What’s Driven Hiring Demand Over the past 12 months, a key trend has been the build-out of more robust internal finance functions across alternatives platforms. Firms invested in senior fund accounting and fund control roles, enhanced portfolio finance and performance analytics capability, treasury and liquidity management (particularly for semi-liquid and LTAF vehicles), and more centralised data and reporting frameworks, often as part of wider finance transformation initiatives. Private credit, infrastructure and renewables remained the most active hiring areas. Demand was strongest for credit-focused fund accountants, valuations and portfolio monitoring professionals, product controllers, and treasury specialists, with sector-experienced infrastructure finance talent remaining in short supply. After two relatively flat years, salary growth has returned. Base salaries increased by c.10–15%, with scarce hybrid profiles seeing higher uplifts. Technology and systems capability also continued to rise in importance as platforms accelerated finance transformation initiatives. Where the Market Remains Tight Talent scarcity persists at the mid-senior level, particularly for fund accountants and fund controllers with genuine alternatives exposure. The market remains tight for infrastructure and credit specialists, practice-to-funds movers, and hybrid finance, data, and transformation profiles. Hiring timelines have lengthened as firms balance continued investment with cautious capital deployment, while improved candidate confidence has reduced flexibility on compensation and role scope. Rising technical expectations — driven by investor reporting standards, liquidity complexity and regulatory scrutiny — continue to raise the bar for professionals operating beyond core NAV production. Hiring Outlook Hiring momentum is continuing to strengthen as deployment activity increases and market conditions stabilise. Growth is likely across fund control, portfolio finance and analytics, treasury and liquidity management, infrastructure and energy-transition finance, and data-enabled finance roles. With continued institutional capital flowing into private credit and real assets, demand for experienced fund accounting professionals is expected to remain structurally strong through 2026. Demand also remains strong for finance transformation professionals supporting system upgrades, data infrastructure and operating model change. Competing for Talent Move decisively in a candidate-constrained market. Strong fund accounting professionals are often managing multiple processes, and prolonged hiring timelines risk attrition. Prioritise technical depth alongside commercial and systems capability, particularly for roles supporting complex fund structures and investor reporting. Salary expectations have reset upward, especially across credit and infrastructure strategies. Clear investment in systems, governance and team build-out remains a key differentiator when attracting and retaining senior finance talent.
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