Top Accounting & Finance Skills in Demand

Hiring in Financial Services is undergoing a big shift, driven by the rapid integration of digital technologies, a strengthening regulatory landscape, and an intensified focus on sustainable finance. As these forces converge, the core skills required to thrive in the Financial Services market are seeing a dramatic change.

“As AI adoption, ESG reporting, and digital maturity timelines converge, the need for experienced transformation professionals will grow,” notes Ronan Hill, Chief Operations Officer at Morgan McKinley Ireland, in our 2026 Ireland Salary Guide.

Our latest report, The State of Recruitment in Financial Services, highlights that traditional hiring strategies are no longer enough to secure top-tier talent in this new era. From prioritising immediate ROI to adopting project-based pay models, recruitment in Financial Services is taking a new direction.

By combining insights from our global 2026 salary guides and our expert recruitment consultants, we have identified the top accounting and finance skills you need to stay ahead in 2026.

Skills Snapshot: In-Demand Accounting & Finance Skills

To thrive in today’s Financial Services market, professionals need a balanced mix of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and human-centred capabilities. Here is an overview of the top six skills in demand for accounting and finance in 2026:

The Must-Have Technical Accounting & Finance Skills for 2026

1. Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) 2.0

FP&A 2.0 is about agile financial forecasting, real-time scenario modelling, and delivering well-thought-out insights that drive business performance. Finance professionals in this space are expected to partner closely with commercial teams, provide actionable intelligence, and adapt quickly to shifting market conditions.

These skills are essential for navigating economic volatility, supporting business growth, and driving investment decisions with clarity and confidence.

Certifications:

• CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants)
• CPA (Certified Public Accountant)
• CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst – particularly for strategy-focused roles)
• FP&A certification from the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP)

2. Finance Business Partnering

Finance business partnering is fast becoming one of the top skills in demand for accounting and finance professionals. It goes beyond traditional reporting roles, requiring professionals to act as strategic advisors who bridge the gap between finance and the wider business.

With AI tools taking care of many of the time-consuming manual tasks, finance professionals are now expected to evolve from pure number people to be more involved in business strategy.

Finance business partners will translate financial data into commercial insights, contribute to strategic decisions, and influence stakeholders across operations, marketing, HR, and executive leadership.

This skill is critical for companies seeking to align financial goals with broader business objectives and is especially valued in fast-growth, transformation, and post-merger environments.

Certifications:

While this is primarily an experience-driven competency, the following qualifications are often held by successful finance business partners:

• CIMA (strong emphasis on business strategy and performance)
• ACCA or CPA
• MBA (Finance or Strategy)
• Leadership and communication courses can further support development in this area

3. ESG Reporting & Sustainable Finance

As sustainability climbs the corporate agenda, ESG (environmental, social, and governance) reporting has become an important skill within accounting and finance roles.

Professionals are expected to integrate ESG metrics into financial reporting, ensure compliance with evolving regulatory standards (like CSRD, TCFD, and IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards), and provide transparency on a company’s non-financial performance.

This skill set is critical for aligning financial operations with long-term sustainability goals, managing risk, and meeting investor expectations in sectors under increasing environmental scrutiny.

Certifications:

• CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing
• GRI-certified training programme (Global Reporting Initiative)
• IFRS sustainability reporting courses
• SASB Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting (FSA credential)
• Short courses in CSRD / TCFD frameworks or climate-related risk reporting

4. Digital Finance & Technology Integration

Nearly all finance roles will have a level of technology involvement in 2026 and beyond. Finance professionals are expected to be fluent in using business intelligence tools such as Power BI or Tableau and enterprise systems like SAP, Oracle, and NetSuite.

Strong knowledge of AI and automation will also be a great value-add for finance professionals, particularly with the increased application of skills based hiring in recruitment. With increasing emphasis on real-time reporting and data-driven decisions, tech fluency has become one of the top skills in demand across finance functions.

Certifications:

• SAP Certified Application Associate
• Oracle Financials Cloud Certification
• Power BI Data Analyst Associate (Microsoft)
• Alteryx Core / Advanced certification
• Tableau Desktop Specialist
• Relevant RPA tools (e.g. UiPath Academy)

5. Risk, Compliance & Governance Expertise

With the regulatory sector becoming increasingly complex and growing cyber and operational risks, finance teams are required to maintain strong internal controls and ensure compliance at every level.

Skills involving risk assessment, internal auditing, regulatory reporting, and adherence to evolving standards such as SOX, Basel III, or IFRS are in demand in 2026.

Professionals with expertise in governance frameworks, fraud prevention, and regulatory change management, particularly in banking, Financial Services, and multinational corporations, will see great opportunities.

Certifications:

• CIA (Certified Internal Auditor)
• CPA with a focus on audit and risk
• CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor)
• SOX compliance certification
• ACCA Risk Management module

Top Soft Skills Required for Accounting and Finance Professionals

Soft skills remain essential to stand out and add strategic value in a profession increasingly driven by automation and data. The accounts and finance soft skills most in demand in 2026 centre around communication, influence, adaptability, and collaboration.

Employers are seeking professionals who can present complex financial insights clearly, build strong relationships across departments, and help lead transformation.

These soft skills are particularly critical for Finance Business Partners, FP&A professionals, and those in leadership roles. The ability to communicate with confidence can be one of the defining factors in career progression for finance professionals in 2026 and beyond.

Key soft skills include:

• Communication and storytelling with data
• Stakeholder engagement and influence
• Adaptability in fast-changing environments
• Problem-solving and critical thinking
• Team collaboration and emotional intelligence
• Resilience under pressure

Emerging Skills in Accounting & Finance for 2026

Hiring in Accounting & Finance will continue evolving in the coming years, with more technological integration and regulatory changes. For businesses and professionals in the Financial Services sector, some of the emerging skills to look out for in 2026 and beyond are:

1. Advanced Technical Accounting & Corporate Tax

Key skills to learn in this area include:

• Complex International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), US GAAP, and local standards (such as AASB), with specific emphasis on leases, revenue, and consolidations
• Corporate tax expertise
• Specialised operational knowledge, including payroll management and accounts payable process improvement

2. Finance Transformation & Project Leadership

In transformation and leadership areas, focus on skills related to:

• Project management and change leadership aimed at delivering finance transformation initiatives
• Strategic yet hands-on execution capability, including experience navigating business turnarounds

3. Global Mindset & Cross-Cultural Communication

With Financial Services operations expanding to international markets in regions such as China and Japan, some must-have skills are:

• A global mindset and cultural agility for managing remote or cross-border finance operations
• Bilingual communication capabilities (such as combining English with Japanese for Japan and Mandarin for China and Hong Kong)
• Advanced stakeholder management, cross-functional collaboration, and presentation skills

To learn more about the skills in demand for accounting and finance professionals, download your local 2026 salary guide. Our Financial Services experts from different markets worldwide share the market overview, salary trends, and roles and skills in demand. For your unique hiring needs in accounting and finance, get in touch with our experts.