Gender and Seniority in Digital

Gender and Seniority in Digital: Are We Closing the Gap?

The digital industry has come a long way in embracing diversity, but when it comes to gender balance across seniority levels, the data tells a familiar story. According to our 2025 Digital Salary Survey, female representation continues to lag behind that of their male counterparts – especially in leadership roles.

Let’s take a look at the current gender breakdown across seniority levels:

  • Junior Level – Female: 16%, Male: 84%
  • Mid-Level – Female: 25%, Male: 75%
  • Senior Level – Female: 21%, Male: 79%
  • Director/C-Suite – Female: 17%, Male: 83%

It’s clear that while there’s a slight improvement at mid-level, the figures drop again at senior and director levels. That gap matters – and it’s hard to ignore.

The Leadership Gap

These stats are reinforced by the growing perception of gender inequality in leadership. This year, 22% of respondents said they see a gender disparity in leadership opportunities – a 5% increase from 2024. That’s a significant shift and reflects a broader awareness of the imbalance in decision-making roles.

The drop from 25% female representation at mid-level to just 17% at the top suggests a bottleneck for progression. Whether it’s due to a lack of opportunity, visibility or support, it’s clear that talented women in digital are not reaching leadership at the same rate as their male peers.

The Bottleneck Effect

The transition from mid-level to leadership appears to be a sticking point. With 25% female representation at mid-level but only 17% at director/C-suite level, there’s a clear drop-off. Whether it’s due to a lack of opportunity, unconscious bias, or limited mentorship, the result is a bottleneck that prevents women from progressing.

This isn’t just a problem of fairness. It’s a business issue. Diverse leadership teams are proven to make better decisions, drive more innovation and improve employee satisfaction across the board.

What Can Digital Employers Do?

If you’re in a leadership or hiring position, it’s time to ask yourself: Are we doing enough to support women into leadership?

A few key actions to consider:

  • Review your internal promotion pathways: Are leadership opportunities accessible and transparent for all?
  • Invest in mentorship and sponsorship programmes: Women need support systems that help them navigate the journey to the top.
  • Evaluate your leadership hiring practices: Are you seeing enough diversity at the shortlisting stage? If not, why?

TechNET Digital Tip: Building Diverse Leadership

When partnering with clients, we encourage them to look beyond the CV. Leadership potential isn’t always linear – and widening the lens when hiring helps uncover untapped talent. We also advise clients to track internal progression data by gender. It’s one of the most effective ways to spot patterns and proactively correct imbalances.

At TechNET Digital, we don’t just support recruitment – we support long-term, inclusive hiring strategies that create room at the top for everyone.

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