The clearest signal in financial-services hiring right now is that demand sits at the top of the qualification scale. According to GOV.UK's Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report (2026), recruitment in the financial services sector was generally for Regulatory Qualification Framework (RQF) level 6 and above, rather than the level 3 to 5 band. In plain terms, employers are competing for degree-equivalent and professionally qualified people, not routine junior support.
That matters for travel teams building a finance function. When the market pulls hardest at senior, regulated levels, the roles you post need to reflect that reality from day one. Expect to describe real responsibility, real qualifications and a clear reason why the right person should choose your team over another.
The RQF 6+ pattern reported by GOV.UK's Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report (2026) points to a specific kind of role. These are positions that carry judgement, oversight and regulatory weight: think financial controllers, qualified accountants, risk and compliance specialists, and finance business partners who can read the numbers and advise the wider team.
For a travel business, those roles come with sector-specific demands. Seasonal cash flow, multi-currency transactions, supplier settlements and regulatory obligations all sit on the finance team's desk. So the dynamic is simple: fewer, more senior hires, each expected to bring both the qualification and the commercial awareness to handle travel's moving parts.
Start with the brief. If the market is competing for RQF 6+ people, as GOV.UK's Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report (2026) shows, your job description has to earn their attention. Be specific about the qualification you need, the scope of the role and how finance connects to the rest of the business. Vague adverts attract vague applications.
Speed and clarity work together. The right senior hire is often weighing more than one option, so a slow or silent process costs you good people. Build a route that moves from a sharp brief to a real conversation without weeks of delay.
This is where we fit. We search a database of 15 million candidates to surface finance professionals who match your brief, then manage the process end to end: ranking a shortlist, contacting matched people and helping you book interviews. 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 about your open finance role and let's build your shortlist today.
