PayMetric Labs
Project & Change2026 dataSalary by location

Head of Projects / Change Salary in United Kingdom 2026: Benchmarks, Range & Skills

The median Head of Projects / Change salary in United Kingdom is £90K in 2026, with a typical range from £86K to £108K. Year-on-year movement is still building as more matched salary data is published. London & South East currently leads city pay at £113K.

What does A Head of Projects / Change do?

A Head of Projects / Change is responsible for leading the PMO and change management function, ensuring technology and business transformation programmes are delivered on time, to budget, and with effective adoption across the organisation.

Day-to-day responsibilities

  • Leading the PMO and change management function
  • Setting programme governance frameworks and reporting standards
  • Managing portfolios of technology and business transformation projects
  • Overseeing senior project managers and change managers
  • Presenting programme status and risk to the executive team
  • Managing change communications and stakeholder engagement
High demand+19% PMO Leadership+20% Change Management (Prosci, ADKAR)+18% MSP (Managing Successful Programmes)

National Median Salary

£90K

United Kingdom benchmark • 2026

Salary Range (P25 – P75)

£90K
£75K£140K

Data quality & confidence

Confidence Score

25%

YoY Momentum

Trend building

Median salary benchmark

£90K

annual - 2026

Typical salary range

£86K-£108K

25th-75th percentile

Year-on-year pay movement

Trend building

trend data building

Forward pay outlook

Building

More data needed

Permanent Salary Benchmark for Head of Projects / Change

Permanent salary benchmarks for Head of Projects / Change in United Kingdom, from the low end to the top of the range, based on published market compensation data.

£90K
£75K£140K

Low

£75K

P25

£86K

Median

£90K

P75

£108K

High

£140K

Head of Projects / Change Take-Home Pay in the UK (2026/27)

After Income Tax & National Insurance · single, standard PAYE

Entry

Take-home/year

£60,437

Effective rate

29.7%

Median

Take-home/year

£62,757

Effective rate

30.3%

Senior

Take-home/year

£71,597

Effective rate

33.7%

See the full band-by-band breakdown for Head of Projects / Change

Adjust for your actual salary, see each Income Tax and NI band, and get monthly and weekly figures.

Is a Head of Projects / Change hybrid salary worth the commute?

3-day/week office schedule · typical UK commute assumptions

Break-even remote salary

£72,000

minimum to match £90K hybrid

Annual commute impact

£10,460

costs + time value lost

Hours commuting/year

138 hrs

at 60 min/day, 3 days/wk

See the full break-even analysis for Head of Projects / Change

Adjust commute costs, compare any two salaries, and find the exact remote salary you need.

Remote vs hybrid analysis

Head of Projects / Change career path in the UK

4 levels · salary at each step · technical and management tracks

Hiring outlook

Stable

Senior Project salary

£62,000 - £88,000

0-4 experience

Head of salary

£118,000 - £160,000

7-12 experience

£62,000 - £88,000
0-4
£88,000 - £118,000
4-7
£118,000 - £160,000
7-12
£160,000 - £240,000+
12+

Full career progression guide for Head of Projects / Change

Technical vs management tracks, salary at all 4 levels, top employers, and progression FAQs.

Career path guide

Head of Projects / Change market demand in the UK

Hiring outlook · remote rate · top employers

Hiring outlook

Stable

Remote / hybrid

65%

of roles offer remote or hybrid

Salary growth (YoY)

0.0%

salary is stable

Top hirers:
Accenture UKDeloitte UKKPMG UKNHSCabinet OfficeHSBC

Full market demand breakdown for Head of Projects / Change

Hiring drivers, remote rate detail, full employer list, and demand FAQs for the UK.

Market demand guide

Contract break-even

What day rate beats a £90K Head of Projects / Change salary after tax?

Break-even day rate

£438/day

to match £90K permanent net

Permanent net take-home

£62,757/yr

£90K gross, 2026/27 rates

Outside IR35 (ltd), 220 days, no pension. Net figures are estimates; use the calculators for exact results.

Market Demand & Outlook

Hiring demand, top locations, and career outlook for Head of Projects / Change

Limited Market Data

Demand level

Low

Based on hiring signals relative to similar roles in this market.

Top hiring locations

South West EnglandWalesLondonNorth West England

Career outlook

Stable market outlook

Head of Projects / Change pay is broadly stable, with current market guidance centered around £90K.

Skills That Command a Premium for Head of Projects / Changes

Certain technical skills push Head of Projects / Change salaries in United Kingdom significantly above the £90K median. These are the most impactful skills to develop or highlight when negotiating.

PMO Leadership

+19%

salary premium vs median

Change Management (Prosci, ADKAR)

+20%

salary premium vs median

MSP (Managing Successful Programmes)

+18%

salary premium vs median

Agile Programme Management

+17%

salary premium vs median

Benefits Realisation Management

+18%

salary premium vs median

Executive Stakeholder Engagement

+21%

salary premium vs median

How Much Does a Head of Projects / Change Earn by City in United Kingdom?

Head of Projects / Change salary varies meaningfully by location. London & South East commands a +26% premium over the national benchmark (£113K), while Northern Ireland sits -19% at £73K. Location is worth factoring into any offer negotiation.

How does Head of Projects / Change pay compare to similar roles?

Reported in these agency salary guides

Why Head of Projects / Change Salaries Are at This Level

Head of Projects / Changes in United Kingdom earn a median salary of £90K in 2026, with a typical range from £86K at the 25th percentile to £108K at the 75th percentile. This benchmark reflects published market compensation data for annual annual pay across the United Kingdom market.

London & South East currently leads city pay at £113K, which is 26% above the national benchmark. City coverage for this role includes London, Scotland, Midlands, North East England, North West England, Northern Ireland, South West England, Wales, London & South East, North, Midlands & Scotland, South West & Wales, helping you compare local pay differences without needing separate city-role pages.

At experience level, and upper bands continue to trend above the median. Demand is currently steady for this role based on recent coverage and salary momentum signals.

Frequently Asked Questions About Head of Projects / Change Salary in United Kingdom

1

What is the median Head of Projects / Change salary in United Kingdom?

The median Head of Projects / Change salary in United Kingdom is £90K in 2026. The typical range runs from £86K at the 25th percentile to £108K at the 75th percentile, based on published market compensation data.

2

Is Head of Projects / Change salary increasing in United Kingdom?

Year-on-year trend data is not yet available for this role. Check back as the dataset grows.

3

How does Head of Projects / Change salary vary by city in United Kingdom?

Head of Projects / Change salaries vary across United Kingdom. London & South East leads at £113K (+26% vs the national benchmark), while Northern Ireland sits at £73K. Use the city breakdown above to compare all locations.

4

What does a Head of Projects / Change take home after tax in United Kingdom?

A Head of Projects / Change earning the median £90K gross in United Kingdom will take home a net amount after income tax and other deductions. Use the PayMetric Labs take-home calculator on this page for an exact breakdown by tax band.

5

Is a £90K Head of Projects / Change hybrid role worth the commute in the UK?

On a 3-day hybrid schedule with a typical UK commute (£15/day travel, 60-minute round trip, daily meal premium, annual wardrobe costs), your true net income at £90K is approximately £52,297 per year, compared to £62,757 net without any commute. The commute costs £10,460 per year in direct expenses and lost time. A fully remote role paying £72,000 would leave you equally well off.

6

What remote salary is equivalent to a £90K hybrid Head of Projects / Change salary in the UK?

Assuming a 3-day hybrid schedule with typical commute costs, you would need a remote salary of at least £72,000 to match the true net value of a £90K hybrid Head of Projects / Change role in the UK. For a 5-day fully in-office role, the break-even remote salary rises to £60,600, as the higher office frequency increases travel, meal, and time costs significantly.

7

How many hours per year does a Head of Projects / Change in the UK spend commuting?

On a 3-day hybrid schedule with a 60-minute round trip, a Head of Projects / Change in the UK spends approximately 138 hours commuting per year, equivalent to 17 full working days. Valued at the implied hourly rate for a £90K salary (£52/hr), that time is worth £7,200 annually.

8

How does the 2026 Return to Office trend affect Head of Projects / Change compensation in the UK?

As more employers in the UK reintroduce hybrid or full in-office mandates in 2026, the true value of a Head of Projects / Change salary depends increasingly on the number of required office days. At £90K, each additional day in the office costs roughly £3,320 per year in direct and time costs (moving from 3 to 5 days). Candidates evaluating offers should compare true net income rather than gross salary alone.

9

What day rate do you need to earn more than a Head of Projects / Change permanent salary in United Kingdom?

A Head of Projects / Change earning £90K permanently takes home approximately £62,757 per year after tax in United Kingdom. As a outside IR35 limited company contractor at 220 billable days, you need a day rate of at least £438/day to match that net income. Anything above that rate puts more money in your pocket compared to the permanent equivalent. Use the IR35 calculator at /calculators/ir35-calculator for a full breakdown.

10

Is contracting more profitable than a permanent Head of Projects / Change role in United Kingdom?

Whether contracting beats permanent pay for a Head of Projects / Change in United Kingdom depends entirely on the day rate you can command. The break-even rate is approximately £438/day (220 working days, outside IR35 limited company), which is the minimum required to match the £90K median permanent net take-home of £62,757 per year. Day rates above this produce a higher net income; rates below it mean the permanent role pays more after tax.

11

How reliable is this Head of Projects / Change salary benchmark?

This benchmark is derived from verified market compensation data and is rated Limited Market Data. Confidence levels are calculated using salary source coverage, market consistency, data quality and benchmark strength.

12

Is Head of Projects / Change pay increasing?

There is not enough matched prior-year data yet to publish a reliable growth figure. Growth is matched using the closest comparable prior-year role, location, seniority, currency, and salary type available in the salary intelligence tables.

13

What should employers and candidates take from this benchmark?

No matching prior-year comparison is available, so year-on-year movement is not reported.

Monthly briefing

Stay ahead of the UK and Ireland tech market

One email a month covering salary benchmark movements, contractor rate changes, Budget and IR35 updates, new calculators, and market intelligence reports. Built for tech professionals, contractors, and hiring managers across the UK and Ireland.

  • Monthly salary and contractor rate movements
  • Tax change alerts the day rates are confirmed
  • New market intelligence reports and insights
  • Calculator updates for every new Budget

Join tech professionals across the UK and Ireland

No noise. Just the data that moves your decisions.

Free. No spam. Unsubscribe any time. GDPR-compliant.