Many leadership positions, also for young talent

Employers currently have a particularly large number of open leadership positions to fill. A good one in six job offers also includes leadership responsibilities (16.4 %). This is the highest value since data collection began in 2008. Last year the figure was 11.1 %.

As expected, the staffing need is highest at the first management level: almost six out of ten of the examined positions with leadership responsibility are aimed at people seeking a project or team lead role. For both, the share has risen somewhat compared to the previous year. The situation for ambitious young talent has improved compared to last year. The share of job offers for trainees and junior managers has recovered (2.7 % and 1.8 % respectively), after it was lower than ever for both last year.

According to IW Köln, many employers find it difficult to fill leadership positions. On the annual average in 2025, around 28,000 specialists in leadership positions were lacking, especially in “genuine management functions” such as department head. The search for people keen on leadership responsibility is becoming more difficult overall; accordingly, only 14 % of employees can even imagine taking on such a position.