More CIO and CTO roles in Christchurch

The IT employment market has been surging in Christchurch, with salary hikes and new CIO and CTO roles being created amidst the post-earthquake rebuild.

The main demand is coming from the software and telecommunications sectors, says Troy Hammond, country manager of IT recruitment firm Candle.

Stronger demand is coming from a wide range of industries as new businesses start-up in the region or undergo a structural transformation. Troy Hammond, Candle

“There is a broad range of roles on offer from customer support to graduates, ICT developers, engineers, architects, business analysts and product managers to chief information officer and chief technical officer level executives,” says Hammond.

Hammond says one of Candle’s clients, a not for profit organisation, has removed its IT manager role and created a CIO position “to strengthen the executive level and provide a more strategic headset at the top table”.

CIOs, meanwhile, in Christchurch can command a wage in the vicinity of $135,000, according to Candle’s salary portal.

Hammond says among the top earners is a CIO in the telecommunications sector who is on a $275,000 annual salary.

The IT recruitment agency notes the average IT wage in Christchurch has risen from $73,200 to $80,200 since mid-2013. In the past six months, wages in the sector have been “spiking 10 per cent”, says Hammond.

“A combination of demand for skills for Christchurch’s post-earthquake rebuild and a growing cluster of successful technology exporters has caused the city to outstrip both Wellington and Auckland which has experienced wage increases of only 7.3 per cent ($86,300) and 6 per cent ($80,300) respectively.”

Businesses here are talking about the continued progress of the area in becoming the Silicon Valley of New Zealand, says Hammond.

“The start-ups here of new businesses, software houses in particular, and also the entry of international companies into the Christchurch market are having an impact,” says Hammond. “ There has been a number of what we call ‘quake-runners’, people who have decided to leave the city or the region, and created job opportunities.”

“With the post-earthquake rebuild process in full swing, stronger demand is coming from a wide range of industries as new businesses start-up in the region or undergo a structural transformation,” he states.

Candle recently opened an office in Burnside, in the biggest technology park in Christchurch, its first in the South Island. It says more than 5000 Canterbury-based candidates have already registered in its database.

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