By Caroline Furness, published 8 September 2026
After a period of caution across the UK recruitment market, there are signs that employers are becoming more willing to invest in permanent talent.
New research into UK hiring intentions found that 34% of employers plan to increase their permanent headcount before the end of 2026. A further 25% expect to increase contract hiring, while 24% plan to expand project-based recruitment.
For the finance and accounting sector, the outlook is particularly interesting. 38% of employers in finance and accounting plan to increase permanent hiring, while 29% expect to increase contract recruitment and 26% project-based hiring. The findings point towards a recruitment market that is becoming more targeted rather than simply slowing down. Read the full research findings on Staffing Industry
The figures suggest that the recruitment market isn't necessarily slowing down. Instead, employers appear to be becoming more selective about where they invest in people, and for finance teams, the right talent remains an important investment.
What is driving permanent finance recruitment?
For many businesses, finance is no longer simply a function focused on recording and reporting what has already happened.
Finance teams are increasingly expected to provide insight, support strategic decisions, manage risk, improve processes and help organisations understand where opportunities and efficiencies exist.
At the same time, businesses continue to face pressure around costs, productivity and growth.
This makes the contribution of experienced finance professionals particularly valuable. A strong Management Accountant, Financial Controller, FP&A professional or Finance Business Partner can influence decisions well beyond the finance function.
As businesses become more considered about headcount, they may be looking for professionals who can demonstrate clear value and contribute across multiple areas of the organisation.
Is the finance recruitment market becoming more selective?
The evidence suggests it is.
More than a quarter of employers surveyed expect competition for highly skilled talent to increase, while organisations are also investing in training, upskilling and reskilling to address workforce challenges.
This creates an interesting dynamic for employers.
There may be less appetite to recruit simply to increase headcount, but there is still a strong incentive to recruit when a particular skill set is needed.
For finance and accounting teams, this could mean greater demand for professionals who combine technical expertise with commercial awareness, technology skills and the ability to provide meaningful insight.
In other words, the question is increasingly not simply “Do we need another person?” but “What can the right person help us achieve?”
What does this mean for contract and project-based recruitment?
Permanent recruitment may be showing positive signs, but flexibility remains an important part of workforce planning.
The research found that 29% of finance and accounting employers expect to increase contract hiring, while 26% plan to increase project-based recruitment.
This reflects the fact that businesses don't always need additional resource on a permanent basis.
Contract and project-based professionals can provide specialist expertise or additional capacity when an organisation needs it most. This could include:
- Supporting a financial systems implementation
- Providing additional resource during year-end or audit
- Supporting an acquisition or restructuring programme
- Covering a period of extended absence
- Delivering finance transformation projects
- Managing a temporary increase in workload
For employers, this creates greater choice. The most appropriate recruitment solution may depend on the business objective, rather than simply whether a role is permanent or temporary.
Which finance skills will be most valuable?
As the recruitment market becomes more targeted, skills are likely to become increasingly important.
Technical accounting knowledge remains fundamental, but employers are also looking for professionals who can operate confidently in a changing business environment.
That can include:
Commercial thinking – understanding how financial performance affects wider business decisions.
Data and analytical skills – turning financial information into useful insight rather than simply producing reports.
Technology confidence – using finance systems, data tools and emerging technologies effectively.
Communication – explaining financial information clearly to stakeholders across an organisation.
Critical thinking and judgement – questioning information, identifying issues and making informed recommendations.
These skills can make the difference between someone who simply completes a finance process and someone who actively contributes to business performance.
How is AI changing the finance profession?
Technology is also influencing the skills employers need.
AI and automation are increasingly capable of handling repetitive tasks across areas such as data processing, reporting and transactional finance. But this does not remove the need for finance professionals.
Instead, it has the potential to shift the focus of many roles towards analysis, interpretation and decision-making.
The ability to understand whether information makes sense, identify anomalies, assess risk and explain what the numbers mean remains fundamentally human.
For finance professionals, developing confidence with technology alongside core accounting expertise could therefore become an increasingly important part of career development.
For employers, it means considering not only whether a candidate has the required technical skills today, but whether they have the adaptability to continue developing as the profession evolves.
What does this mean for finance professionals?
The current market may be selective, but that shouldn't be mistaken for a lack of opportunity.
With 38% of finance and accounting employers surveyed planning to increase permanent hiring, there are positive signs that organisations continue to see value in strengthening their finance teams.
For candidates, this makes it important to understand what differentiates them in a competitive market.
Professional qualifications and technical accounting experience remain important, but candidates who can also demonstrate commercial understanding, strong communication, technological confidence and the ability to provide insight may be particularly well positioned.
It is also a reminder that career development doesn't stop when a qualification is completed. The finance profession continues to change, and the most successful professionals are likely to be those who continue to develop alongside it.
For further insight into the skills, hiring challenges and trends shaping the finance profession, explore our UK Hiring Heads Survey.
What does this mean for employers?
For employers, a more selective recruitment market makes the quality of each appointment even more important.
Before recruiting, it is worth considering what the business actually needs the role to achieve.
Is the priority stronger financial control? Better forecasting? Improved reporting? Commercial insight? Transformation? Additional capacity during a period of change?
The answer can help determine the skills required and whether a permanent, contract or project-based appointment is the right solution.
It can also help employers look beyond a checklist of qualifications and experience to consider the wider contribution a candidate could make to the organisation.
The finance recruitment market is changing — not disappearing
The latest hiring figures point towards a market that is becoming more targeted rather than simply contracting.
For finance and accounting, that's an important distinction.
With 38% of employers surveyed expecting to increase permanent hiring, alongside continued demand for contract and project-based professionals, businesses are still investing in finance talent where they believe it can make a difference.
At the same time, the definition of a valuable finance professional is evolving. Technical expertise remains at the heart of the profession, but commercial thinking, technology, communication, critical judgement and adaptability are becoming increasingly important.
For employers and candidates alike, the message is clear: the finance recruitment market may be more selective, but businesses still need people who can help them perform, adapt and grow.
Looking for finance & accounting talent?
Whether you're planning a permanent appointment or need flexible recruitment support, our specialist team can help you find the right professionals for your business.
The figures referenced in this article are based on independent research conducted in May 2026 among 500 UK hiring managers across finance and accounting, technology and IT, marketing and creative, legal, and administrative and office support.
