AI in Finance: What Skills Are Employers Really Looking For?
Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly common topic in finance recruitment, but what does this mean for accountants and finance professionals considering their next career move?
At Wade Macdonald, we've recently noticed a change in both the CVs we're receiving and the job descriptions we're recruiting against. More candidates are highlighting their experience with AI, while employers are beginning to ask specifically for people who can use AI and automation to improve financial processes.
This is particularly noticeable within Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), where businesses are looking for ways to improve reporting, forecasting and commercial decision-making.
But does this mean finance professionals now need to become AI experts?
Here are some of the questions we're increasingly considering when speaking with candidates and employers across the Thames Valley.
How is AI changing finance roles?
AI is beginning to influence how finance teams approach reporting, forecasting, analysis and everyday processes.
Historically, a significant proportion of an FP&A professional's time might have been spent gathering information, manipulating spreadsheets and preparing management reports.
AI and automation can potentially reduce some of this manual work, giving finance professionals more time to interpret information, challenge assumptions and support business decisions.
However, the fundamentals haven't changed. Employers still need people who understand the numbers, recognise when something doesn't look right and can communicate their findings effectively.
The opportunity is to use technology to complement these skills, rather than replace them.
Are employers now asking for AI experience?
We're starting to see more evidence of this in the recruitment market.
A recent FP&A Analyst vacancy we recruited for in Slough, within the Thames Valley, is a good example.
The position was with an international manufacturing business operating as part of a FTSE 100 group. It was a newly created role, designed to strengthen the organisation's FP&A capabilities and provide greater commercial support to the wider business.
Alongside the traditional requirements of budgeting, forecasting, financial modelling and business partnering, the employer included a dedicated section on AI and automation.
The responsibilities included:
- Identifying opportunities to automate manual financial reporting and analysis.
- Supporting the implementation of AI and automation tools within the finance function.
- Developing automated reporting and forecasting solutions.
- Improving data flows between finance and operational teams.
- Exploring emerging AI technologies that could improve productivity and decision-making.
The person specification also specifically requested knowledge of how AI could be used to analyse and present financial information accurately.
What made this particularly interesting was that the business wasn't looking to recruit an AI specialist or software developer.
They wanted a commercially minded FP&A professional who could recognise opportunities to use AI and help introduce practical improvements into the finance function.
It's an important distinction and one we're interested to see developing across other finance vacancies.
What AI skills are most useful for FP&A professionals?
For most FP&A positions, employers are unlikely to need someone who can build complex AI systems from scratch.
Instead, the emphasis is increasingly on understanding how technology can improve existing finance processes.
This might involve using AI-assisted tools to support financial analysis, automating repetitive reporting tasks or improving the way financial and operational information is brought together.
Strong Excel, Power BI and ERP knowledge remains valuable, particularly when combined with an understanding of automation and data analytics.
It's also worth recognising that AI, traditional automation and business intelligence are not necessarily the same thing.
A candidate who has automated a reporting process using Power Query, for example, has demonstrated valuable technical and process improvement skills, even if they haven't directly implemented an AI solution.
Ultimately, employers want people who can understand a business problem, identify an appropriate solution and demonstrate the benefits.
Do accountants need to learn coding?
Not necessarily.
For most finance professionals, understanding how technology can improve their work is likely to be more important than becoming a programmer.
That said, knowledge of SQL, Python or other analytical tools can be valuable, particularly within larger FP&A teams or organisations investing in finance transformation.
Our recent Thames Valley FP&A vacancy didn't specifically require coding experience.
Instead, the employer was looking for someone with strong financial and commercial skills, good knowledge of reporting technology and an interest in exploring how AI could improve the way the finance team operated.
For candidates, that's an encouraging message. You don't necessarily need to retrain in technology to remain competitive, but a willingness to learn and challenge existing processes is becoming increasingly valuable.
How can I demonstrate AI experience on my CV?
Be specific about what you've actually done.
Simply listing ChatGPT, Copilot or AI under technical skills doesn't tell an employer very much.
Instead, explain how you've used technology and what difference it made.
Have you automated part of a monthly reporting process? Improved the quality or speed of financial analysis? Reduced the time required to prepare forecasts or management information?
Where possible, quantify the improvement.
For example, explaining that you've reduced a reporting process from two days to a few hours is considerably more useful than simply stating that you have experience of automation.
It's also important to distinguish between experimenting with AI tools and implementing something that has been adopted by the wider finance team.
Both can demonstrate initiative, but employers will understandably place greater value on proven results.
Will AI replace traditional accounting and FP&A skills?
We don't believe employers are about to stop valuing strong accounting knowledge, commercial awareness or the ability to build relationships.
AI can help identify trends, process information and produce analysis, but someone still needs to understand the commercial context and decide what action to take.
A forecast might identify a potential decline in profitability, but understanding why that's happening and working with operational teams to address it requires judgement and business knowledge.
There are also important considerations around data quality, confidentiality and the reliability of AI-generated information.
For finance professionals, the opportunity is to combine strong technical foundations with a willingness to embrace new technology.
Should I be concerned if I haven't used AI in my current role?
Not at all, although it's worth taking an interest.
Different organisations are adopting AI at different speeds. Some finance teams are already investing in automation and advanced analytics, while others remain heavily reliant on traditional spreadsheets and reporting processes.
Employers should recognise that candidates won't necessarily have had the same opportunities to develop these skills.
If you haven't worked with AI directly, think about other examples of improving processes, learning new systems or using technology to work more effectively.
These experiences can demonstrate the adaptability and curiosity that employers are looking for.
There are also plenty of opportunities to start developing your knowledge, whether through professional development, online learning or exploring the capabilities of tools already available within your organisation.
What should employers consider when recruiting for AI skills?
The first question should be what the business actually wants to achieve.
Is the priority to improve forecasting accuracy, automate reporting, reduce manual processes or develop more sophisticated commercial analysis?
Each of these objectives may require different capabilities.
Our recent FP&A recruitment assignment in Slough demonstrated this well. The business wasn't looking for someone to lead a large-scale AI transformation programme. It wanted someone who could combine conventional FP&A responsibilities with a genuine interest in improving reporting and analysis through technology.
Being clear about this distinction is important.
Requiring extensive AI implementation experience for a position that primarily involves financial analysis and process improvement could unnecessarily restrict the available candidate pool.
Employers should also consider whether these capabilities can be developed within their existing finance teams, rather than expecting every new recruit to arrive with specialist experience.
Will AI experience become more important for finance careers?
We expect it to become increasingly relevant, particularly in FP&A, commercial finance and finance transformation roles.
We're already seeing candidates reference AI more frequently on their CVs, and employers beginning to include it within job specifications.
However, it's unlikely to replace the importance of professional qualifications, financial knowledge, communication and commercial judgement.
The finance professionals who stand out will be those who can combine these traditional strengths with an understanding of how technology can improve the way their organisation operates.
Our 2027 Salary Guide also explores AI and its growing relevance to the finance and accountancy profession, alongside wider insights into salaries, benefits and changing workplace expectations.
For candidates considering their next career move, understanding these developments can help identify which skills are becoming more valuable.
And for employers, it raises an important question: are you recruiting for the finance skills your business needs today, or the capabilities it will need over the next few years?
Looking ahead
AI is still developing within finance, and organisations are at very different stages of adoption.
What we're beginning to see through recruitment is a shift from discussing what AI might eventually do, towards employers identifying practical ways it could improve their finance functions.
For candidates, the message is relatively straightforward: stay curious, develop your knowledge and look for opportunities to use technology to make a genuine difference.
For employers, it's about being clear on the skills that will genuinely add value, without losing sight of the technical and commercial foundations that make a good finance professional.
Looking for your next finance role or considering the skills your finance team needs?
At Wade Macdonald, we work with finance professionals and employers across Reading, Slough, Maidenhead, Bracknell and the wider Thames Valley.
If you'd like to discuss the changing finance recruitment market, we're always happy to have a conversation.