Deerfoot is an IT recruitment agency placing permanent and contract technology staff across Nottingham, Derby and the East Midlands, from NG2 to Pride Park, since 1997.
You deal with one consultant from brief to offer, the same person who speaks to every candidate.
The Nottingham technology market
Nottingham is a finance and data city as much as an engineering one. Finance leads its technology job market, cited in 10.3% of Nottingham's permanent technology vacancies in the six months to September 2026, according to IT Jobs Watch. Experian and Capital One UK are both headquartered here, HMRC's Unity Square regional centre houses around 4,000 staff, and Boots runs its support office on its Beeston site. Games Workshop and the BioCity incubator add a creative and life sciences edge.
Twenty minutes away, Derby brings engineering at scale: Rolls-Royce's civil aerospace headquarters, Alstom's Litchurch Lane train factory and Toyota's Burnaston plant, which is why automotive features in 6.6% of Nottingham's tech vacancies too.
The practical consequence for employers: a Nottingham software engineer's median is £55,000 against £100,000 in London, but demand for security skills has jumped. Cyber security is now the ninth most-requested skill in Nottingham tech vacancies, up 45 places on a year earlier, and good security people are rarely out of work for long.
8.3%
of Nottingham permanent tech vacancies asked for cyber security skills in the six months to September 2026, making it the ninth most-requested skill, up 45 places
94%
of our permanent placements still in post twelve months later, in our most recent audited period
117
Developer vacancies advertised in Nottingham in the six months to September 2026, Nottingham's most in-demand technology role
The roles we fill in Nottingham
Our Nottingham work centres on the skills the city's employers hire for most:
We also recruit across business analysis, project management and IT architecture.
How we work
Our process is documented, externally audited and the same every time. See how we recruit.
INDEPENDENTLY ACCREDITED SINCE 1997
Nottingham hires on value, not volume.
Salaries are lower than the big cities, so the role itself has to win the candidate. We have been recruiting technology people since 1997.
What Nottingham employers are paying
Nottingham salaries sit below the big northern cities, with developers the most in-demand role for its financial services, retail and public sector employers. These medians come from advertised Nottingham vacancies, not our own placements.
Nottingham IT salaries and day rates
The six most-advertised technology job titles in Nottingham, medians from advertised vacancies, six months to September 2026
- Developer
£60,000
Contract: £449/day (12 rates)
Salary up 9.1% · 98 salaries - Software Engineer
£55,000
Contract: rate on request
84 salaries - Software Developer
£65,000
Contract: rate on request
49 salaries - IT Analyst
£35,000
Contract: rate on request
35 salaries - Security Analyst
£55,000
Contract: rate on request
20 salaries - Senior Software Engineer
£60,000
Contract: rate on request
33 salaries
Source: IT Jobs Watch, Nottingham medians from advertised vacancies. Day rates shown only where at least 10 contract rates were advertised. Updated quarterly.
Who you will be dealing with
Nick Gordon · Founder · LinkedIn
Nick founded Deerfoot in 1997 and has been immersed in the recruitment industry for more than 25 years. He grew up in Nottingham, so he knows the city and its employers well, and he remains hands-on, particularly with organisations that have complex hiring needs. Running an ethical recruitment service matters a great deal to him, and it shapes how Deerfoot works with clients and candidates alike.
Away from work you will usually find him heading out into the forest with his dog, playing tennis, doing yoga, or cooking something plant-based.
To talk to Nick, call us on 0161 511 8511 and ask for him, or email hello@deerfoot.co.uk and it will reach him.
Common questions about hiring in Nottingham
Do you have an office in Nottingham?
No. We have been remote-first for years, which means no Nottingham branch office. Most clients opt for a video or Teams call, though we are always happy to travel to you, whether you are in the city centre, at NG2 or out in Derby.
How much does it cost to use a Nottingham IT recruiter?
Fees are set as a percentage of first-year salary according to how difficult the role is, and we put the figure in writing before you commit. Standard permanent terms give you a 100% refund for six months if the hire does not work out, and one placement each month is fee-free for a registered charity or non-profit.
How long does it take to hire in Nottingham?
Most mid-level Nottingham roles are usually at shortlist stage within seven to ten days and at offer within four to six weeks. Security roles need the quickest process, because demand has risen faster than the supply of experienced people.
Do you recruit in Derby as well as Nottingham?
Yes. The two cities are under 20 minutes apart by train and share much of the same talent pool, so we recruit across both, including engineering and manufacturing employers in and around Derby.
Can you find graduates and early-career technologists?
Yes. The University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University each have around 35,000 students, and the University of Derby adds more, so the region produces a steady flow of early-career talent for employers willing to train.
Can you provide contractors in Nottingham?
Yes. Being an FCSA Recruiter Partner means contractors are engaged compliantly, with their IR35 position confirmed before the first day.
Which areas around Nottingham do you cover?
Nottingham and the rest of Nottinghamshire, plus Derby, Derbyshire and the wider East Midlands. We work across the UK as well, including IT recruitment in Leeds, Manchester and London.
What salary should I offer in Nottingham?
The medians on this page are a starting point, but security and senior engineering pay has moved quickly. Just ask for a free benchmark of your exact role, set against advertised and placed salaries.
Why should a Nottingham employer care that we are a B Corp™?
Because it is audited independently, not self-declared. B Lab reviews how we treat staff, candidates and the environment, and if you are a B Corp or aiming to become one, working with a certified supplier helps your own assessment. In practice you see it in a monthly fee-free placement for registered charities, Living Wage Employer status and carbon offsetting across every placement.
Talk to us about a Nottingham role
Brief us online or ring us, and you will speak to the recruiter who will run the search.
