AN EDINBURGH-BASED recruitment firm has revealed Scotland’s most in-demand jobs for 2025, and what they pay.
Core-Asset Consulting has said that rapid advancements and investment in artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping the wrorld of work, whilst governmental interventions have increased already challenging financial and operational pressures on businesses.
Betsy Williamson, founder and CEO of the recruitment partner for financial and professional services firms explained: “2025 brings with it a host of both opportunities and challenges for businesses.
“Key factors influencing the business environment include economic inactivity, demographic pressures, talent retention and technological advancements.”
“Visionary leadership and bold investment will define success in 2025. And finding the right skills to navigate these headwinds is business critical.”
Core-Asset Consulting has predicted the five functions and associated roles expected to be most in demand in Scotland in 2025 are as follows:
- Technology integration and automation
Core-Asset says there will be an even greater and increasing reliance on AI, data analytics and automation in 2025 to enhance business efficiency and speed up and support decision-making.
Roles in demand in 2025 will include:
- AI specialist (average median salary: £92,500 per annum / average contractor day rate: £600)
- Data analyst (average median salary: £83,500 per annum / average contractor day rate: £400)
- Digital transformation lead (average median salary: £145,000 per annum / average contractor day rate: £900)
- Regulatory compliance and risk management
An increasingly complex regulatory environment, and subsequent focus on businesses’ operational resilience, will seemingly drive demand for compliance expertise.
Roles in demand in 2025 are predicted to include:
- Compliance officer (average median salary: £95,000 per annum / average contractor day rate: £550)
- Regulatory analyst (average median salary: £87,500 per annum / average contractor day rate: £450)
- Operational risk manager (average median salary: £97,500 per annum / average contractor day rate: £550)
- Cybersecurity and digital resilience
Heightened threats to digital infrastructure, in addition to incoming regulation around fraud prevention, necessitate advanced cybersecurity measures for businesses of all sizes, according to Core-Asset.
Roles in demand in 2025 will include:
- Cybersecurity specialist (average median salary: £100,000 per annum / average contractor day rate: £600)
- Technology risk manager (average median salary: £100,000 per annum / average contractor day rate: £600)
- IT governance lead (average median salary: £142,500 per annum / average contractor day rate: £800)
- Strategic change management
Change has been the biggest constant in the 2020s so far, meaning navigating organisational transformation and unlocking productivity to help ease slowing growth will be priorities for all businesses.
Roles in demand in 2025 will include:
- Business change analyst (average median salary: £80,500 per annum / average contractor day rate: £550)
- Strategy consultant (average median salary: £120,000 per annum / average contractor day rate: £750)
- Transformation project manager (average median salary: £117,500 per annum / average contractor day rate: £700)
- Complex tax management
Recently announced changes to UK tax policies, plus anticipated U.S. government policies to come, will require international and intercompany tax expertise.
Core-Asset says that there will also be increased demand for personal tax specialists amidst new UK policies from April 2024.
Roles in demand in 2025 will include:
- Global tax specialists (average median salary: £83,000 per annum / average contractor day rate: £600)
- Intercompany specialists (average median salary: £83,000 per annum / average contractor day rate: £550)
- Personal tax specialists in practise and wealth management (average median salary: £73,000 per annum / average contractor day rate: £550)
Betsy Williamson concluded: “Whilst these roles will be particularly in demand in 2025, there will be specific skills that businesses are looking for candidates to demonstrate when interviewing – more so than experience.
“With the labour market and the world of work exceptionally volatile right now, businesses need workers that are able to constantly adapt, pivot and upskill in order to navigate known and unknown challenges ahead.
“Professionals that are able to demonstrate these skills will set themselves up for the most success when it comes to career progression in 2025.”
