Finance teams are playing a bigger role than ever in helping businesses navigate uncertainty, drive growth and manage risk. However, with demand for finance professionals outstripping supply, especially in areas like financial control, risk, and transformation, hiring the right people is no easy task.
If you're hiring for a finance role right now, you need more than just a good job spec. You need a clear value proposition, a streamlined recruitment process, and a working culture that appeals to what top candidates really want. Here's how to stand out in a crowded market and build a finance team that stays the course.
1. Review and Refresh Your Benefits Package
It goes without saying that competitive pay is a key factor. However, salary alone won't be enough to win over the best finance professionals. Candidates are comparing the complete package, from pension contributions and bonuses to private healthcare and flexible working.
Start with a benchmarking exercise to see how your offer stacks up in today’s market. Consider enhancements like:
Performance-related bonuses
Enhanced parental leave
Death in service cover
Private medical insurance
Wellbeing allowances or EAPs
Even small changes can strengthen your Talent Value Proposition (TVP) and help tip the scales when candidates are weighing up multiple offers.
2. Make Learning and Development a Priority
Finance professionals are naturally focused on growth. Whether it's progressing to a senior leadership role or gaining new qualifications, the opportunity to develop matters.
Offering access to professional development, such as study support for ACA, ACCA or CIMA, mentoring schemes, and internal or external training, will make your roles more appealing. It also helps you build internal capability, especially as regulation and technology evolve.
Upskilling your existing team not only closes skills gaps but also demonstrates a commitment to long-term career paths, which is essential for retention.
3. Embrace Flexibility (and Mean It)
Flexible work is now a non-negotiable for many professionals. That might mean hybrid working, compressed hours, or greater autonomy over how and when work gets done.
For finance roles, especially those traditionally seen as office-based, embracing flexibility shows trust and respect. It also broadens your potential talent pool, removing geographical and logistical barriers for highly skilled professionals.
Make sure flexibility is more than just a buzzword. Outline what it looks like in practice on job descriptions, and be prepared to tailor arrangements to meet individual needs.
4. Promote a Strong Culture with Clear Values
People want to work somewhere they feel valued, heard and inspired. Culture isn't just about perks or away days, it's about how your team works together, how decisions are made, and how people are treated.
Ensure your values are visible during the recruitment process and lived day to day. Share real examples of how your culture plays out, whether that’s through employee stories, leadership behaviours or internal initiatives.
Candidates are also looking for purpose in their work. If your finance team plays a role in shaping strategic decisions, supporting sustainability goals or improving community impact, say so.
5. Invest in the Right Tools and Tech
Finance professionals want to work in environments that support performance. That means up-to-date systems, automation tools, and platforms that make reporting and analysis easier, not clunky legacy systems that hold them back.
Showcase your tech stack during the hiring process, especially if you're using tools like Power BI, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, or other cloud-based finance solutions. This signals that you're future-focused and investing in your people’s ability to do their jobs well.
6. Make Diversity and Inclusion a Core Priority
An inclusive workplace isn’t just a nice-to-have - it’s expected. Candidates want to see that your organisation supports diverse perspectives and creates and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.
Discuss your D&I commitments, even if you're still on the journey. Share progress, not just promises. This could include gender pay gap data, inclusive policies, celebration of awareness days, or employee resource groups.
Being transparent builds trust and helps attract finance professionals who value representation and a sense of belonging.
7. Use Recruitment Marketing to Tell Your Story
Top candidates will research your business before applying. They’ll check your website, scroll through your LinkedIn, and read employee reviews. Make sure what they find reflects the reality of working with you.
Recruitment marketing plays a key role here. Build a strong employer brand by highlighting success stories, showcasing your people, and clearly communicating your values and TVP.
If you’re not sure where to start, consider a recruitment partner like NRG. We help you assess your job descriptions, employer messaging, and digital footprint to make sure you’re attracting the right people, and giving them a reason to say yes.
8. Streamline Your Hiring Process
Finance professionals are in high demand and busy. A slow, complicated recruitment process can lead to dropouts, especially if candidates are juggling multiple offers.
Ensure your hiring journey is transparent and efficient, with defined timelines and prompt communication. Candidates should know what to expect at each stage and feel respected throughout.
If you don’t have the internal bandwidth to move quickly, partnering with a specialist recruiter can keep momentum high and ensure you don’t miss out on the right people.
Next Steps for Smarter Finance Hiring
Attracting and retaining finance talent in 2025 requires more than posting a job advert. It’s about understanding what your ideal candidates value, then building a hiring strategy that meets them where they are.
By offering competitive packages, prioritising flexibility and development, and telling a clear story about who you are, you’ll stand out in a crowded market and build a finance team that’s ready for what’s next.
Need support hiring for your finance team?
Book your free, no-obligation consultation with one of our accountancy and finance experts. We’ll help you benchmark your offer, identify the right talent, and create a recruitment strategy that works.