Java Developer Hiring Trends in Manchester, United Kingdom

This report was last updated on Jul 13, 2025

Bence Gedai

Founder

I analyze live hiring data and tech job trends across Europe to give CTOs and Product Leaders a strategic edge. By tracking tens of thousands of open roles each week, I uncover which skills, roles, and locations are in highest demand — potential competitors, typical time to hire, talent pool sizes, and more to help you prioritize hiring, benchmark and stay competitive in a fast-moving market.

Key learnings from this report

The Software Java Engineers job market trends in United Kingdom, specifically Manchester, have shown fluctuating job posting activity over the past three months, with notable weeks of both increases and decreases in roles available, creating a challenging recruitment environment.
Currently, there are approximately 5,000 Software Java Engineer job openings, indicating a strong demand but also a competitive hiring landscape for CTOs and Engineering Managers seeking to fill these positions.
Companies actively hiring Software Java Engineers in Manchester include Canonical, TieTalent, and Arm, highlighting key players in the local tech sector as competitive employers.
While Manchester accounts for 6% of total job openings in the UK, London dominates with 93%, and the mid-senior level positions represent 85% of available roles, indicating a preference for experienced professionals.
The median time to hire for Software Engineers in the United Kingdom is currently 26 days, suggesting that accelerated recruitment strategies will be essential for hiring managers in Manchester's tech industry.

Number of roles opened and closed for Java Engineers in Manchester in the last 3 months

In the United Kingdom Manchester, the Software Java Engineer job market has shown fluctuating trends over the past 12 weeks. A notable increase in job postings was observed in week 19 with 11 new roles, yet there was a sharp decline to just 2 postings in week 20. Comparatively, job closures have seen a significant uptick, especially in week 25 when 9 positions were closed. This contrast highlights a challenging environment for hiring managers, as the demand for Software Java Developers in Manchester seems to be inconsistent when compared to more stable patterns observed in other European countries, indicating a need for strategic recruitment approaches tailored to the local market.

Who else is hiring for software Engineers in United Kingdom:

Company name	Country	Industry	Founded	# Job openings
Canonical	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2004	74
TieTalent	Switzerland	Information Technology & Services	2017	56
Bending Spoons	Italy	Information Technology & Services	2013	40
targetjobs UK	null	null	null	29
Mindrift	United States	Information Technology & Services	null	27
Arm	United Kingdom	Semiconductors	1990	26
JPMorganChase	United States	Financial Services	null	23
Oliver Bernard	United Kingdom	Staffing & Recruiting	2010	22
GRAYCE	United Kingdom	Management Consulting	2012	21
Amazon	United States	Information Technology & Services	1994	21

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Talent pool vs job openings for Software Engineers in United Kingdom

How competitive it is to hire Software Engineers in United Kingdom

The software engineering talent market in Europe reveals significant disparities across different countries, impacting hiring strategies for Software Java Engineers. In the United Kingdom, particularly in Manchester, there exists a notable gap between the number of job openings and the available talent pool, resulting in a challenging recruitment landscape for CTOs and Engineering Managers. Comparatively, Germany and Poland demonstrate a more favorable jobs-to-talent pool ratio, indicating easier access to potential candidates. Meanwhile, countries like Spain are also experiencing an increase in job openings, yet this does not necessarily translate to a proportional rise in the talent pool. Hence, hiring Software Java Developers in the United Kingdom, and specifically in Manchester, is becoming increasingly competitive, underscoring the necessity for optimized recruitment strategies.

Seniority distribution of Java Engineer job openings in Manchester

Seniority Distribution of Java Engineering Jobs in Manchester

In the Software Java job market in United Kingdom Manchester, the seniority distribution reflects a competitive landscape. Mid-Senior level positions comprise 85% of the available roles, followed by Entry level at 10%, and Director roles at 5%. This distribution indicates a significant demand for experienced Software Java Engineers, highlighting recruitment strategies for CTOs seeking to attract top talent in Manchester's tech sector.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the employment type distribution for engineering roles reveals a strong preference for full-time positions, which constitute 91% of available jobs. Contract roles account for 8% of the job market, while part-time positions represent approximately 2%. This data highlights the substantial demand for dedicated Software Java Engineers, especially in regions such as Manchester, where hiring strategies are increasingly focused on securing full-time talent.

Time to Hire Distribution for Software in United Kingdom

How long does it take to hire Software Engineers

The time to hire for software positions in the United Kingdom exhibits a significant distribution, with the majority of candidates (1,960) secured within a 30-day timeframe. Comprehensive analysis indicates a continued trend where 1,399 candidates are hired within 25 days, while hiring becomes progressively less frequent after 35 days, with only 942 hires noted in that period. This data suggests that hiring managers and CTOs in the UK's tech sector, especially in Manchester, should optimize their recruitment strategies to expedite the hiring process, particularly for Software Java Engineers. As competition intensifies for skilled professionals, understanding these timelines will be crucial for attracting top talent swiftly. Furthermore, the majority of hires occur within the first 50 days, emphasizing the need for proactive engagement in the recruitment landscape.

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Most popular cities in United Kingdom to hire Software Engineers

Top 5 cities in United Kingdom to hire Software Engineers

In the Software Java Engineers job market trends in United Kingdom Manchester, London remains the dominant hub with 93% of the total job openings. Manchester itself accounts for 6% of the job listings, indicating a strong local demand for Software Java Developer opportunities. Other notable cities include Leeds and Cambridge, contributing 4% and 4%, respectively, to the overall job landscape, as illustrated in the accompanying chart.

Most sought after technologies in Manchester for Java

Key technologies for Java Engineers

In the competitive Software Java job market in United Kingdom Manchester, several key technologies emerge as critical for both employers and candidates. Java remains the most prevalent technology with a frequency of 4,848, underscoring its integral role in software development. Additionally, Spring and Spring Boot are crucial, with frequencies of 1,104 and 1,171, respectively, highlighting the importance of these frameworks in building enterprise applications. Cloud technologies, represented by AWS, are also significant, reflecting the growing trend towards cloud-native development. For a complete overview of the technologies shaping this landscape, refer to the accompanying chart.

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