Financial-services hiring is tilting towards higher-skilled, regulated roles. The government's own analysis found that in the sector, recruitment was generally for Regulatory Qualification Framework (RQF) 6+ roles, rather than RQF 3 to 5 the GOV.UK Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report (2026). In plain terms, RQF 6+ sits at degree level and above, so firms are reaching for more experienced, more qualified people to fill their briefs.
That matters because smart data schemes, which let customers share their financial data securely with trusted providers, open up new products and services. Building and governing those services needs people who understand both the rules and the technology. So the demand for senior, qualified talent that the Stage 2 report describes the GOV.UK Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report (2026) lines up with where the work is heading.
As the data and product side of finance grows, the brief widens beyond the traditional finance skill set. Firms want people who can design data-sharing products, manage consent and permissions, meet regulatory standards and keep customer trust. The weight towards RQF 6+ roles in the sector the GOV.UK Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report (2026) signals that these are not entry-level posts: they ask for depth and judgement.
The dynamic to watch is overlap. A single brief now often spans two or three of these areas at once, which makes the right hire harder to define and harder to find.
Start by writing the brief around outcomes, not just job titles. If a role mixes regulatory knowledge with data skills, say so plainly and rank what matters most. Given the tilt towards RQF 6+ roles across the sector the GOV.UK Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report (2026), be clear about the qualifications and experience you genuinely need, and the ones you can develop in post.
Then move quickly. Senior, qualified people have options, so a slow process loses them. Shortlist on the skills that drive the role, keep interviews tight and focused, and give fast, honest feedback. Widening the brief should not mean widening the wait.
When the brief spans regulated, data and product skills, matching gets harder, and that is where we help. 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 proposition is built around one thing: finding the right person for a role that is harder to define. Tell us what the brief needs today and we will get started.
