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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Job description

A leading manufacturer in Leeds needs an experienced Management Accountant to initially cover a period of sickness but this opportunity could roll into a longer term opportunity.

The key purpose is to support the Head of Finance with financial management and act as a business partner to the operational and sales teams.

Headline tasks include:

Prepare accurate and timely monthly management accounts, including P&L, Balance sheet and Cash-flow with variance analysis and commentary against budget, forecast and prior year.
Produce and distribute weekly sales and margin reports.
Prepare and distribute monthly sales commission reports by sales representative.
Develop and produce monthly cost centre P&L reporting, including variance analysis and performance commentary.
Support Finance Director in maintaining and improving standard costing model.
Assist the Finance Director in the preparation of annual budgets and quarterly forecasts.
Assist the Finance Director with cash-flow forecasting, including the preparation, analysis, and ongoing monitoring of short and medium‑term cash-flow projections.
Reconcile physical stock count results to the inventory ledger, investigate variances, and communicate required corrective actions and associated risks (including potential write‑offs).
Work closely with operations, sales, and marketing teams to provide financial insight and challenge to support strategic and operational decisions.
Maintain Fixed Asset register including capital additions, disposals and depreciation; escalating risks or issues to the Finance Director.

To be considered for this varied and interesting role, you will likely be ACA, ACCA, or CIMA qualified although someone who is Qualified by Experience may be considered if you can offer a good mix of management accounting and finance business partnering experience.

You must have Advanced Excel skills, be a highly effective communicator and be capable of supporting commercial decisions.

This is a great opportunity to join a business and show them what you can do. The HoF has created a wonderful team environment so you must be a team player.

It’s to start ASAP, initially for a few months but could then lead to a longer term opportunity for the right person.

Sharp Consultancy is a finance and accountancy recruitment specialist assisting accounting and finance divisions of businesses in the Yorkshire and Derbyshire area. With over 30 years' experience we pride ourselves on sourcing excellent finance professionals across all divisions of an accounts function.

Candidates must be eligible to work in the UK full time without restriction. To apply please send your CV to the e-mail address stated, quoting our reference and specifying which website you saw this position advertised on. Due to the high volume of applications, we receive it is not always possible to respond to unsuccessful applicants. Therefore, if we have not responded to your application within seven days, please note that on this occasion your application has not been successful.

Consultant

Stuart Douglass

Business Manager

Interim Management Accountant / Finance Business Partner

Job description