Latest Hiring Insights for the London Financial Services Market

The last few months have been anything but quiet for the Financial Services market in London. From vacancies on the rise, investment in AI accelerating and actuarial booming, it can seem hard to keep track of the latest market activity.

But at Sanderson, we always have our finger on the pulse of the latest changes in the market so that we can help you better understand how any changes might impact your hiring plans and then support you to turn these market trends into opportunities when it comes to your recruitment.

So, with that in mind, we’ve teamed up with VacancySoft to sum up the latest trends we’ve been seeing in the London Financial Services market over the last few months in a handy Report.

Take a look at the sneak peek below and scroll down to grab your copy!

Vacancies

The finance sector in London is showing signs of life with vacancies rising by 17% since January, marking the busiest period since early 2023.

Insurance and Fintech

Insurance vacancies are easing with broking down so far in 2025. But will underwriting activity surpass last year’s volumes?

Artificial Intelligence

We’re seeing Allianz and lots of other insurance firms across the sector accelerating their investment into AI and transformation and working hard to automate their processes. And the impact this increased use of AI appears to be having on recruitment is that whilst there’s been a slowdown in hiring in many departments this year in the Insurance industry, IT vacancies are continuing to rise, with activity on track to be 15% higher than 2024 in London, and this is a trend we expect to continue.

Actuarial

London has recorded its fourth consecutive monthly increase in actuarial roles, so alongside our Report we sat down with Sanderson Senior Consultant and Actuarial specialist George Mohan for his views on what the state of play is looking like:

“Actuarial recruitment in life insurance has remained steady through 2025, underpinned by a busy market for bulk purchase annuities (BPA) and continuing regulatory developments. Solvency UK reforms have been shaping capital and risk management strategies, prompting insurers to strengthen their actuarial teams in areas such as reporting, balance sheet optimisation and capital modelling. Activity in BPA and reinsurance deals is also keeping demand stable for pricing and transaction specialists, while ongoing product innovation in retirement and protection markets supports a baseline level of hiring.

The profile of demand, however, is evolving. Employers are increasingly seeking actuaries who not only bring deep technical knowledge of life insurance liabilities and regulatory frameworks but can also apply data science, machine learning and advanced analytics. Skills in longevity risk modelling, asset-liability management and capital optimisation are in high demand, especially where firms are competing to execute on BPA opportunities at scale. Time-to-hire has lengthened for hybrid profiles, with firms prepared to pay salary premiums to secure candidates who can bridge traditional actuarial expertise with digital capability.

Flexibility remains another defining feature of the market. Hybrid and remote working are now standard expectations, particularly in technical and project-based roles. While graduate and trainee recruitment remains selective, fully qualified actuaries with strong transaction, modelling and regulatory skills are well positioned.

The overall picture is one of stability with sharper edges. Life insurers are maintaining headcount and investing in areas tied to Solvency UK, BPA transactions and longevity risk, while shifting their focus towards talent that can combine actuarial rigour with technology and data. The message is clear the market is steady, but the profile of demand is changing and those who adapt fastest will capture the best opportunities.”

Fintech

Fintech vacancies in London reached their highest monthly total in more than two years in July – will this trigger a war on talent?

Fixed term contracts

Have volatile markets and uncertainty over the upcoming employment bill meant that many employers are reluctant to expand their permanent headcount causing an incline in the number of FTCs in the market?

All in all, with banking vacancies rising, fintech attracting record funding, and insurers pivoting towards automation, a unifying trend has become clear.

Talent, particularly in technology and data, has become the currency of competition, dictating which firms will lead in the next phase of growth.