Nonprofit Talent Trends Q1 2026
Our most recent analysis of senior level recruitment within the Irish nonprofit sector indicates a slowing in hiring activity versus the same period last year, although it is worth noting that movement has increased in Q1 2026 versus Q4 2025. This is explored in more detail below.
Year-on-year, through tracking advertised roles on a variety of job platforms, 2into3 identified a total of 226 senior-level roles advertised in Q1 2026, marking a 29% decrease from the 319 roles tracked in the same quarter of 2025. There was also a 19% decrease in the number of organisations recruiting, falling from 214 in Q1 2025 to 174 in Q1 2026.
This indicates that although we have seen increased movement in Q1 2026 versus Q4 2025, fewer organisations are actively seeking leadership talent in Q1 of 2026 versus Q1 2025.
Activity by Subsector
Consistent with previous quarters, several organisations anonymously advertised their vacancies and as a result, of the 226 roles we recorded, 212 could be assigned to identifiable subsectors.
Roles by Subsector:
The trend of the Social Services subsector being the most active remains present, accounting for 37% of senior level roles tracked in Q1 2026. This represents an increase in its share compared to Q1 2025, where it constituted 33%, reinforcing Social Services’ position as the dominant driver of nonprofit recruitment. This is consistent with sustained demand for services in areas such as homelessness, disability, and mental health.
Health (16%) and Local Development & Housing (15%) followed as the next most active subsectors. Together, these three subsectors account for over two-thirds of all assignable roles, underscoring how the sector’s recruitment activity remains concentrated in frontline service delivery.
In our Q1 2025 analysis, we noted the potential for a downward trend in hiring for INGOs following USAID funding cuts. When reviewing Q1 year-on-year, activity in the International subsector is steady at 7% of roles (15 roles in Q1 2026 compared to 16 in Q1 2025).
Activity by Role Function
Service Delivery & Operational Management roles remain the most sought-after leadership function, representing 35% of all roles in Q1 2026, although the actual number of roles has decreased from 147 to 79, reflecting a change in how data is gathered.
The most notable shift has been in Finance, which nearly doubled its share from 9% to 17%. This likely reflects increased demand for financial oversight and reporting capability at a time when the public funding landscape is tightening, with Budget 2026 signalling a more restrained approach to government spending and sector bodies calling for more sustainable funding models.
HR (up from 6% to 8%) and Operational Support (up from 5% to 8%) reinforce this broader trend toward investment in internal organisational capacity. Governance and compliance requirements continue to place additional administrative demands on organisations of all sizes, which may be contributing to this shift.
Fundraising & Business Development also grew from 15% to 18%, indicating that income diversification remains a priority as organisations seek to reduce reliance on any single funding source and diversify from government funding.
On the other side, CEO and Executive Director roles fell from 10% to 6.5%, reflecting stabilisation after a period of increased movement last year.
Talent Trend by Role Function Q1 2026 vs Q4 2025
While the year-on-year comparison shows a significant contraction in recruitment activity, the quarter-on-quarter picture tells a different story. Total roles increased from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026, suggesting that hiring activity increased after a quieter end to 2025. Growth was seen across most functions, with Service Delivery & Operational Management, Fundraising & Business Development, and Finance all showing increases compared to the previous quarter.
The one exception is CEO and Executive Director roles, which appears to have dipped slightly from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026. This is likely normal quarterly variation rather than an indication of any broader trend.
Activity by Income Type
Data regarding income was available for 145 of the 174 organisations in Q1 2026, as those who advertised anonymously or did not disclose their incomes were excluded.
- 20% (29 organisations) reported annual income of less than €1 million, down from 25% (41) in Q1 2025.
- 48% (69 organisations) reported annual income of between €1 million and €10 million, up from 45% (74) in Q1 2025.
- 32% (47 organisations) reported annual income exceeding €10 million, up from 29% (48) in Q1 2025.
While the number of organisations recruiting has fallen across all income brackets, larger and mid-sized organisations continue to account for the majority of recruitment activity while movement in smaller organisations has decreased. This is consistent with previous quarters, as smaller organisations typically operate with more compact management structures and therefore recruit for senior roles less frequently.
Key Observations
The growing share of Finance, HR, and Operational Support roles suggests organisations are investing in internal resilience, strengthening their financial management, compliance, and operational foundations.
The continued dominance of Social Services, Health, and Local Development & Housing in the subsector breakdown reflects where public need and public funding remain most concentrated.
Overall, the data paints a picture of a sector adapting to a more challenging fiscal environment – prioritising sustainability and back-office capability while maintaining its commitment to core service delivery.
Get in Touch
Our Talent Team records senior roles in the nonprofit sector and produces quarterly insights. To explore previous Nonprofit Talent Trends Reports, visit our Talent Insights page. For more information, contact Shannon Barrett, Principal – Talent Services, at Shannon.barrett@2into3.com.
