Financial-services hiring is tilting towards higher-skilled, regulated work. In the financial-services 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, RQF 6+ maps to degree-level and above, so employers are competing for people with deeper technical and professional qualifications.
That matters for fund operations. As private markets open up to a wider set of investors, the operational backbone behind these funds, from fund accounting to valuations and investor reporting, has to scale. The work is detailed, regulated and hard to automate away, which keeps demand for qualified people high.
Private markets, think private equity, private credit, infrastructure and real assets, carry heavier operational loads than many public-market funds. Capital calls, drawdowns, distributions, illiquid asset valuations and bespoke investor reporting all need skilled hands. So teams are hiring fund accountants, valuations analysts, investor-relations and reporting specialists, transfer agency staff, and compliance and risk professionals.
The common thread is qualification level. With recruitment generally for RQF 6+ roles across the sector, as noted by GOV.UK's Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report (2026), fund operations employers are chasing people who pair technical accounting or finance knowledge with regulatory fluency. That's a smaller pool, and it moves fast.
Start by writing the role for the work, not the title. Fund operations varies hugely between firms, so spell out the asset classes, the fund structures and the systems a person will actually touch. That helps the right people self-select and keeps your shortlist honest.
Next, be clear on qualifications versus potential. Some roles genuinely need a specific accounting or regulatory credential; others reward aptitude and a willingness to learn. With much of the sector recruiting for RQF 6+ roles, per GOV.UK's Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report (2026), decide which parts of your spec are non-negotiable and which you can develop in-house.
Speed is the quiet differentiator. The best people in this space are often approached while already employed, so a slow, stop-start process loses them. A tight, responsive hiring journey signals you value their time.
This is where we come in. 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. That fee is about one thing: finding the right person and handling the process for you, so your team can stay focused on the funds. Tell us the role you're hiring for and let's start today.
