Deerfoot is an IT recruitment agency placing permanent and contract technology staff across the Thames Valley, from Reading, Bracknell and Slough to Maidenhead and Newbury, since 1997.
Our team is just down the M3 in Hampshire, and one consultant handles your role from start to finish.
The Thames Valley technology market
The Thames Valley is one of the UK’s largest technology job markets outside London, and much of it is enterprise IT: regional headquarters, telecoms, software and pharmaceutical businesses spread along the M4.
Microsoft technologies were cited in 12.9% of permanent technology vacancies in the six months to September 2026, according to IT Jobs Watch, and finance in 9.6%. Pharmaceutical and life sciences roles pay well above the local average, with a £90,000 median, and public sector pay rose 36% on last year.
The practical consequence for employers: you are competing with London for many of the same people, since good candidates here can commute either way, but at a software engineer median of £70,000 against £100,000 in the capital. Data engineer vacancies rose from 7 to 119 on the same period last year, and the median salary rose 32%. Strong candidates rarely wait around, and good people are more often approached than found applying.
12.9%
of Thames Valley permanent tech vacancies cited Microsoft technologies in the six months to September 2026, reflecting the region’s large enterprise IT base
94%
of our permanent placements still in post twelve months later, in our most recent audited period
390
Software Engineer vacancies advertised in the Thames Valley in the six months to September 2026, the Thames Valley's most in-demand technology role
The roles we fill in the Thames Valley
Thames Valley employers most often bring us these roles:
We also recruit across business analysis, project management, artificial intelligence 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
The Thames Valley competes with London for talent.
Good candidates here can commute either way, so a clear, quick offer matters, and we have been recruiting technology people since 1997.
What Thames Valley employers are paying
Data Engineer pay in the Thames Valley rose 32% on last year, and infrastructure salaries are climbing too as large employers around Reading and Slough compete for the same people. These medians come from advertised vacancies across the region, not our own placements.
Thames Valley IT salaries and day rates
The six most-advertised technology job titles in the Thames Valley, medians from advertised vacancies, six months to September 2026
- Software Engineer
£70,000
Contract: rate on request
Salary up 7.7% · 279 salaries - Systems Engineer
£65,000
Contract: rate on request
Salary up 18.2% · 122 salaries - Support Engineer
£40,000
Contract: £250/day (21 rates)
Salary unchanged · 182 salaries - Infrastructure Engineer
£55,000
Contract: £560/day (77 rates)
Salary up 22.2% · 106 salaries - IT Manager
£50,000
Contract: £525/day (16 rates)
Salary down 16.7% · 97 salaries - Data Engineer
£62,500
Contract: £525/day (36 rates)
Salary up 31.6% · 84 salaries
Source: IT Jobs Watch, Thames Valley medians from advertised vacancies. Day rates shown only where at least 10 contract rates were advertised. Updated quarterly.
Who you will be dealing with
Harry Twynham · IT Resourcing Consultant · LinkedIn
Harry joined Deerfoot in early 2021 and works with employers across the Thames Valley, particularly on data, business analysis and IT support roles.
Away from work he is a lifelong Liverpool FC supporter, plays golf off a handicap of 13 with single figures in his sights, has kept up a childhood love of collecting Lego, and is writing a novel in his spare time.
To talk to Harry, call our office on 020 3701 5510 and ask for him, or email hello@deerfoot.co.uk.
Common questions about hiring in the Thames Valley
Do you have an office in the Thames Valley?
No. We are a remote-first business, and our team is based just down the M3 in Hampshire. Most clients ask for a video call or Teams meeting, but we are happy to come to you in Reading, Bracknell, Slough or elsewhere in the region.
How much does IT recruitment cost in the Thames Valley?
We work on a percentage of first-year salary, agreed in writing before the search begins and set by how difficult the role is. Our standard permanent terms include a six-month, 100% refund, and we make one fee-free placement each month for a registered charity or non-profit.
How long does it take to hire in the Thames Valley?
Typically a shortlist in seven to ten days and an offer in four to six weeks for mid-level roles. Because many candidates can also commute into London, a slow process is the most common reason Thames Valley employers lose people.
Can you recruit Microsoft and Azure specialists?
Yes. Microsoft technologies appear in about one in eight Thames Valley tech vacancies, and Azure in nearly one in ten, so infrastructure, cloud and support engineers with Microsoft skills are a large part of what we recruit for locally.
Do you recruit contractors in the Thames Valley?
Yes. We are an FCSA Recruiter Partner, so contractors are engaged compliantly and IR35 is agreed before any start date.
Which areas of the Thames Valley do you cover?
Reading, Bracknell, Slough, Maidenhead, Wokingham and Newbury, out to High Wycombe and Oxford, and along the M4 corridor between London and Swindon. We place people all over the UK as well, including IT recruitment in London, Hampshire, Bristol, Manchester and Surrey. North of London we also cover Hertfordshire and Cambridge.
What salary should I offer in the Thames Valley?
Start with the medians on this page, and remember you are often competing with London offers. For a specific role, ask us for a free benchmark of advertised and placed salaries.
Why choose a B Corp™ recruiter?
Certification means B Lab has independently verified how we treat staff, candidates and the environment. For Thames Valley employers with their own sustainability or supply-chain targets, a certified recruiter is an easy, evidenced tick. Day to day it shows up as a fee-free placement each month for registered charities, Living Wage Employer status and carbon offsetting on every placement.
Talk to us about a Thames Valley role
Submit the brief or call our office line, and you will speak to the consultant who will handle the search.
