What's happening in financial-services hiring right now?

The centre of gravity in financial-services recruitment is moving up the qualification ladder. In the financial services sector, recruitment was generally for Regulatory Qualification Framework (RQF) 6+ roles rather than RQF 3 to 5 roles, according to the GOV.UK Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report (2026). In plain terms, RQF 6 sits at degree level, so banks are increasingly chasing people with advanced, specialist skills rather than entry-level or mid-tier ones.

That matters because SME lending platforms live at exactly this higher level. Building and running digital lending means credit modelling, data engineering and product design, not counter work. As more lending moves onto platforms, the demand for degree-level and specialist talent that the GOV.UK Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report (2026) points to only sharpens.

Which roles and skills are SME lending platforms creating?

SME lending platforms bring a blend of finance and technology skills into banks that older models rarely needed. Think credit-risk analysts who can write code, data scientists who understand affordability, product managers who own a lending journey end to end, and compliance specialists fluent in automated decisioning.

• Credit-risk and underwriting talent comfortable with models, not just manual files.
• Data engineers and data scientists who turn transaction data into lending decisions.
• Product managers who shape the borrower experience from application to payout.
• Compliance and risk people who can govern automated and AI-assisted decisions.

These sit firmly in the higher-qualified band. With recruitment generally targeting RQF 6+ roles in financial services per the GOV.UK Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report (2026), banks are competing with fintechs and platforms for the same scarce, degree-level specialists.

How do you hire well for these roles in financial services?

Start by being honest about the hybrid nature of the work. A lending-platform role is rarely pure finance or pure tech, so a job spec that lists only one side will miss strong people on the other. Describe the problem the person will solve, not just the tools they'll use.

Next, move quickly. The specialists you want are in short supply across the sector, and slow processes lose them. Agree your decision-makers, your interview format and your must-have skills before you advertise, so you're ready to act when the right person appears.

• Write for the hybrid: pair finance knowledge with data or product skills in one spec.
• Screen for judgement, not just credentials, especially around risk and regulation.
• Keep the process short and clear so good people don't drop out.
• Sell the mission: platform builders want impact and ownership, not just a title.

How can we help you hire for SME lending platforms?

We built Reed.ai to make specialist hiring in financial services faster and simpler. We search a database of 15 million candidates to surface people who match the finance-and-technology blend these roles demand, and we manage the process end to end. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. If you're building or scaling an SME lending team, start a role with us today.

Sources

• GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report