Key Trends Hiring is selective, but specialist demand is strong
Generalist hiring remains measured, yet firms are still competing hard for people who can cover operational resilience, enterprise risk, technology risk, cyber risk, Consumer Duty, compliance advisory, and tech-enabled audit. The apparent contradiction in the market is real: candidate supply may be broader overall, but specialist supply is still tight. Internal audit is increasingly being hired for judgement, not just coverage Audit leaders are being asked to do more than complete audit plans. They are expected to provide assurance over resilience, technology, third parties, data, governance and culture. In the hiring market, that is translating into stronger demand for auditors who can engage credibly with first and second line stakeholders, especially in technology-heavy environments. AI is starting to affect profile requirements The issue is not that AI has replaced teams; it is that it is changing what “good” looks like. The FCA has made technology and data a visible theme of its work programme, and in 2025 launched an AI testing environment with Nvidia to help firms experiment safely. In hiring terms, that is pushing demand toward candidates who can combine control knowledge with data literacy, systems understanding and practical judgement over AI- related risk. Key Challenges The biggest challenge is still finding people with the right blend of technical depth and commercial judgement. Employers may feel they have more CV flow than two years ago, but much of that flow is not close enough to the brief. Compensation is the biggest hurdle for most employers with technical/regulatory capability and remote-working policy also significant barriers. In risk and compliance, employers similarly report widespread difficulty hiring the right people even in a more employer-led market. A second challenge is budget mismatch. Many firms want 2022-calibre hires on 2026 budgets. That works for broad mid-market generalist searches, but it breaks down quickly in specialist mandates, especially in technology risk, cyber, front-office advisory, and senior internal audit. Recruitment markets soften before compensation expectations do; the result is slower processes, aborted searches and more role redesign. A third challenge is process friction. Strong candidates still disengage when processes are too long, too vague or too risk-averse. This is especially true when the role requires them to leave a stable environment for a platform that cannot clearly articulate remit, sponsorship or progression. In today’s market, the best candidates are not necessarily taking more risks just because volumes are lower. They are often becoming more selective. That aligns with survey data showing remuneration remains the top motivator, but work-life balance, career development and hybrid working all materially shape decision-making. 31
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