UK finance hiring rose 23% in a month, but the latest week eased 21% off its peak
More finance and accounting roles opened in the UK over the past 30 days than the month before, though the weekly pace has cooled since its mid October high.
of open roles are at employers on the UK Home Office sponsor register. PWC, Forvis Mazars UK, Cooper Parry and MS are on the list.
UK sponsor register, matched by employeris what the typical role asks for. 9% ask for 10 years or more.
29% of open roles state years675 new roles in the last 30 days, against 551 the 30 days before, at the same companies.
Companies read for 60 days or moreThis week's read
There are 2,333 open finance and accounting roles in the UK right now, spread across 988 companies. New postings over the last 30 days reached 675, up from 551 in the 30 days before that, a 23% rise. But look week by week and the picture is less straight up: postings peaked at 205 in the week of 19 October, then fell to 161 the week after, a 21% drop from that peak. The month is still ahead of where it started, but the most recent week was quieter than the one before it.
Roles stay open for a median of 21 days, so you have some room to get your application in once you see something you like. Experience bars are moderate: the median posting asks for 4 years, and only 9% want 10 or more. Just 29% of roles state a years requirement at all, so plenty of listings leave room to make your case.
PWC leads hiring with 106 open roles, followed by Forvis Mazars UK with 72 and Cooper Parry with 57. All three sit on the UK Home Office sponsor register, as do MS and Vodafone further down the list. Across the market, 49% of open roles are at employers with recent visa filings, which matters if you need sponsorship. Still, the top 8 employers together hold only 16% of all open roles, so most of the hiring is happening outside the big names.
ACA and ACCA each appear in a quarter of postings, and CIMA in 17%, so qualification still carries weight in this market. On the tools side, AI and machine learning is named in 8% of roles, with SAP and Power BI each at 7%. Remote work is rare, just 4% of roles, and only 10% of postings state pay, too few to say what the market is actually paying right now.
What this means for you
Three things you can act on this week
- Move while roles are fresh
Roles stay open a median of 21 days. With the weekly pace having cooled from its mid October peak, do not wait too long once you see a posting you want.
- Check the sponsor register if you need one
49% of open roles sit at employers with recent visa filings on the UK Home Office register. PWC, Forvis Mazars UK, Cooper Parry, MS and Vodafone are all on it.
- Look past the big names
The top 8 employers hold only 16% of open roles between them. Most hiring is spread across the other 988 companies, so widen your search beyond the familiar firms.
Momentum
New Finance roles each week
Last 30 days: 675 new roles, against 551 the 30 days before (+23%). Each week counts the same companies, and a role counts as new only in the week it was posted, so a careers site we start reading never shows up as growth.
See the numbers
| Week starting | New roles |
|---|---|
| 7 Sep | 104 |
| 14 Sep | 145 |
| 21 Sep | 131 |
| 28 Sep | 163 |
| 5 Oct | 146 |
| 12 Oct | 165 |
| 19 Oct | 205 |
| 26 Oct | 161 |
Who is hiring
The companies with the most open Finance roles
988 companies are hiring. The top eight hold 16% of the open roles.
| Company | Open roles | Change in new roles | Sponsor register |
|---|---|---|---|
| PWC | 106 | On the list | |
| Forvis Mazars UK | 72 | On the list | |
| Cooper Parry | 57 | On the list | |
| JPMorganChase | 44 | ||
| BDO Services | 30 | ||
| UK Grantt | 25 | ||
| MS | 21 | On the list | |
| Vodafone | 21 | On the list |
Change compares new roles in the last 30 days with the 30 days before, shown where a company posted 25 or more in the earlier 30 days. Staffing agencies are left out. A company name links to its Ashney company page where there is one.
What they ask for
The technology Finance roles ask for most
Ask Rate is the share of roles that name a skill, from 2,303 postings read in full. Ways of working (methods such as Agile, tools such as Jira) are listed apart; office tools and soft skills are left out.
Ways of working
Industries named most: Financial services 9%, Banking 5%, Investment banking 5%. Certifications named: ACA 25%, ACCA 25%, CIMA 17%. 4% of open roles say they are remote.
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