Demand in UK financial services is concentrated at the senior, specialist end. Government analysis found that recruitment in the sector 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, firms aren't short of entry-level applicants; they're short of people with degree-level and professional expertise.
That pressure isn't unique to finance. The skills powering ESG sit next door in engineering and technology, where 76% of engineering employers struggle to recruit for key roles, with technical and specialist sustainability skills topping the list Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). When insurers go looking for people who can model climate and sustainability risk, they're competing in the same talent pool.
The result: underwriting teams now compete for a smaller, more specialised group than they did a few years ago. The question isn't whether to hire for ESG data. It's how to find and keep the people who can do it.
ESG underwriting blends two disciplines that used to sit apart. The underwriter prices risk. The data specialist builds the evidence. Increasingly, the job description asks for both in one person, or in a tight team that works as one.
A few patterns stand out:
The dynamic to watch is convergence. Actuarial, data science and underwriting are moving closer together, and the hire that bridges them is the one everyone wants.
When the talent is scarce and senior, the way you hire matters as much as who you hire. A few practical moves help.
Write the role around the decision, not the tool. Say what risk the person will price and what evidence they'll own. A job ad that lists ten software names filters out strong people who learn tools quickly; one that describes the underwriting outcome attracts them.
Above all, treat the person first. Someone with rare, in-demand skills is choosing you as much as you're choosing them, so make the process clear, fast and respectful.
When the shortlist is small and the clock is ticking, speed and reach change the outcome. We search a database of 15 million candidates and manage recruitment end to end, from the first match to a booked interview, so your team stays focused on pricing risk rather than chasing applications. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. Ready to find your next ESG underwriting hire? Start today with Reed.ai.
