The first quarter of 2025 is closing and whilst Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ budget was a little underwhelming, the economy and recruitment is in decent position. Let’s dive in and have a look at how the market is for March.
The Macro in 100 words
With inflation at a very manageable 2.4% and unemployment at 4%, we are in balance. Economic growth, whilst still low at 1.5%, is expected to reach 2.25% next year and 2.75% by 2027. Wage growth is also ahead of inflation for the first time in years. That is a solid economic platform and appears to be giving CEOs more confidence to make longer term strategic decisions, which is then flowing through to a more active senior recruitment market. Let’s dive into our areas of expertise, sales, marketing and category recruitment.
Several new Sales Directors are about to be appointed, triggering positive change
We’re privileged and proud to be the lead recruiter in the Sales Director market and have more roles in our portfolio today than at any time before. Why? The solid economic platform does contribute as organisations look to invest in senior sales leadership to build commercial strategy. In practical terms, current demand is for those in early stages of the Sales Director path who will have plenty of growth in the role. New Sales Directors build new strategy which means a new look at capability and delivery, so watch this space. We expect recruitment in the National Business Manager (NBM) and National Account Manager (NAM) world to increase over the next few months.
The gentle rise in marketing continues
As reported for the last few How’s The Market blogs, demand for marketing talent has been steadily growing and that is starting to reach the ‘Head of’ level, and we expect Marketing Director and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) to be next. After a few stagnant months for marketing, it’s positive to see growth in this area. Meanwhile, brand management is bubbling away nicely at all levels in the FMCG space, and in the broader consumer space, movement at marketing leadership level is increasing. We predict these trends will continue.
Category & Shopper is still flat as RGM headcount increases
We’re still waiting for recruitment to kick of in category and shopper in 2025. It’s a hard area to recruit for, and we have a strong brand and share across the space, so we know we’re not missing much, but it is frustrating for those who are ready for a move. By contrast, Revenue Growth Management continues to grow for most organisations. If you would like to learn more about RGM, download our whitepaper: “Converting complexity into opportunity – the importance of Revenue Growth Management for FMCG careers.”
In summary, like the CEO community, we are increasingly confident in the Australian economy and whilst it’s been a lumpy start to the recruitment year, we’re pleased by the trends we’re seeing. If you would like more market insights, advice on hiring practices or you’re looking to make a move in your own career, our experienced Sales & Marketing recruitment team are here to assist. Get in touch with us today.
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