● Michael Page launches Salary Guides to help businesses navigate hiring challenges and attract top marketing talent with competitive salaries and evolving benefits.● Demand rises for manager-level and revenue-driving roles, as AI and tighter budgets reshape team structures and priorities. ● Despite AI’s rise, human-led marketing remains critical - 79% of professionals use AI weekly, but content strategy, creativity, and storytelling remain in high demand.1 October 2025, London: Michael Page has released its 2026 Salary Guides, offering insights into key trends in the UK hiring market, the most in-demand roles, and the priorities marketing professionals are seeking in their next positions. The report analyses data across thousands of placements and conversations with hiring managers and professionals in 18 guides across 15 sectors, highlighting recruitment demand and insights.Nearly half (44%) of UK marketing professionals are actively looking for a new job, yet the same number (44%) of hiring managers are finding it difficult to hire marketing talent. This is driven by candidates holding out for the perfect role while businesses, facing tighter budgets and the risk of costly mis-hires, are also waiting for the ideal candidate – creating a "wait-and-see workforce". To break the tension, Michael Page is releasing its latest Salary Guides, offering the insights businesses need to navigate current hiring challenges and plan for 2026.The rise of manager talent and revenue-generating rolesAs marketing continues to be reshaped by AI, automation and tighter budgets, the guides point to a new hiring pattern emerging. Businesses are prioritising mid-level manager roles that can bridge strategic thinking with hands-on delivery, shifting demand from both the senior leadership and entry-level ends of the market.Alongside this, the strongest hiring demand is centred on revenue-generating functions. Expertise in demand generation and e-commerce is also in high demand, while content strategy roles remain resilient despite the rise of generative AI.The regional hotspots for hiring marketing talent include London, the Midlands, and the Southern Home Counties*. Most in-demand marketing roles:● Marketing Manager● Marketing Executive● Product Manager● Brand Manager● Head of MarketingMost in-demand marketing skills:● Content creation and writing● End-to-end campaign management● Data analysis and reporting● Stakeholder managementJames Nally, Senior Operating Director, Marketing at Michael Page says: “Inevitably, AI is reshaping the hunt for marketing talent – but while this technology can assist with tasks like copywriting, the strategic layer of content creation still requires human insight.“We know that 79% of marketing professionals use AI at least once a week, but many businesses are doubling down on hiring individuals with storytelling, creative, and brand management skills to work alongside AI. We’re also seeing a strong push toward social-first and video-first marketing content – areas where brand nuance and authenticity are difficult to automate.”Attracting top marketing talent The latest data from Michael Page reveals candidate applications are increasingly aligned with the roles businesses seek - from Copy Editors and Senior Product Managers to Heads of Marketing, Marketing Assistants and Communications Managers.Despite this alignment, 44% of hiring managers say they are struggling to secure top marketing talent. The guides suggest the issue is no longer solely about supply and demand – it's about meeting the evolving expectations of candidates.Work-life balance now leads the list of priorities for marketing professionals, with 96% rating it as their top consideration when thinking about work. In fact, 61% would turn down a promotion if it compromised their wellbeing.The guide highlights a clear opportunity for businesses and leadership to revisit their hiring strategies with competitive salary benchmarking, while also expanding the focus to include holistic compensation packages.Nally continues: “What we’re seeing is a strong alignment between the roles candidates are seeking and the positions businesses are listing. However, it’s no longer just about filling roles; recruitment is being shaped by a more considered, 'wait-and-see workforce’. Both businesses and candidates are only ready to commit if everything is in place. To secure these ideal matches, competitive salaries will help persuade candidates to make the leap – but this is just one part of the equation. With nearly 100% of marketing professionals prioritising work-life balance, offering holistic compensation packages is essential to finding the right talent for your team.”For businesses looking to unlock further hiring insights, the Michael Page 2026 Salary Guides can be downloaded here.ENDSMethodologySalary Guides 2026Michael Page’s Salary Guides analyse thousands of placements and conversations with hiring managers and professionals across 18 specialties in the UK to generate data on sector-specific recruitment trends, popular roles, and in-demand skills. The resulting insights on UK salary and skills trends are designed to help employers shape hiring strategies for 2026. All Salary Guides ‘Market sentiment’ data, unless otherwise stated, is from an online survey conducted by PageGroup and UNLIMITED.Talent Trends 2025 is a 20-minute, quantitative online survey, a total of 49,396 global surveys were completed, including 1,849 marketing professionals. Additional data on regional demand and candidate applications comes from PageGroup’s proprietary data, which includes job listings and applications, alongside data sourced from national job boards. Southern Home Counties includes: Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey, West Sussex.About PageGroupPageGroup is one of the world’s best-known and most respected recruitment consultancies. We put people into jobs and build careers. We are customer-led, people-powered and insight-driven. With operations in 36 countries, PageGroup provides recruitment services and career opportunities at a local, regional, and global level.PageGroup operates four key brands: Page Executive, Michael Page, Page Personnel and Page Outsourcing, supported by additional brands across the business.
