What is the state of financial-services hiring today?

Financial services is hiring for depth, not just headcount. In the sector, recruitment was generally for Regulatory Qualification Framework (RQF) 6+ roles, rather than RQF 3 to 5, according to GOV.UK's Temporary Shortage List Stage 2 report (2026). In plain terms, insurers are chasing degree-level and above capability, the kind of professional judgement and specialist knowledge that sits at the senior end of the framework.

That matters for embedded insurance. When cover is sold inside someone else's checkout, a car purchase, a travel booking or a retailer's app, the people building and governing those products need to operate at that higher level. The hiring signal is clear: teams want fewer entry-level gaps filled and more senior, accountable expertise added.

Which roles and skills does embedded insurance create?

Embedded insurance blends two worlds that used to sit apart. On one side, you still need underwriting, pricing and compliance. On the other, you need the product and engineering skills that make cover appear seamlessly inside a partner's journey. That pushes new roles onto insurer teams.

• Product managers who own the embedded proposition end to end, from partner fit to customer experience.
• API and integration engineers who connect policy systems to third-party platforms reliably and at scale.
• Partnership and distribution leads who land and manage the retailers, lenders and platforms that carry the cover.
• Data and pricing specialists who turn real-time transaction signals into fair, fast quotes.
• Compliance and governance professionals who keep embedded products inside regulatory lines.

The common thread is seniority. With sector recruitment skewing to RQF 6+ roles rather than RQF 3 to 5, as noted by GOV.UK's Temporary Shortage List Stage 2 report (2026), insurers are competing for people who can both build and be accountable, not just execute a brief.

How do you hire well for embedded insurance teams?

Start with the shape of the role, not the job title. Embedded insurance roles often sit between product, engineering, distribution and compliance, so define which outcomes the person owns before you write the advert. A clear remit attracts clearer applicants.

• Hire for the blend: look for people who pair insurance knowledge with product or platform experience, rather than one in isolation.
• Screen for collaboration, since these roles work across partner teams, engineering and risk every week.
• Test real scenarios, such as how a candidate would scope an embedded product or handle a partner integration.
• Move quickly, because senior, cross-skilled people rarely stay on the market long.
• Keep a clear audit trail of decisions so your process stays fair and defensible.

Speed and clarity work together. When the market favours senior, specialist talent, a slow or vague process costs you the best people. A sharp brief and a fast, consistent decision keep strong candidates engaged.

How can we help you hire for embedded insurance?

When you're hiring for roles that blend product, engineering and insurance expertise, reach matters. We search a database of 15 million candidates to surface people who fit both the skills and the seniority these teams need. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost, through Reed.ai. Tell us the role and we'll start building your shortlist today.

Sources

• GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report