Find a manager: demand for top managers has almost doubled in three years

Production managers, heads of company branches, commercial directors and other representatives of management are in acute shortage in Russia. As Izvestia was informed by personnel search services, the demand for managers has almost doubled in three years. Most of all such vacancies are now in the fields of industry, retail, construction, tourism, catering and service. Representatives of various industries state that it is impossible to attract a valuable employee from other companies just by a salary offer. Now individual offers are made for "hiring".

Where there is a shortage of managers

The most vacancies for managers are now open in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Moscow and Sverdlovsk regions, Krasnodar Krai, reported "Izvestia" in the job search service Superjob. And, as reported in the recruitment company hh.ru, the dynamics of growth in demand for top managers over the past three years is impressive: compared to 2021, the demand for these positions has increased by 1.8 times.

- Traditionally, the sphere of top management is considered the most highly competitive for jobs. Now, on average, there are more than 30 active resumes per top vacancy, which is five points higher than last year. The lowest value and a certain deficit is observed only among the heads of production - 12 active resumes per one vacancy, - reported in the press service of hh.ru.

According to Superjob, especially in demand are managers in the field of retail - here the most vacancies. In addition, actively looking for management in industry, construction and design, tourism, repair and maintenance.

- The number of vacancies for managers for the year increased by 11%, the number of resumes - by 21%, - reported in the company. - However, the increase in the number of resumes does not cover the market demand for managers. There is still a shortage of competent managers.

With the help of hh.ru service this year top managers were also sought most often in retail trade, information technology, business services, construction and production of consumer goods.

- In each of them 8-13 thousand vacancies for top managers were opened during the year, - said in the company. - Hospitality and catering, companies managing multi-profile assets and oil and gas companies have increased the volume of vacancies for top managers by one third compared to last year.

In terms of management roles, the highest demand this year is for production managers (36.1 thousand vacancies nationwide, plus 11% by 2023) and branch managers (12.8 thousand vacancies, plus 27%). An increase of 13% is recorded for the group of commercial directors, HR directors, heads of HR, logistics, marketing and advertising and PR. They are about 8-9 thousand for each of these positions.

According to the service "Avito Work", in the third quarter of 2024 by 82% increased, in particular, the demand for store directors, managers of restaurants and beauty salons, as well as other employees from a similar segment of managers.

- This growth is due to the development and expansion of network business in Russia, as well as the opening of new domestic brands. Many companies need experienced and qualified professionals to help further grow the number of clients and revenue of organizations in a competitive environment," said Roman Gubanov, Director of Service Development.

How managers are sought

Igor Karavaev, Chairman of the Presidium of the Association of Retail Trade Companies (ACORT), told Izvestia.

- High competition for consumers forces retailers to constantly develop, introduce new technologies in the face of complex external challenges, and constantly engage top-notch managers," he said. - And in addition to rapid technological development, retail has faced unprecedented challenges over the past two years - the need to replenish and renew the assortment, restart logistics, staff shortage.

To solve these problems, the need for managers in the areas of marketing, in-house production, HR, import procurement and logistics has grown.

- In addition to monetary motivation, large retail companies attract managers with a well-developed corporate culture, the possibility of growth and implementation of projects nationwide, - added Igor Karavaev.

Denis Zhalnin, Director of the Federal Combine of Wall Materials "Winzer", confirmed the high demand for managers in the construction industry.

- It is difficult to find top employees," he admitted. - Often they have to be gathered from all over Russia, to ensure relocation, employment of family members, children to school, kindergarten, clubs and to solve even elementary household issues.

Previously, a 20 percent increase in salary was an almost guaranteed argument for moving from one company to another, but now the situation has changed, Denis Zhalnin pointed out.

- In the market it is becoming important not just to find the right employee, but to analyze his real needs and form an offer already taking into account the expectations of a particular candidate, - he said. - Mass programs of personnel attraction and retention are not as effective as they used to be, now it is more of an individual story. We have analyzed that about 70% of top employees who joined a company would refuse an offer that only provided them with an increase in income.

In addition to salary, potential managers are attracted by the company's stability, development prospects and opportunities for professional self-realization.

Ilya Umansky, President of the Russian Union of Travel Industry (RST), confirmed the shortage of personnel in managerial positions in the tourism industry.

- In my opinion, a partial solution to this problem lies in changing the approach to training programs, - believes the expert.

In his opinion, it is necessary to change the educational process in universities and colleges in such a way that students could combine practical training at the objects of the tourism industry with theoretical processes in classrooms.

- And the student should come into the profession no longer on a rank and file position, but to join the ranks of the first level of management staff, because during his education he has studied the theory, gained experience, - said the expert.

Felix Kugel, Managing Director of the UNITY staffing company, noted that staff shortage is a problem that most companies are facing nowadays, regardless of their field of activity or size.

- According to our observations, compared to last year in 2024, the demand for management personnel has increased by about 15%," he said.

The expert urged employers, entering the race for personnel and in attempts to attract new employees with higher salaries, not to lose sight of the existing staff in the company. According to him, an effective measure would be the willingness to invest in training individual employees, improving their qualifications so that they could later take managerial positions.