The shape of work in financial services is changing, and the hiring picture reflects it. Demand is tilting towards more specialist, higher-qualified positions rather than entry-level service work. In the financial services sector, recruitment was generally for Regulatory Qualification Framework (RQF) 6+ roles, rather than RQF 3 to 5. GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report
In plain terms, RQF 6+ sits at degree level and above, while RQF 3 to 5 covers roles up to around foundation-degree level. So employers are reaching for people with deeper technical and regulatory knowledge. That tells us something important about where banking service work is heading: towards advice, risk, compliance and specialist support, and away from routine transactions.
The traditional branch role is broadening into a hub role. Instead of one person processing transactions, service teams now blend customer guidance, financial wellbeing conversations, fraud awareness and digital support in one place. As more everyday banking moves online, the human roles that remain carry more weight and need more knowledge.
That shift lines up with the pull towards higher-qualified recruitment we see in the data, where hiring leaned towards RQF 6+ roles rather than RQF 3 to 5. GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report The result is wider, richer job descriptions: a hub colleague might guide a customer through a mortgage query, flag a possible scam and help someone set up an app, all in a single visit.
Start by rewriting the job, not just the job title. If a role now spans advice, compliance awareness and digital support, say so, and be clear about which qualifications are genuinely required versus nice to have. Being precise helps you reach the right people and avoids screening out strong applicants over a credential they could gain on the job.
Then hire for the mix of skills the hub needs: judgement under pressure, clear communication and comfort with regulated processes. Assess how someone handles a tricky customer conversation, not just whether they tick a box. And move quickly once you find the right person. In a market reaching for higher-qualified talent, strong people have options, so a slow process can cost you the hire.
This is where we can help. We search a database of 15 million candidates to surface people who match the widening shape of today's banking service roles, then manage the process end to end. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. If you're hiring for a hub role now, tell us what good looks like with Reed.ai and we'll build your shortlist.
