrastructure and Data Analytics opportunities have seen high demand over the past year and are a few of the most in-demand skills in the US market. As companies continue their Digital Transformation journeys, the need for skilled & experienced talent is on the rise. Dylan Cohen, Talent US Director of Microsoft and Cloud Solutions shares that, “Specialists in cloud security, infrastructure & data analytics have seen a large increase in their salaries & hourly rates over the last year, and I don’t see that changing.” In fact, it’s projected that the number of jobs requiring data analytics skills such as Power BI, Azure Data Factory, Synapse, AWS Big Query, will grow by almost 28% by 2026.

According to Talent North America CEO, Colin Etheridge, “These three areas (security, infrastructure, data) opportunities have seen high demand over the past year and are some of the most in-demand skills. Professionals who stay up to date on all the new certifications relating to these areas have a distinct advantage in their job search when compared to those candidates who are not up to date on their certifications”. Possessing these skills & certifications will set you ahead of the competition, especially as new technology emerges.

The growing integration of Cloud and Data Analytics technologies into businesses is also increasing opportunities for the market, with tech such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud Products (GCP) driving this market forward. “Everyone is looking to make a splash in their respective industries with these new technologies. Data and AI, along with security, are always at the forefront of most C-Suite conversations. If these executives really want to break from the pack, they’ll need to hire distinguished thought-leaders and elite engineering teams to drive this transformation” says Dylan Cohen.

4. Microsoft

As most Microsoft enthusiasts know, Microsoft is notorious for constantly evolving and changing their technology stack – and not just by changing the names of these products! With new developments across Dynamics 365, Modern Workplace, M365, and Azure, the demand for these skills are rapidly increasing as technology innovates. “In the Microsoft consulting space, and really in any D365 related role, delivery is expected on full project lifecycle responsibilities from pre-sales, implementations, to post go-live support” Senior Consultant Mike D’Esposito shares.

Microsoft Azure is still one of the leading cloud computing platforms. With the continuous enhancements to Azure Security, it will continue to dominate the industry in 2024 to help with ongoing user threats, as security threats increase. This combined with the demand for AI/Data has resulted in Azure skills demand increase of 50% within the recent 12 months. There has also been a notable increase in Microsoft Power BI tools of about 56% in the previous 12 months.

AI is also taking the Microsoft workspace by storm as they unveiled Microsoft CoPilot and Dynamics CoPilot. Each software takes large language models (LLM) and combines with data in the M365 and D365 applications, to turn words into productivity tools. These two new capabilities will take productivity to new heights and increase candidates with these skillsets to power new projects.

As the software need increases, the search for those skills is a necessity for any top employer looking to stand apart from the competition. Since these skills are in high demand across North America, the power is in the people. “I’ve seen a huge increase of salaried D365 professionals becoming independent contractors in hopes of demanding higher hourly rates, bringing home more than what they would annually as a salaried employee, while enjoying the freedom of being their own boss” Director Dylan Cohen has noticed.

Check out our job search for Microsoft opportunities available in 2024.

5. Engineering

The engineering market is positioned for a notable uptick in 2024 due to technological progress, sustainability initiatives, and evolving industry requirements. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for engineers is expected to increase by 4%, adding a projected 65,000 jobs. Within the engineering space both Generative AI and Sustainable Technology are making a significant impact on the industry, as companies look for innovative ways to increase productivity while being conscientious of the effects it can have on the industry, people, and ultimately environment.

So what are the top skills needed to excel in this industry?  “Despite how this industry evolves, there are still a need for tech skills within the US job market such as TypeScript/TypeScript, React, Node.js, Python, Rails.” Director of Recruitment, Will Boulton shares. As technology continuously innovates to benefit the engineering industry, it’s imperative that the workforce has these dependable skills to evolve and keep up.

Within engineering, both Product Design and Project Management skillsets are also in high demand. Innovative leaders that can manage both high-level project and product development will take any organization to new productivity levels. Director of Recruitment, Will Boulton, shares that when searching for solutions, “strong design leaders are able to integrate data and user centric design principles, with strong understanding of how UX and Visuals affect the overall customer experience.”

So how can we stay ahead of the engineering curve? For professionals and businesses, it’s more than just keeping up with trends- it’s about leading the way.

Ready for your next career move in 2024? Check out our job search for opportunities in tech, transformation and beyond.