Our Biggest Charity Easter Egg Drive yet!!

Sharp Consultancy’s Salary Survey 2026/27: Finding the Best Talent in a Competitive Yorkshire Finance Market

Over the past 12 months, the Yorkshire finance and accountancy employment market has entered a relatively stable period following several years of volatility and rapid salary inflation.Hiring activity remains consistent across most finance disciplines, however employers are adopting a more cautious and measured approach to permanent recruitment, likely borne from the economic uncertainty businesses are navigating. As a result, there has been a wider increase across interim hires and salary movement has become more controlled with recruitment processes taking longer than in previous years. Despite this stabilisation, skills shortages continue to be a defining feature of the market. This is particularly evident between the qualified and senior level, where replacement hiring in key roles continues to exceed the available candidate pool and the data reflected in this salary survey aligns closely with what we are seeing daily across the Yorkshire finance market. While hiring volumes have levelled out, the underlying challenge remains unchanged: demand for high-quality finance professionals continues to outweigh supply. What the data does not always fully capture, but we have seen consistently across the market, is the increasing complexity behind each hire. Employers are no longer simply recruiting for technical capability; they are seeking finance professionals who can influence, adapt and add value, often in uncertain trading conditions. This has resulted in longer recruitment timelines, narrower shortlists and a growing reliance on trusted market insight to secure the right individuals. Across the candidate market we are seeing a more selective approach to new opportunities. Job seekers are making increasingly considered career decisions, weighing role scope, leadership quality, flexibility and long-term opportunity alongside salary. Many of the strongest candidates are not actively applying for roles, which means traditional, employer led recruitment strategies are no longer sufficient. Employers are no longer simply recruiting for technical capability; they are seeking finance professionals who can influence, adapt and add value, often in uncertain trading conditions.This is where a relationship-driven recruitment partner becomes vital. At Sharp Consultancy, and through our work with our executive division - The CFO Partnership - our long-standing relationships across the South Yorkshire finance community allow us to engage with high-performing talent that is not always visible to the wider market. Our understanding of both client environments and individual career motivations enables us to make introductions that are aligned not just on skills, but on culture, ambition and long-term fit. In a market where salary growth is increasingly controlled and competition for talent remains intense, our ability to advise, challenge and guide both clients and candidates is vital. Recruitment partnerships built on trust, transparency and deep market knowledge are what ultimately ensure the best outcomes - securing the right talent for our clients, and the right opportunities for the candidates we represent.

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Easter time brings joy and happiness to many, and once again it has been a pleasure for us to play a small part in that with some of our charity partners across the region.

This year’s effort has certainly been our most successful yet, and in a time of giving it’s been great to see everyone across the business play their part by giving something back and working to gather donations as part of our Easter Egg drive.

Expertly coordinated and lead by Tom Davage in our South Yorkshire Office; throughout the month of March, members of the Team at Sharp Consultancy have been visiting clients to collect egg donations and to say we have been blown away by the generosity from those clients would be an understatement! As the days and weeks passed, the amount grew and grew and ultimately, we stopped counting some time ago.

With the amount well over previous totals, with an estimated 600 plus eggs collected we’ve spent the last few days delivering and sharing the donations and once again the impact has left us realising the difference that a simple donation can make.

With a range of charities, not for profits and under-privileged recipients, it once again highlights how hard our local partners work and the importance of community engagement and the impact that collective efforts can have on local organisations.

This effort not only brings joy during a period that most take for granted but also supports the commendable work of local charities, not for profits, schools and food banks and allows a chance to share some of those organisations with you.

Three of those in particular are below, to learn more about these charities' missions and consider supporting them please click on the links provided.

Paces Charity - Paces, a specialist centre for children with cerebral palsy and other motor disorders, provides a range of services to support their development.

St Luke's - known for its compassionate end-of-life care, offers comfort and dignity to those in their final stages of life.

Ashgate Hospice care - with its dedicated team, provides invaluable support to individuals with life-limiting conditions and their families.

And a big thank you to everyone else who has partnered with us as well for this year’s collection.

Of course, this wouldn’t have been possible without the donations, and we owe a huge huge thank you to all of our clients and candidates from across the region! Every single donation has made a difference, and we are so grateful for the levels of generosity you have shown.

Again, we would like to thank everyone involved and we look forward to doing it all over again next year, with a new target to beat! If you would like to be part of that drive, as a charity partner or recipient then please do not hesitate to get in touch. We would be delighted to add even more recipients next year.