We’re now halfway through 2025, and if you’re hiring in finance, you’ve probably felt the pressure. Hiring cycles are growing longer, candidate expectations continue to shift, and skill shortages remain a significant issue. Whether you’re recruiting for a commercial finance team in Manchester or building out a treasury function in Birmingham, the landscape has shifted permanently.
What’s interesting right now is that the so-called “secondary” finance regions in the UK are slowly but surely turning into primary players. Manchester is the second-largest regional centre for financial, professional, and business services in the UK. Other northern cities, such as Birmingham and Newcastle, are making significant strides in FinTech.
Yes, there are challenges. Skills gaps are real. Retention is tough. Expectations are higher than ever. But there’s good news: companies that embrace change and double down on smarter recruitment strategies can still thrive, anywhere in the North.
The State of Finance Recruitment in Northern England
Let’s start with some good news: if you’re hiring finance professionals in Northwest England, you might be moving faster than your London-based peers.
But speed isn’t everything. The real challenge is still finding people with the right mix of skills. The Northern finance market is crying out for talent in areas like FP&A, audit, tax strategy, and financial modelling.
Skill shortages aren’t just technical either. There’s a growing demand for crucial soft skills like communication, resilience, and commercial awareness.
Add in the rise of remote and hybrid working, and things get more complex. UK employees now have a right to request flexible work, and many are taking advantage. This opens up the talent pool but also means Northern employers are competing with companies in London, Dublin, and beyond.
That’s why many successful businesses focus less on salaries (which still lag behind London) and more on what really matters to candidates: flexibility, career progression, and a sense of purpose at work.
Shared Recruitment Challenges Across Northern England
Manchester, Sheffield, and Newcastle might be in different counties, but finance hiring teams share similar burdens across the North. Hiring in finance isn’t getting easier. Northern markets face strikingly identical challenges. Understanding them is the first step to overcoming them.
The finance skills gap is still the biggest challenge. Employers aren’t just missing out on Excel wizards and auditors anymore. They’re struggling to find professionals with next-level tech expertise (skills with data, AI, and automation) and well-rounded soft skills.
Then there’s the surge in demand for specialised talent, particularly in high-growth areas like AI, data analytics, and automation strategy. These skills are in short supply everywhere, but the gap hits harder in regions not traditionally viewed as innovation centres. Northern finance employers are often competing not just locally, but nationally.
Compensation adds another layer of complexity. While regional salary expectations are typically lower than in London, candidates are becoming far more informed and ambitious. Pay transparency is on the rise, and many professionals, especially those who can work remotely, know their worth. The gap between what companies offer and what top talent expects is closing quickly.
Plus, it’s not just attracting talent that’s a challenge; it’s keeping it. Younger professionals are changing roles more often, exploring new avenues, and working remotely. Twenty-five per cent of people in the 25-34 age bracket usually change roles every 1-2 years.
Effective Recruitment Strategies for Northern Businesses
So, how do Northern companies handle these finance recruitment challenges? The simple answer is: just like their southern counterparts, with a fresh strategy.
Northern finance hiring in 2025 isn’t going to get easier, you’ll need to update your strategies if you want to stay one step ahead. Here’s where to begin:
Use Specialist Recruiters
Using a specialist recruiter dramatically boosts your chances of finding the right fit. We’re talking about a 70% success rate compared to just 11% from word-of-mouth referrals. Specialist recruiters understand more than job specs, they know how to connect people, culture, and ambition.
In a market where every day or week you spend with an unfilled role matters, that kind of expertise can shave precious time off the hiring process and land you talent that stays loyal.
Get Real About Pay Transparency
Vague salary ranges are a thing of the past. Even if you can’t afford to offer the same package as a company in London, that doesn’t mean you should try to hide it. You must get real with candidates about the total package you can offer.
If your salary is a little lower than they might expect elsewhere, show them the extra value or benefits you can offer instead. Maybe you can provide strategic bonuses occasionally, flexible working options, or new development opportunities.
Map Out Career Paths
Finance professionals aren’t just looking for jobs, they’re looking for growth. If you want to attract and keep top talent, show them what’s next. If your employees can’t see a genuine path forward in your company, they won’t stick around for long.
Make promotional paths clear, implement regular performance reviews, update your succession plans, and ensure mentorship programmes are ready. Show staff that this is a two-way street. If they’re part of your future, you’ll be a valuable part of theirs.
Invest in Targeted Learning and Development
Development plans are more important than ever, particularly now that finance professionals are responsible for many tasks related to strategic planning and digital transformation. But one-size-fits-all training doesn’t work. You need to adapt to your employees.
The best financial leaders offer tailored, flexible development programmes that help their employees sharpen their technical and soft skills. Investing in strategies like that leads to a more capable team, better problem-solving, and reduced turnover.
Prioritise Work-Life Balance and Hybrid Flexibility
If you’re not offering flexible or hybrid work, you’re already behind. After years of remote setups, employees now expect roles that respect their lives outside work. That includes flexible hours, the option to work from home, and managers who genuinely care about their well-being.
Northern employers can really stand out here, especially when lower living costs make remote work even more attractive. If you can’t allow employees to work fully remotely, work with them to find a strategy that works for everyone.
Lead With Purpose and Culture
Remember this: salary and opportunities bring people in, but culture keeps them. Younger professionals especially want to work for organisations with values, mission, and heart. Whether that means clear diversity goals, local community involvement, or simply treating people respectfully, authenticity matters.
Lead with purpose, clear your vision, and get everyone involved in a joint mission. When you’re building out your team, remember to look for cultural add, prioritise diversity, and maintain inclusivity. That will help you grow.
Know Technology’s Role in Reshaping Finance
Finance departments aren’t what they used to be. Spreadsheets and manual reports are making way for AI-driven forecasting, real-time dashboards, and automated controls. And it’s happening fast: AI adoption in finance jumped from just 21% in 2023 to 58% in 2024.
Right now, most teams aren’t ready for the shift. The skills gap is growing because finance professionals aren’t trained for their role today. This means upskilling isn’t optional anymore. If you want to stay ahead, you need to invest in continuous learning, particularly in areas like digital literacy and tech fluency. You also need to know how to tap into non-traditional talent pools to find the skilled professionals who can help fill the gaps in your team.
Looking Ahead: Predictions for Late 2025 and Beyond
As we look toward the end of 2025, several big shifts are already on the horizon. First, expect continued growth in regional finance hubs, especially where fintech, sustainability, and shared services intersect. Northern cities, including Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield, and Newcastle, are just a few on the radar.
At the same time, the demand for hybrid skill sets will only intensify. We’ll see increased hiring for roles that blend finance acumen with digital capability, and businesses will need to compete more aggressively to attract this rare talent.
On the regulatory side, changes around pay transparency, diversity reporting, and compliance could reshape hiring practices, especially in financial services.
The long-term outlook is promising. But only for those willing to evolve. The most resilient employers will treat recruitment as a forward-thinking strategy, not a reactive task.
Shaping Tomorrow’s Northern Finance Teams
Change isn’t coming to the finance sector; it’s already here. The finance recruitment market across Northern England is full of challenges, but it’s also full of opportunities for those ready to adapt.
To stay competitive:
- Rethink your hiring model with specialist support
- Prioritise skill development and progression
- Lead with clarity, culture, and flexibility
Ready to make smarter finance hires? We’re here to help. Get in touch to explore tailored recruitment strategies built for the future of your finance team.
Thanks
Rachel
About Rebus Financial Recruitment
Rebus Financial Recruitment provides a specialist and focused recruitment service to its customers, ranging from various organisations, including SMEs, to large PLCs.
We strive to offer both the client and candidate a seamless recruitment experience. Using our expertise, we get to the heart of employer and employee needs, and, in doing so, we match the two perfectly.
To learn more, contact one of our team members today or call us at 01282 930930.
