Demand for contract and interim senior level positions in London is at a record high, according to new research from UK-based recruiting contract finance provider Sonovate.

The data, taken from vacancies advertised on 180 job boards and half a million employer websites, indicate that postings for these roles increased at a rate of 23% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ). Director-level vacancies saw 39% QoQ growth with over 1,100 advertised roles in Q1 2016.

“Nobody needs to be told that London is a hotbed of British business, but the increase in advertisements for senior roles indicates that there’s a huge appetite for quality leadership in the capital,” Richard Prime, co-CEO of Sonovate, said.

“Of course, because these advertisements are for contract positions, the research also suggests that quality leadership isn’t necessarily about the long-term anymore,” Prime said. “More and more companies are onboarding senior staff to shepherd projects towards completion – or just to have a steady hand on the tiller in the midst of a storm.”

London’s top three highest-paid contractor roles in Q1 2016 were Head of Programme Management (£850 per day), Strategy Director (£750 per day), and Senior Change Manager (£737 per day). At the lower end of the scale, Programme Director positions were advertised at a rate of £616. 

“That these roles are being advertised in high volume is interesting; that they’re being advertised at such competitive rates suggests that London enterprise is in fine shape,” Prime said. “Companies want great contractors and great leaders – and they’re willing to pay very good money for them.”

The demand for senior appointments contractors is also expected to grow as combined management and director level vacancies are expected to increase 16% by July 2016 to 6,300 roles.