Jobs in Salford | Pictures of Salford | Jobs in Manchester

The city of Salford is often mistaken for being a ‘part’ of Manchester and given their close proximity to one another, it is an easy mistake to make. Indeed, only the River Irwell separates the two cities which –when combined - form the strongest economic alliance that is driving the North West forward.

With the successful transformation of the former derelict Manchester Docks into the award-winning Salford Quays combined with neighbouring Manchester’s dramatic expansion since the IRA bomb in 1996, Salford has become a natural home for a growing number of businesses looking to expand or relocate from the more traditional locations - the BBC's decision to relocate some of its key departments to Salford Quays and the creation of MediaCityUK is clear evidence of this.

And since the end of the 1990s, massive investment coupled with the creation of more jobs, greater economic prosperity, improved environment quality and lower crime levels have significantly altered the perception and image of Salford for the better with more people looking at the city as the ideal place to live, work, invest and study than ever before.

Then and now
Originally little more than a small village on the banks of the Irwell, Salford grew through industrialisation. Cloth and silk were made here, as well as the processes of dyeing, fulling and bleaching. It eventually grew to be one of the greatest cotton towns in the rapidly growing British Empire which prompted the opening of the Manchester Ship Canal in 1894 and the construction of Salford Docks – the largest inland port in the country.

Brewing, too, played a significant part in the local economy but by the 1980s the decline of the textile and manufacturing industries that had long been the mainstay of Salford’s local economy began their rapid decline and the city soon fell into economic slump and depression, as immortalised by The Smiths’ iconic photograph of themselves stood outside Salford Lads Club – a club that offered some escapism for the youth of Salford who faced a bleak future and few employment opportunities. Between 1965 and 1991 it is estimated that around 1 in 3 people lost their jobs in the city making it one of the most deprived areas in the country.

But Salford has emerged from its post-industrialisation slumber as a modern and growing service-based economy. Indeed, it has to be said that Manchester’s urban regeneration - on a scale of which has never been seen before in the UK - has inevitably been the catalyst for kick-starting Salford’s redevelopment. And between 1998 and 2006, Salford experienced the second highest employment growth rate of the ten Greater Manchester local authority areas at 12.66 per cent, an increase of 12,845 jobs.

Indeed, Salford’s excellent infrastructure at the hub of a major transport network (with the M602, M60, M61 and M62 motorways all within the city boundaries along with the Metro link), means that it is ideally placed for inward investment which is forecasted to continue to increase (especially with the proposed BBC relocation and the development at Barton) with the city also set to experience the second fastest employment growth in Greater Manchester with 36,200 jobs expected to be created by 2022.

As the administrative centre for the city of Salford (72,750 residents) and the wider district (over 218,000) it comes as no surprise that the public sector is the leading provider of jobs in the area. Indeed, around 32,000 people are employed across the fields of health, education and public administration, with the City of Salford Council being the single biggest employer. And this is closely followed by the finance sector.

Indeed, the financial, banking and professional services sector has been identified as a key area for growth, between now and 2026 and will provide 15 per cent of all Salford jobs in the future. At time of writing, this sector employs approximately 22,000 people in almost 1,900 companies throughout Salford, including CitiFinancial.

With much of the regeneration that has been taking place focused on retail and leisure, the number of people employed within the hotel, catering and bar trade has risen dramatically in recent years. Manchester United’s Old Trafford ground overlooks Salford Quays and is responsible for a significant influx of visitors to the area, as is the Lowry Centre and the National Triathlon Championships. All of which conspire to make the overall retail and distribution sector the third biggest employer in the area, with around 22,000 people plying their trade in these industries.

And despite the loss of the textile and other manufacturing industries in the area, manufacturing continues to play an important role in terms of employment creation in Salford. Standing fourth, the manufacturing sector is responsible for about 15,000 jobs.

Key business districts
Salford Quays is the heart of the city’s commercial district. Where once factories, warehouses and mills once stood there are now a number of office developments that are home to a number of banking and insurance, business and professional services.

Just minutes from Victoria Station and the commercial heart of Manchester, bounded by the River Irwell, Chapel Street, Blackfriars Road and Trinity Way is the Exchange Greengate development that will significantly increase Salford’s commercial space and is earmarked to become central to the development of the local economy.

Central Salford itself has positioned itself with the Knowledge Capital and Innovation Park. The development of smaller-scale incubator and campus-style accommodation has been deliberately designed to appeal to the creative, media and knowledge-based industries. Whilst MediaCityUK is a 200-acre site in the heart of Salford Quays that is arguably the biggest economic driver for the city. It is estimated to provide employment opportunities for around 15,500 people with the Lowry, Imperial War Museum North and a new media complex - future home to the BBC – at its heart.

Other key business parks, include Metroplex Business Park Broadway, Clifton Business Park, Wynne Avenue and Salford University Business Park.

If you're thinking of moving to the area, take a look at some of the current property available to buy or let in Salford.

Take a closer look
A picture is worth a thousand words. You can see some images from in and around Salford below.

Looking for local vacancies? See all current jobs in Salford or find out more information on the local area.