2026 Finance and Accounting Hiring and Job Market Trends

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Finance and accounting teams are balancing heightened expectations with rapid change in how work gets done. AI and automation promise productivity, but success depends on soft skills such as critical thinking, adaptability and collaboration. At the same time, skills gaps in areas like AI literacy, data analytics and technical accounting are creating challenges for compliance and slowing progress on priorities such as improving forecasting and optimizing costs.

Robert Half research shows leaders are responding with a mix of strategies: hiring permanent staff, upskilling teams and engaging contract professionals with specialized expertise. Finance and accounting teams that build digital fluency and strengthen analytical and technical skills while embracing flexible staffing models will be more prepared to support evolving business needs. They’ll also be better able to guide strategic decisions and respond quickly to shifting priorities.

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Strategic priorities for 2026

Finance and accounting leaders shared their strategic priorities for 2026. Expect demand—and competition—to increase for professionals with the specialized skills needed to advance these critical initiatives.

Financial planning and forecasting

AI and automation implementation

Profitability and cost optimization

Order-to-cash optimization

Data access and security

Finance and accounting teams face skills shortfalls that can stall critical initiatives. Only 6% of leaders reported having the necessary capabilities to accomplish priority projects this year, and 57% said they need to upskill current team members.

Flexible staffing solutions also can help teams gain the necessary expertise to keep operations running smoothly.

Financial
planning and
analysis AI literacy Automation
tools Data
analytics General
accounting Financial
planning and
analysis AI literacy Automation
tools Data
analytics General
accounting

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Critical
thinking and
problem solving Adaptability
and continuous
learning Creativity and
innovation Communication Emotional
intelligence Critical
thinking and
problem solving Adaptability
and continuous
learning Creativity and
innovation Communication Emotional
intelligence

Key technical competencies

Recruiting professionals with specialized abilities enables leaders to advance strategic initiatives. An analysis of thousands of job postings over the past year shows which technical competencies employers value most in finance and accounting—making a competitive hiring strategy essential.

Technical skills

Audit and financial controls

Billing processes

Cash management

Data and business analytics

Data cleansing and visualization

Financial analysis

Internal accounting controls

Payroll management

Software proficiencies

Microsoft D365

Oracle NetSuite

Microsoft Power BI

QuickBooks

Python

SAP

SQL

Workday

Hiring plans for 2026

61%

of finance and accounting leaders said finding skilled professionals is more challenging than a year ago.

56%

plan to increase permanent headcount in the first half of 2026.

54%

plan to increase contract or temporary hiring in the first half of 2026.

Roles shaping hiring strategies

The following positions have been experiencing above-average sequential growth and consistent demand throughout the past 12 months, according to an analysis of thousands of job postings and Robert Half placements:

Accounting manager

AP/AR specialist

Business/data analyst

Bookkeeper

Controller

Director of finance

Financial analyst/senior financial analyst

Payroll specialist/administrator

Senior accountant

Staff accountant

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More to explore

Labor market overview Stay on top of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and job posting data to learn about today’s hiring market.

Small business recruitment trends Get up to speed on small business staffing trends and find out what it takes to attract and hire top talent.

2026 Salary Guide Explore the latest data for roles across 7 professional fields and what you should pay or earn in local and national markets.

2026 Finance and accounting job market: In-demand roles and hiring trends What does the finance and accounting job market look like in 2026? Explore the in-demand roles in finance accounting, hiring trends and the skills employers need to compete for top talent.

The surveys cited were developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. Results may not total 100% due to rounding or allowing for multiple responses. Respondents included executives, hiring managers and workers from small (10-99 employees), midsize (100-999 employees) and large (1,000+ employees) businesses in private, publicly listed and public sector organizations across the U.S.

Over 1.5 million new positions from more than 9,000 independent job boards and company websites are represented in this report, including thousands of placements from Robert Half. Positions are categorized into more than 430 job titles within Robert Half’s Salary Guide using a proprietary mapping methodology that employs state-of-the-art large language models. This dataset includes roles across the finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and customer support, non-clinical healthcare, and human resources professions.