The market has turned a corner. Permanent placements have finally stabilised, ending a decline in place since Liz Truss's premiership 45 months ago, while temporary billings rose for a fourth consecutive month REC / KPMG Report on Jobs (S&P Global). That matters when you scope a finance hire: a steadier permanent market means the right person is reachable, but you still need a tight brief to move quickly.
The wider backdrop is cautious. The labour market is currently described as 'low hire, low fire', with weaker recruitment but only slight increases in redundancies, and vacancies have dropped below pre-pandemic levels Low Pay Commission Report 2025, GOV.UK. In practice, people move less often, so a well-defined role with a clear level is what gets the strongest finance professionals to say yes.
Live roles point you towards seniority. 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. RQF 6 is degree level, so demand is concentrated at the qualified, specialist and senior end rather than entry level.
Read against the placement picture, that gives you two practical signals. Permanent hiring has stabilised and temporary billings keep climbing REC / KPMG Report on Jobs (S&P Global), so you can mix a permanent core with temporary cover for peaks. And because the shortage sits at RQF 6+ GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report, scoping a role one level too high will slow you down and cost you strong near-fit applicants.
Start with the scope, not the title. Look at live roles for the same work and note the level buyers actually ask for, since demand clusters at RQF 6+ GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report. Write down the three outcomes this person owns in their first six months, then set the qualification and experience bar to match those outcomes rather than an aspirational ideal.
Then keep the process short. When vacancies sit below pre-pandemic levels and people move less often Low Pay Commission Report 2025, GOV.UK, a fast, respectful process is often what wins the hire, not a longer one.
Once your scope is settled, we help you fill it. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. That keeps the focus where it belongs: finding the right person for the role you have defined. Ready to scope your next finance hire? Tell Reed.ai the role and see a matched shortlist.
