Happy New Year!
Here’s the first PM Job Market deep dive for 2026. This remains the most comprehensive PM Job Market report you’ll find anywhere—covering trends by region, level, and work environment.
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The Big Takeaways
With 23,161 open listings, the global PM job market begins 2026 with a modest 1.6% decline from December, marking two consecutive months of contraction.
But the bigger picture is encouraging: the market is up 12% year-over-year. Every major region except LATAM is showing positive YoY growth, with the Middle East (+45%) and EEA (+33%) leading the way.
Regional Breakdown
United States: Slight pullback to start the year
The US market has 9,874 PM jobs, down 2.6% month-over-month. This follows December's essentially flat performance (-0.4%). The six-month trend remains strong at +11%, matching the year-over-year growth. The US continues to account for 43% of global PM listings.
APAC: Continued softness
APAC has 4,002 PM jobs, down 3.2% month-over-month. This follows a modest +1.2% in December. APAC remains the only major region showing negative six-month performance (-6%), though year-over-year it's still up 5.3%.
EEA: Leading the way into 2026
The EEA was a strong performer this month with 4,868 PM jobs, up 1.9% month-over-month. This continues the positive momentum from December (+2.8%). The six-month outlook is exceptional at +25%, and year-over-year growth sits at an impressive +33%. Europe continues to be a bright spot for PM hiring.
United Kingdom: Post-holiday slowdown
The UK market pulled back to 1,369 PM jobs, down 11% month-over-month. This is a notable reversal after December's +3.2% growth. However, the longer-term picture remains very positive: up 11% over six months and an impressive 33% year-over-year.
Canada: Seasonal dip after strong December
Canada dropped to 796 PM jobs, down 10% month-over-month. Like the UK, this follows a strong December (+13%) and likely reflects seasonal hiring patterns. The fundamentals remain solid: up 5.6% over six months and 18% year-over-year.
LATAM: Stabilising after volatility
LATAM has 746 PM jobs, essentially flat at -0.1% month-over-month. This follows December's sharp 22% decline and suggests some stabilisation. LATAM remains the most challenging market, down 9.5% over six months and 31% year-over-year.
Middle East: Continuing strength
The Middle East has 895 PM jobs, up 1.7% month-over-month. The region maintains its position as the strongest year-over-year performer at +45%, with six-month growth of +23%. The Middle East continues to outperform despite its smaller absolute market size.
Seniority Levels
Associate PMs: Notable January pullback
Associate-level roles saw a 9.9% decline month-over-month, though the longer-term picture remains strong with +26% growth over six months and +14% year-over-year.
Mid-level PMs: Holding steady
Mid-level roles held essentially steady at -0.1% month-over-month. This is the most stable segment, with +6.9% growth over six months and +12% year-over-year. The core of the PM job market remains resilient.
Senior PMs: Softer trend continues
Senior PM roles declined 5.8% month-over-month, continuing a softer trend. Six-month growth sits at +4.2% and year-over-year at +12%. Senior IC roles tend to be more selective and slower to fill.
Product Leaders: Steepest monthly decline
Leadership roles saw the steepest decline at 7.5% month-over-month. Interestingly, this segment shows the strongest year-over-year growth at +20%, though six-month performance is slightly negative at -1.7%. Leadership hiring remains cyclical and budget-dependent.
Work Environment Trends
On-site: Holding steady
On-site roles held steady at +0.3% month-over-month, essentially flat. Six-month and year-over-year growth are modest at -0.1% and +4% respectively. On-site remains the baseline but isn't driving growth.
Hybrid: Short-term dip, strong trend
Hybrid roles dipped 5.7% month-over-month after December's gains. However, the longer-term trend is strong: +16% over six months and +18% year-over-year. Hybrid continues to be the preferred flexible arrangement for PM roles globally.
Remote: Stability returns
Remote roles ticked up 0.2% month-over-month, showing stability after recent volatility. The six-month trend is the strongest of any work model at +28%, with year-over-year growth of +26%. Remote options are expanding, though they remain a smaller share of the overall market.
Closing
That's it for this month's report.
As we kick off 2026, I expect February to show some recovery as companies move past budget planning and into execution mode. The year-over-year trends suggest we're in a healthier market than the month-over-month headlines might suggest.
What would you like to see in next month's report? Just hit reply and let me know.