The Hardest Roles to Hire in Financial Services Right Now

Demand for experienced compliance professionals remains high across asset management, fintech and private markets firms.

Regulation continues to evolve, particularly in areas such as financial crime, consumer protection and governance. As a result, firms increasingly need compliance leaders who can operate at both strategic and operational level.

The challenge is that many of the strongest candidates are already well established in senior positions. These individuals are rarely actively searching for roles and tend to move only when the opportunity is particularly compelling.

Risk management has become central to how financial institutions operate.
In many organisations, the role of the Chief Risk Officer has evolved significantly. Today’s CRO is expected not only to oversee risk frameworks but also to contribute to broader strategic decision-making.

The pool of candidates with this combination of experience – risk expertise, regulatory understanding and leadership capability – is relatively small, which can make these searches particularly challenging.

Across the wealth sector, experienced financial advisers remain in high demand.
Many firms are focused on growth and are looking to expand their adviser teams. However, hiring advisers with established client relationships and strong reputations can be difficult.

In addition, regulatory requirements and qualification standards mean the pipeline of new advisers entering the market is relatively limited.
For firms looking to grow quickly, attracting the right advisers often requires a compelling value proposition and clear long-term opportunity.

Another area where demand continues to increase is regulatory and governance expertise.

Boards and leadership teams are placing greater emphasis on governance, particularly as firms scale or enter new markets. This has led to growing demand for individuals with experience in areas such as regulatory advisory, board governance and non-executive oversight.

However, individuals with this background often have multiple opportunities available to them, particularly at senior levels.

There are several factors contributing to the difficulty of hiring for these positions.
First, the most experienced candidates are rarely actively looking for new roles. This means firms often need to take a proactive approach to identifying and engaging potential candidates.

Second, hiring processes at senior level can be lengthy. When processes take too long, firms risk losing strong candidates to other opportunities.

Finally, expectations on both sides have evolved. Candidates are increasingly evaluating opportunities based on leadership, culture and long-term growth potential – not just compensation.