Most In-Demand IT Consulting Jobs of 2024

Last Updated

21 August 2024

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Independent IT consultants are in high demand in the job market today. Technology has changed how many companies operate, and most businesses are pushing to work more digitally. Proactive business managers recognise this and are taking steps to ensure their company has the necessary digital infrastructure to keep up. This often means bringing in freelance IT consultants who can help their business achieve its goals.

In this article, we will look at which IT consultancy jobs are in the highest demand, their salary insights and what skills are required to be successful in each role.

What Are The Most In-Demand IT Consultancy Opportunities of 2024?

Depending on which freelance IT niche you choose, the typical consultant can make between £30,000 and £70,000 per year, subject to individual levels of experience and expertise.

Here are the 15 most in-demand IT consultancy jobs that exist today:

1. Cyber security consultant

Who are cyber security consultants?

A cyber security consultant is responsible for protecting a business’s sensitive data from different parts of the digital world and implementing processes that evade security risks and prevent cyber attacks in the company.

What skills does a cyber security consultant need?

A cyber security consultant will need several hard and soft skills to carry out their job successfully. Here is an overview of the skillset a cyber security consultant will need:

Understanding of the latest threats, procedures and strategies.
Knowledge of security technology, for example, expertise in cloud-based data and network security.
Aware of SIEM management, audit and & compliance.
Knowledge of different encryption technologies
Experience working with firewalls, load balancers, proxies, VPNs, endpoint security tools AV, IPS, SSL inspection, SIEM or security monitoring platforms
Hold a security certification such as CISA, CISM, CISSP, and CGEIT.
Experience in leading projects, with the ability to maintain schedules and drive workflows through to completion.
Excellent administration and organisation skills.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain technical processes in plain English so everyone can understand.
Ability to think strategically about business, technical and product challenges.

Average base pay (UK) 47,000£

2. Digital disaster recovery consultant

Digital crime has been on the increase since the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. In addition, a number of high-profile cyber attacks and data breaches have led to a surge in demand for cyber security specialists to help minimise the risk for businesses of all shapes and sizes.

What skills does a digital disaster recovery consultant need?

Experience covering business continuity and disaster recovery processes and standards.
Competent with data security processes and having experience collecting, transferring, and storing personal, financial, and health-related information requires robust airtight security systems.
Ability to establish and maintain business plans for disaster recovery communications.
Work with IT teams to ensure disaster recovery plans are adequate and continuously maintained and reviewed so as not to become outdated.
Present annual cost requirements of digital disaster recovery as part of the budgeting process.
Regularly report disaster recovery activities to executive teams.
Ensure compliance with all laws and regulations relevant to cyber security, including data protection laws.

Average base pay £29,000

3. Strategy consultant

An IT strategy consultant’s role is to develop, maintain and implement a business’s IT processes and structure to save money, improve productivity and make processes more efficient.

What skills does a strategy consultant need?

Qualification in business, business management, computer science or engineering or Bachelor’s Degree alongside the equivalent experience.
Experience working with software and systems such as NDAS, CCAR, and APIs.
Comfortable taking the lead in making decisions.
Have strong attention to detail skills.
Experience with business case development and machine learning frameworks.
Motivate, educate and coach team members to encourage them to follow the strategies implemented.
Collaborate with team members at different levels to ensure the strategy is understood throughout the business.

Average base pay £52,000

4. IT Infrastructure planner

An IT infrastructure planner’s job is to assess, configure and maintain a business’s IT infrastructure system to ensure they meet the company’s needs.

What skills does an IT infrastructure planner need?

A bachelor’s degree or equivalent in computer sciences and a background in infrastructure services, cyber security or tech support roles.
In-depth knowledge of infrastructure components and capabilities.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Experience with Cloud, Agile, IaaS, SaaS, DCHP, R Language, and UNIX software and systems.
Middleware and IAT Level II experience.
Fluent in writing protocols, network architecture, fault isolation and process analysis.

Average base pay £32,000

5. Software developer / Software Engineer

A software developer that creates computer programmes will also be able to code, identify and fix bugs and recommend further software development. Custom software development is on the rise, and with that comes a need to handle complex coding tasks putting software developers and freelance software engineers in high demand in 2023.

What skills does a Software Developer / Software engineer need?

Thorough knowledge of computer systems and technologies.
Communicate with colleagues and communicate technical issues clearly and in simple terms.
Be logical and analytical in their approach to problems.
Hold a degree in computer science, computer software or systems engineering.
Fluent in the most common programming languages, for example, C++, Java and Python.
Have diagnostic skills to identify problems, explain why software doesn’t meet requirements and have ideas for improving them to benefit the business.
Have strong attention to detail and problem-solving skills.

Average base pay £48,000

6. Network Architecture / Network Consultant

A network consultant works with businesses to build and maintain a business computer network. They help organisations utilise the latest networking technologies that help them stay up to date and address any network issues as they arise.

What skills does a Network Architecture / Network Consultant need?

Hold a bachelor’s degree in information technology, computer science or similar.
Have experience working with computer networks, such as a network engineer.
Beneficial to also hold a professional networking certification such as a CCNA certification.
Have strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain highly complex information to a wide range of people.
Strong leadership and collaboration skills to lead a team of network engineers or collaborate with other network consultants within the organisation.
Be highly organised. Network consultants need to be able to manage data and keep track of the components of a computer network.
Be knowledgeable about cyber security, computer infrastructure and programming, and other relevant technical knowledge.

Average base pay: £47,000

7. Computer Systems Analyst

A computer systems analyst’s role is to ensure all the business’s computer systems serve and support the business’s goals. They work with colleagues to understand the system’s current strengths and weaknesses and identify improvement areas.

What skills does a Computer systems analysis need?

Ideally, hold a degree in computer science or computer engineering.
Have at least two years of experience in a systems analyst role.
Critical thinking skills to understand the needs of the organisation.
Needs to be able to work alone and collaboratively with the broader IT team.
Excellent time management skills to complete projects on time.
Knowledge of common programming languages such as SQL, Java, C++ and XML.

Average base pay: £36,000

8. Full Stack Developers / Back End Developers / Front End Developers

A full stack developer or front and back end developer has the knowledge to use the coding required to manage the frontend, backend or, in the case of a full stack developer, both ends of a computer system. They can create user interactions on websites and platforms and write optimised code relevant to the business’s systems.

What skills does a Full Stack /Back end/ Front End Developer need?

Experienced in front-end computer technology, for example, JavaScript, CSS3 and HTML5 and third-party libraries such as React Js, Angular, jQuery and LESS.
Understand backend developer languages, such as Ruby, Python and Java.
Have basic design skills such as UI/UX.
Be creative and able to visualise a proposed system and then build it.
Be aware of DBMS technology, including SQLServer, Oracle, MongoDB and MySQL and caching mechanisms such as Redis and Memcache.
Have excellent communication skills to explain complex processes in a non-technical way.

Average base pay £45,000

9. Web Developers

A web developer’s duties include coding, innovative design and creation of the layout of a website. Web developers are responsible for building websites from concept to completion and then maintaining and improving the site in line with business needs.

What skills does a web developer need?

Proven experience in web developing
Solid programming skills and in-depth knowledge of HTML and CSS
Be familiar with at least one of the following programming languages.
Have an understanding of SEO processes.
Be highly organised and be able to work on multiple work streams simultaneously.
Have a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related subject.
Understand computer programming works, including security and session management.

Average base pay: £35,000

10. SEO Consultants

An online presence is now a critical asset for any business; having a thriving online presence can help drive growth and success. SEO consultants are responsible for a business’s SEO strategy and coordinate the planning, implementation and management of the strategy once set.

What skills does an SEO consultant need?

Have proven experience as an SEO consultant or similar role.
Be experienced in planning and implementing a successful SEO strategy.
Be knowledgeable in web analytics, marketing and business development.
Experience in using HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
Be a critical thinker and have strong problem-solving skills.
Be able to analyse data and provide recommendations based on evidence.

Average base pay: £32,000

11. IT Project Manager

An IT manager oversees the entire implementation of a business’s IT infrastructure and software. The role covers everything from project planning, project implementation and resource planning, ensuring the plans stay within the organisation’s policies and industry standards.

What skills does an IT Project Manager need?

A deep understanding of IT systems, networks and software.
Strong leadership skills to manage a project and motivate a team.
Be a logical problem solver who can operate under constraints.
Ability to work on multiple tasks simultaneously.
Be highly organised.
Hold a bachelor’s degree in computer science, project management or another related field.
Holding a certificate in either PRINCE2, Scrum or PMP is an advantage.

Average base pay: £50,000

12. App Developer

App developers can transfer software requirements into workable programming code and develop and maintain programmes and applications for use by a business. Freelance App developers need to be able to take a client’s requirements and write high-quality source codes to create complete applications.

What skills does an App Developer need?

Have experience in designing and building web applications.
Knowledgeable of at least one programming language, for example, C# or Java.
Solid understanding of programming for multiple operating systems and platforms using development tools.
Understand the principles of software design and programming.
Degree in computer science or similar field. Holding certification as a web developer is also an advantage.
Have excellent communication skills and work well as part of a team.
Be highly organised with good attention to detail.
Be an analytical thinker and strong problem solver.

Average base pay: £37,000

13. Data science consultant

A data science consultant works with businesses to analyse and perform computations that reveal insights from the data collected. They aim to improve clients’ data competencies, business strategies and analytical skills. A data science consultant may also develop tools that carry out specific functions to meet their client’s needs.

What skills does a Data Science Consultant need?

Hold a degree in computer science, statistics or related fields.
Have at least 2-4 years of work experience.
Have experience working with big data and analytical concepts and algorithms.
Have a programming background in Java, Python, Ruby or similar.
Experience in project management.
Previous experience in managing a project team.
Excellent problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Average base pay: £49,000

14. SAP Consultant

SAP consultants are hired by businesses to develop and implement SAP systems for their clients. A SAP consultant will work to understand a business’s needs and create customised solutions and smoothly integrate SAP applications into a business’s existing IT infrastructure.

What skills does a SAP consultant need?

A SAP consultant should hold a relevant degree in information technology, computer science or other appropriate fields.
Hold an SAP-Accredited certification.
Have at least two years of experience as a SAP consultant or within a similar role.
Be an expert in current SAP systems, deployment and integration strategies.
Have strong communication and interpersonal skills.
Be a good problem solver and have excellent analytical skills.
Be highly organised and able to meet tight deadlines.

Average base pay: £60,000

15. Salesforce Consultant

A salesforce consultant helps clients meet goals by driving the client-specific implementation of the salesforce system within a business and providing ongoing system support when improvements are required. A salesforce consultant works to understand a business’s needs to successfully implement salesforce with their creative flair to support, advise, design, build, deliver, and maintain Salesforce end to end for the client. Alternatively, they work with clients to improve the results of an existing Salesforce deployment.

What skills does a Salesforce Consultant need?

Have at least three years of experience in technical implementations.
Have advanced experience with Saleforce.com and a thorough understanding of the possible configurations.
Have experience with alternative CRM systems, such as Siebel, Clarify, Vantive, Peoplesoft, and NetSuite, ideally within the design and implementation fields.
Have strong presentation and communication skills.
Be passionate about technology trends such as cloud, mobility, digital and collaboration.
Have application development experience (Apex, Lightning Web Components, JavaScript, XML) or others.
Have strong analytical skills as well as knowledge of current industry trends.

Average base salary: £58,000

Conclusion

As the freelance tech job market continues to thrive, independent IT consultants find themselves in high demand. The roles mentioned above represent some of the most sought-after skills in the industry today.

If you’re ready to take your IT freelance career to the next level, partnering with a management company like Hightekers can help you unlock a world of opportunities.

At Hightekers, we specifically focus on IT specialists, creating a tight-knit community of talent. Our in-depth knowledge of the IT sector enables us to offer the best support for our IT freelancers, and we work together to help everyone reach top positions in their field.

Plus, our comprehensive support allows you the freedom to concentrate on your freelance projects without getting bogged down by administrative duties.

Find out more about joining the Hightekers network

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