ASK THE EXPERT – NATIONAL PAYROLL WEEK

Sharp Consultancy's Salary Survey 2025/26: Resetting the Landscape: Strategic Shifts in Finance Recruitment

It would be remiss not to start by addressing the elephant in the room — 2024 was a challenging year.While there were many reasons for this and numerous industries were affected, recruitment likely bore the brunt of it, particularly in the 6 months post-election(s).Whilst key roles and critical hires remained unaffected, certain head counts and processes were scrutinised and investment paused with internal restructures and automation utilised to reduce costs, in some instances, at the expense of employees. We subsequently saw an increase in candidate activity, with the talent pool strengthening. As those pressures eased in Quarter 4, recruitment processes saw improvement and green shoots have emerged. Optimism is on the rise in key hiring processes, albeit with a caveat. The cloud of additional cost increases in April, which is still dissipating. The senior finance and C-Suite market remains relatively unaffected, both regarding opportunities and candidates, it is the levels below that we have seen more change. In the evolving landscape of working dynamics, the volume of hybrid working is gradually waning despite sustained interest from candidates, presenting fewer job opportunities. While the blend of office and remote work remains desirable, it is no longer the predominant factor, indicating a notable shift in priorities for clients and candidates’ acceptance alike. Conversations with candidates underscore a growing desire around the importance of having a supportive mentor or manager and many professionals are increasingly open to a full-time return to the office if it guarantees enhanced guidance and avenues for professional advancement. "The salaries throughout transactional finance have stabilised across the region."Throughout the professional practice market, some similar trends have been observed but there have been noticeable differences in the past year. Salaries across the range of candidates in professional practice, from AAT to fully Qualified (ACA/ACCA) individuals are still rising and those firm’s able to offer competitive salaries alongside stronger training contracts are beating out the competition in a candidate market with a growing focus on study support packages and career advancement opportunities for Part-Qualified candidates, indicating an increase in demand from employers and the volume of available job seekers. The salaries throughout transactional finance have stabilised across the region, in what feels like the longest period of stability seen since Q4 2020 and we expect transactional finance salaries to remain stable throughout 2025/26, with anticipated salary increments to be moderate compared to the significant increases observed throughout the last 2 years. AI & Systems (process automation) continues to impact accountancy and finance, in particular, across larger functions but this has increased the need for wider interim support to assist with the transition and implementation especially with large, automated processes. Whilst 2025-26 will not be the same marketplace for recruitment as seen in previous years, there is certainly a growing level of optimism and whilst a more settled market may be seen as a negative in some areas, for those that have weathered the peaks and troughs over a longer period of time, it will feel very normal and a strong setting for both employees and employers to take advantage and thrive, with an increasing emphasis on growth and development.Download the full Salary Survey here!

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It’s National Payroll Week (Mon 6 – Fri 10 Sep), and throughout the week our team of specialist consultants have been sharing their in-depth knowledge and expertise to employers and candidates working in the sector on recruitment and career-related matters.

Sharp Consultancy has been at the forefront of transactional financial recruitment across the North for more than 25 years. Our highly experienced specialist team has an extensive network of talented candidates for roles across the full spectrum of levels within accounts payable, credit control, payroll and purchase ledger.

Today, Matt Civil, Business Manager examines the wider skills that hiring managers are looking for from the modern payroll professional.

Historically, it would be fair to say that the focus for payrollers has been about getting people paid accurately and timely. However, we are now seeing that hiring managers are placing an increasing amount of emphasis upon the value-added skills that a payroll professional can bring such as analytical skills for management information and reporting which require a higher level of Microsoft Excel skills than would have previously been expected from those working in the role.

Such a skill set can save time and money for an organisation; candidates that possess analytical skills will be able to look in to how efficient the payroll is run, highlighting errors and queries which may be avoidable in future payroll runs. This information can help organisation be better informed when it comes to making business decisions; for example, manufacturing and product-based firms can more accurately forecast costs to determine if certain course of action – including price rises, discounts, discontinue ranges – are viable and as a management tool, smart decisions, such as weighing up the value of temporary workers versus overtime costs for full time permanent employees, can be made.

Companies that have a real focus upon training, as well as investment in technology and system improvements, will not only be in a much stronger position to attract the highest calibre candidates, they will also find that by offering study support – and continuing with a programme of ongoing training opportunities - they will improve retention rates whilst their staff are developing sought-after skills.

There have been many changes to regulations and legislation in recent years, including one of the most recent – the Government furlough scheme – which will be coming to an end this month and moving forward, payroll candidates and professionals will need to demonstrate their ability to keep on top of and adapt to these changes. It is likely that more changes will be forthcoming which will lead to higher demand for the most highly skilled candidates; payrolls salaries have seen a sharp increase in the last 3 – 4 years with more emphasis placed on candidates that can run a payroll from end-to-end.

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim and permanent transactional finance professionals across the full spectrum of roles including accounts payable, credit control, payroll and purchase ledgers. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond. CONTACT US today to find out more.