Amplifi Talent

Resilience Over Reaction: Navigating UK Hiring Through Global Trade Volatility

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 11:23:26 GMT

As we step into 2026, we are presented with yet another test of our never-ending business resilience!

I will leave the politics to someone else – I am more interested in what the current trade tensions could mean for UK hiring — particularly when viewed through the lens of how similar shocks have played out over the past 20 years.

Looking back at previous tariff and uncertainty cycles (2008, 2018–19, Brexit, COVID), the evidence shows that it is uncertainty about future costs, market access, and investment conditions that most reliably influences business behaviour — not the headline tariff rate itself. And although many parts of the economy inevitably will feel the impact more than others, history informs us that opportunity does not disappear – instead it shifts.

A few consistent patterns worth noting:

Tariffs rarely hit UK recruitment directly

Their impact is felt mainly through higher costs in exposed sectors and, more importantly, through uncertainty.

It is uncertainty that most reliably delays investment and hiring decisions.

The first effect is usually delayed decisions, not significant job losses

Employers tend to slow permanent hiring, extend time-to-hire, and lean more heavily on interim, contract and project-based resource while clarity emerges.

Trade-exposed sectors will inevitably feel it first

Manufacturing, automotive, metals and supply-chain-linked engineering roles are typically the earliest to soften when tariffs or retaliation come into play.

Some sectors consistently prove more resilient (“safe havens”)

Based on past cycles, these tend to include:

Utilities, energy networks & regulated infrastructure
Defence, cyber & national security
Financial services risk, compliance & remediation
Trade compliance, customs & supply chain risk
Restructuring, insolvency & turnaround advisory

In short, the current political environment is unlikely to trigger a sudden collapse in UK hiring. But if tensions escalate, a selective slowdown is likely — with demand shifting towards roles that protect resilience, manage risk, and ensure regulatory or operational certainty.

My advice for those considering a career move is not “panic” or “wait it out”, but to lean on the evidence from previous seismic shocks to the UK economy.

In uncertain markets, employers naturally protect roles that reduce risk, safeguard revenue, and keep the company functioning. That tends to favour areas such as financial control / FP&A and working capital / risk and compliance / audit and regulatory reporting / and resilience-led transformation.

Where possible, building optionality into your approach, can also be advantageous. When sign off for permanent hiring is problematic, employers often turn first to interim, contract and project-based roles to meet business needs whilst they assess the direction of travel economically.

Alongside this, targeting the right employers becomes increasingly important. Based on previous cycles, companies operating in regulated industries, critical infrastructure, defence, and essential services have tended to show greater continuity in hiring during periods of heightened uncertainty.

That is not to suggest opportunity disappears elsewhere – rather that demand often shifts in timing and shape. What is also evident is that entrepreneurship and business acumen come to the fore during difficult economic moments – new approaches and market opportunities present themselves and are capitalised on by nimble and motivated leadership teams.

Ultimately, periods like this do not reward standing still — they reward awareness, adaptability and positioning. For both employers and candidates, the question is not whether the market will change, but how we choose to navigate it.

The Evolving Landscape for Fractional CFOs in the UK

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 10:57:40 GMT

As the UK enters a period of recalibrated fiscal policy following the latest Budget, the demand profile for senior financial leadership—particularly on a fractional or interim basis, is shifting once again.

Organisations across Scotland and Northern Ireland are actively reassessing cost structures, investment priorities, and operational resilience. Against this backdrop, the role of the Fractional CFO has never been more strategically relevant.

Macro Signals Shaping Demand

The Budget’s emphasis on controlled public spending, targeted growth incentives, and productivity enhancements is already influencing boardroom decision-making. Many SMEs and mid-market businesses are delaying permanent senior hires, instead seeking flexible, high-impact financial leadership to navigate uncertainty without elevating fixed costs.

This environment is accelerating demand for Fractional CFOs who can:

Strengthen financial governance and forecasting discipline
Enhance cash and working-capital visibility
Support funding rounds, refinancing, and investor reporting
Drive operational efficiency and scenario planning
Build scalable systems ahead of growth or restructuring

Your ability to provide rapid, outcome-focused value is increasingly seen as a competitive advantage for organisations managing near-term volatility while preparing for longer-term growth.

Where Challenges Are Emerging

While market activity remains robust, several challenges continue to surface across the fractional landscape:

Budget sensitivity – Some organisations remain cautious on advisory spend, requiring clearer value articulation and shorter time-to-impact.
Role clarity – Scope creep or ambiguous expectations can dilute effectiveness without strong upfront governance.
Integration pressure – Many leadership teams expect Fractional CFOs to embed quickly, requiring strong stakeholder management and an adaptive communication style.

These dynamics require a forward-thinking approach to positioning, delivery, and client engagement.

How Fractional CFOs Can Future-Proof Their Positioning

To thrive in this evolving market, leading practitioners are:

Sharpening their value narrative – Presenting a clear commercial case for fractional engagement, linked directly to measurable outcomes.
Aligning with market events – Positioning expertise around Budget implications, funding conditions, cashflow resilience, and operational efficiencies.
Leveraging flexible delivery models – Combining remote leadership, periodic on-site engagement, and defined project cycles to maximise cost-effectiveness for clients.
Strengthening their market presence – Ensuring visibility across the right networks so that opportunities surface quickly and consistently.

How Amplifi Talent Can Support You

We are working closely with a growing portfolio of organisations that require fractional senior finance leadership—particularly in transformation, scaling, owner-managed, and investor-backed environments.

Our ambition is to remain a high-value partner to the fractional community, ensuring we connect you to assignments where your expertise can materially influence business outcomes.

Whether you are exploring new opportunities, looking to reposition your offering, or considering your next engagement, we would welcome a discussion on how we can support your market visibility and pipeline development.

If you would like a tailored conversation about current demand levels, sectors with the strongest project activity, or upcoming opportunities aligned to your background, we would be delighted to speak.

Amplifi Talent Retained by Klira for Finance Manager Search

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 10:40:34 GMT

Amplifi Talent Retained by Klira Group in Search for their Finance Manager

Amplifi Talent are delighted to be retained by Klira to appoint a Finance Manager.

Through its subscription-based platform, Klira provides customers with bespoke daily serums and routines designed around their unique skin profile — combining innovation, simplicity, and sustainability in every step.

Driven by a mission to make clinically proven skincare accessible and transparent, Klira has rapidly established itself as a trusted name in the UK skincare market. The business continues to grow, supported by a passionate team that shares a collective vision: to transform how people look after their skin through personalisation, integrity, and scientific precision.

About Klira Group

Klira operates within a dynamic, fast-growth environment where innovation and collaboration are at the core of every decision. The team is made up of individuals who are curious, analytical, and purpose-driven — united by a shared ambition to redefine standards within the skincare industry.

With a culture that values transparency, agility, and continuous improvement, Klira empowers its people to take ownership, challenge convention, and contribute meaningfully to the company’s evolution. It’s an environment that suits professionals who thrive in entrepreneurial settings, enjoy cross-functional collaboration, and are motivated by delivering impact in a purpose-led business.

“A rare and exciting opportunity to join Klira at a pivotal stage in their growth journey.”

“Amplifi Talent are delighted to be retained by Klira to appoint a Finance Manager.

This opportunity offers the chance to step into a pivotal role within a fast-scaling, science-led skincare business. As Finance Manager, you will shape the financial rigour behind Klira’s next phase of growth — providing strategic insight, strengthening controls, and contributing to the evolution of a purpose-driven, innovative brand.”

Billy McCarthy

Director

bmccarthy@amplifi-talent.com

07306 101 353

Setting the Tone for 2026

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 13:07:34 GMT

As 2026 gets underway, leadership teams across Scotland and Ireland are planning against a backdrop of cautious optimism.

Cost pressures remain, but there is a clear shift from short-term firefighting to more deliberate investment in people, infrastructure, and data.

For many boards, the question is no longer “Can we hire?” but “What capability do we need, where, and when – and how do we structure for resilience rather than just recovery?”

What We’re Hearing from the Scottish Market

Across Finance & Accountancy, Legal, Commercial, Technology, Marketing, and Strategy & Consulting, we are seeing similar themes:

Renewed focus on cash, working capital, and scenario planning.
Demand for finance leaders who can operate as genuine business partners, not just technical experts.
Interest in strengthening second-line leadership and succession, particularly in growth SMEs and mid-market businesses.
A more selective approach to hiring – fewer roles, but more critical and more scrutinised.

This is driving a more strategic view of workforce planning. Rather than reacting to gaps as they arise, organisations are mapping the structure they will need over the next 12–24 months and hiring into that plan .

From Headcount to Capability: Planning Differently

Strategic planning for 2026 is increasingly about capability, not just headcount.

We are working with clients who are:

Redesigning finance functions to improve reporting, forecasting, and decision support.
Rebalancing in-house expertise and outsourced support in areas such as tax, data, and transformation.
Building leadership benches that can manage change, not just steady-state operations.

The organisations that are making the most progress are those that join up their commercial strategy, operating model, and people plan – rather than treating hiring as a standalone activity.

From Headcount to Capability: Planning Differently

Amplifi Talent operates across Scotland and Ireland, specialising in Finance & Accountancy, Legal, Commercial, Leadership, Technology, Marketing, and Strategy & Consulting roles.

Our role is to act as a recruitment partner, not just a supplier. That means:

Challenging and refining role design so it supports the broader strategy.
Sharing live market insight on candidate expectations, salary trends, and availability.
Helping you prioritise which hires will move the dial commercially, and which can be sequenced later.

Because we work across multiple sectors and growth stages, we can benchmark your plans against what similar organisations are doing – and highlight where you may be under- or over-investing in certain areas of capability.

Looking Ahead: Building for 2026 and Beyond

2026 will reward organisations that plan early, communicate clearly, and build teams that can flex with changing market conditions.

That requires thoughtful, evidence-based decisions around structure, succession, and leadership – not reactive hiring.

If you’re planning for the year ahead, reach out to Amplifi Talent, we would be glad to share what we’re seeing across the market and explore how we might support your growth plans.

Amplifi Talent Retained by Clarke Group for Sales Director Search

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 11:11:25 GMT

Amplifi Talent Retained by Clarke Group in Search for Business Development & Sales Director

Clarke Group, a leader in façade retrofit, remediation, and complex façade delivery, has appointed Amplifi Talent to lead a retained search for their next Business Development & Sales Director.

This senior appointment represents a pivotal moment for Clarke Group as they continue to strengthen their market presence, expand client partnerships, and shape the future of innovative, sustainable building solutions.

About Clarke Group

Clarke Group is determined to engage at the earliest stage of a project, serving as the central hub for clients working on façade retrofit, remediation, unitised and traditional stick-built facades.

By providing a comprehensive, end-to-end service — from pre-construction through to project handover — Clarke Group ensures innovation, sustainability, and the highest standards of safety remain at the forefront of every development. Backed by supply chain partners and deep industry experience, their highly skilled team brings together design, engineering, off-site fabrication, and on-site installation expertise to deliver exceptional results.

At the heart of Clarke Group are its people: professionals who combine technical excellence with creativity and precision. Their dedication ensures façades that are not only aesthetically striking but also built with integrity, quality and long-term performance in mind.

“A rare and exciting opportunity to join Clarke Group at a pivotal stage in their growth journey.”

"This is a rare and exciting opportunity to join Clarke Group at a pivotal stage in their growth journey. The Business Development & Sales Director will play a central role in shaping the future of the organisation — not just by driving commercial performance, but by aligning with Clarke’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and delivery excellence.

We are looking for an individual with the vision, commercial gravitas, and leadership capability to make a real and lasting impact."

Billy McCarthy

Recruitment Partner

Executive Succession & Strategic Hiring

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 15:51:41 GMT

At the executive level, leadership transitions are rarely straightforward. Whether driven by retirement, restructuring, or growth, replacing a senior leader is a high-stakes decision that can shape the future trajectory of an organisation. Unfortunately, too many companies approach these appointments reactively, focusing on short-term replacement rather than long-term succession strategy.

As a recruitment agency specialising in professional recruitment, we work closely with clients to integrate succession planning into the hiring process, helping them secure not just any leader, but the right one for their long-term goa ls.

Recruitment at the Senior Level: A Strategic Function

Executive appointments are fundamentally strategic. When selecting a new CEO, Managing Director, or board-level leader, organisations must look beyond technical expertise and assess broader alignment with vision, culture, and future business needs.

As your recruitment partner, our role is to support this process holistically. We engage with your leadership team to understand:

The strategic direction of the business over the next 3–5 years
Leadership gaps or risks that may hinder progress
Cultural dynamics and the type of leader who will thrive within them
Whether you need continuity, transformation, or a combination of both

By asking the right questions early, we help you future proof your leadership team, not just fill a vacancy.

The Rise of Senior Fractional Talent in Scotland

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 15:04:41 GMT

Many companies that we partner with are rethinking how they access senior leadership. The demand for fractional senior professionals is gaining real momentum, especially in sectors such as tech, professional services, private equity portfolios, and high-growth SMEs (more prevalent in sub £20M t/o).

Fractional professionals are experienced leaders – CFOs, COOs, CTO’s, even CEO’s (particularly in Tech), who work with companies on a part-time, interim, or project basis. They bring strategic insight, commerciality, nous, and delivery capability without the long-term commitment and cost of a full-time hire.

Where is the demand?

Fractional business professionals can add value to any business that is focussed on growth.

When hiring for our clients, they generally stipulate a particular skillset – for example fundraising, project delivery, or preparing for exit.

The one consistent ask is that the Fractional Specialist’s we present to them, have sector or related sector experience, often (but not always) gained in a larger company environment.

The hiring business wants to be as certain as possible that the incoming candidate will only have to learn the nuances of their company and not have to be brought up to speed on the sector and market within which they operate.

This year we have seen the most focussed demand in the following areas:

Tech & SAAS Scale-ups
Private Equity & VC-Backed Firms
Professional Services & Consultancies
Family Businesses / Owner-Managed Firms

why now?

Several factors are driving this shift:

Increased PE/VC Activity: Fractional CFOs in particular are now a mainstream tool in PE/VC-backed UK portfolios. They offer flexibility, strategic capability, an understanding of business drivers (revenue growth / margin improvement / capital efficiency / investor reporting / exit readiness), and execution power, perfectly aligned with private capital's financial lifecycle.
Business Agility: Organisations need to respond quickly to change, often in areas where the ability to manage these changes doesn’t currently exist in their business – or will prove too much of a distraction for those that do. Fractional leaders offer the flexibility to plug-in expertise exactly when and where it’s needed.
Talent Evolution: More senior professionals are choosing portfolio careers, offering their skills across multiple businesses. This flexible, high-impact leadership model aligns readily with modern business needs. Companies now often prioritise agility, value creation, and lean structures — fractional leadership supports all three.

What we’re seeing at Amplifi Talent

We’re seeing a marked increase in consistent demand for senior fractional candidates, particularly in finance and operational leadership roles. Our clients are looking for individuals who can step into fast-paced working environments, build trust quickly, bring a level or role and sector experience they don’t currently have, and deliver measurable outcomes.

The hiring of a Fractional leader is often made in tandem with the recruitment of a professional with the ability to step up into a leadership role once they have gained more experience, guidance, and mentorship.

This approach ensures that the abilities and skills the Fractional leader brings is retained in the business as part of a knowledge transfer, therefore the most sought-after fractional leaders possess excellent communication skills and management capabilities.

Is This the Future of Leadership?

Fractional hiring isn’t just a stop-gap, it’s a strategic choice. For many businesses, it’s becoming a core part of their talent strategy. For senior professionals, it’s a compelling way to shape a career on their own terms, offering freedom, variety, and purpose-driven work.

If you're exploring how fractional leadership could support your business, or if you're a senior candidate considering a portfolio career, we’d love to hear from you.