Strategic Hiring in 2025
Why Brands Are Doubling Down on Finance and Commercial Talent
We recently ran a poll asking consumer brand leaders where they’re focusing their next senior hires. The results weren’t just interesting — they were telling:
📊 Survey Results:
- Finance & Planning – 34%
- Commercial Growth – 31%
- Brand & Marketing – 17%
- People & Operations – 17%
That’s 65% of respondents prioritising finance and commercial leadership — and it speaks volumes about where the market is heading.
We’re in a moment where smart brands aren’t hiring based on job titles. They’re hiring based on what moves the dial — right now and long-term. Let’s unpack what the results are showing us — and how you can use this insight to shape your next hire.
🧮 Finance First: Strategy, Structure and Storytelling
Finance leads the way in our survey — and on the ground, we’re seeing that play out daily. But this isn’t just about managing the books.
What brands are asking for now is strategic finance. Leaders who can:
- Tell the business story in a way that lands with investors
- Spot risk early — and turn it into opportunity
- Partner with the C-suite on pricing, planning and performance
- Build credible forecasting models that reflect reality, not just ambition
This is where fractional models come into play. Bringing in a 3–4 day-a-week FD or Group FC for six months gives brands the seniority and insight they need — without the full-time overhead. It’s especially powerful for post-funding businesses, scale-ups in transition, or those gearing up for a sale.
💸 Commercial Talent: Driving Revenue with Focus
Right behind finance in our poll came commercial growth hires, at 31%. And again — no surprise there. Every founder and CEO we speak to right now wants two things: clarity and momentum.
That might mean:
- Rebuilding wholesale after a tough retail cycle
- Growing DTC performance profitably
- Expanding internationally with the right partners
- Restructuring the commercial team for agility
Some brands go permanent and build a team. Others bring in a fractional Commercial Director to open doors and define direction fast. Both work — it just depends on your stage and strategy.
The common thread? Commercial hires are being made to create impact, not just manage activity.
🧠 Brand, Ops, People: Still Vital — Just More Tactical
Brand, marketing, people, and ops hires came in at 17% each — but don’t be fooled by the lower numbers.
These areas are still crucial — especially when used strategically. We’re seeing brands bring in:
- Interim Heads of Brand to support launches or sharpen creative direction
- Ops specialists to clean up backend chaos post-growth
- People leads to get structure and culture aligned ahead of scale
Often, these roles are project-led or outcome-based. They’re not always permanent — but they’re always valuable when timed right.
🔁 The Rise of the Flexible Hiring Model
Perhaps the most important context behind all of this: 89% of UK businesses are now open to fractional hiring.
That shift matters.
We’re seeing founders shape hires around business outcomes — not default job specs. Sometimes a short-term, senior hire brings more value than a junior team over the long haul.
Fractional hiring isn’t about patching holes. It’s about unlocking the right capability at the right time — without locking into a structure you might outgrow in six months.
💬 What This Means for Founders and Talent Leads
If you’re building out a senior team this year, here’s our advice:
- Start with what you’re trying to solve. Need sharper forecasting? Want to unlock wholesale? Rebuilding marketing ROI? Start there — and work backwards.
- Stay flexible on format. The best candidates are open to both interim and permanent roles. And the right person, even short-term, can deliver lasting value.
- Think commercially, not reactively. Hiring’s not about plugging gaps. It’s about making decisions that move your business forward.
🎯 Live Role: Interim Senior FP&A Analyst/Manager
If this all sounds familiar — and finance is your next key hire — here’s one that might catch your eye:
We’re exclusively partnering with a FTSE-listed, leading Estate Agency to recruit an Interim Senior FP&A Analyst/Manager to join their team in London.
🧾 Key areas of focus:
- Results pack preparation for board/executive/area leadership
- End-to-end budgeting, forecasting, and five-year plans
- Month-end analysis with actionable insight
- Partnering across analytics, payroll, and reporting teams
- Supporting commercial KPIs and senior business cases
- Driving efficiencies through ad hoc project-based analysis
- Business partnering with senior leadership on revenue and cost strategy
- Leveraging and influencing PowerBI reporting
✅ Ideal background:
- ACA/CA qualified from Big 4 or top-tier firm
- Strong knowledge of IFRS and KPI reporting
- Experience manipulating large datasets (Excel, PowerBI)
- Commercially sharp with a collaborative mindset
- Resilient, agile, and confident engaging at all levels
Get in touch with Eve for more information or to apply: https://consumeradditions.com/job-search/?job=3263262