Risk and Assurance Recruitment: End of Year Market Update

It has been an interesting year across the UK recruitment landscape. While many areas of the market have felt fairly muted, the Risk and Assurance space has continued to move at a steady pace. Financial services, industry, and regulated sectors have all kept hiring, largely because the pressure around governance, compliance, AML and fraud, cyber security, and operational resilience simply hasn’t eased.

Most organisations are still strengthening their second and third line teams. We have seen a consistent flow of roles across risk management, internal audit, compliance, and controls, with hiring managers regularly saying the same thing, they need people who can do more than tick boxes. Technical assurance capability is a given now, but the real differentiator is commercial awareness and the ability to communicate clearly with senior stakeholders. Those who can turn complex issues into something practical and business friendly continue to stand out.

Interim demand has also been busy. Regulatory projects, provision 29 control framework improvements, remediation work, and short term leadership support have all played their part. Many businesses have used interim resource to keep important programmes moving without committing to long term headcount, while contractors have enjoyed working on chunky, high impact assignments that genuinely stretch their skills.

At Broster Buchanan, we have spent the year working closely with clients across the UK on both permanent and interim mandates. The mix of long standing relationships and deep sector knowledge has allowed us to give honest advice, act as a sounding board when needed, and support organisations as they navigate another unpredictable year. It is a market that rewards strong relationships, and we are proud of the partnerships we continue to build.