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3 minutes

Flexible Work & Competitive Pay: Keys to Talent Retention

Flexible Work & Competitive Pay: Keys to Talent Retention

Commercial Roles in High Demand with Lisa Gambino, Senior Payments Recruiter

Lisa notes that the first half of 2025 has been busy, particularly for revenue-generating roles. “We’ve seen a clear spike in demand for Business Development Managers and Partner Acquisition Managers. We’ve also supported early-stage startups building out teams, and more established players looking to restructure or expand into new areas.”

1) Roles Expected to Dominate H2 2025

While technical talent remains consistently sought-after, Lisa highlights three key areas for fintechs once their core product is live:

  • Compliance – essential for meeting Financial Services regulatory requirements
  • Finance – senior accounting and reporting roles
  • Business Development – to drive market entry and growth  
“Typically, we see these at ‘Head of’ or Director level, reflecting the need for leadership and compliance readiness.”

2) Emerging Sectors & Players

  • Payment orchestration platforms – supporting growing complexity in payments
  • Embedded finance – accelerating due to technology adoption
  • Crypto – established but scaling rapidly  

3) Biggest Hiring Challenges for H2 2025

Lisa identifies two main friction points:

  • Salary expectations vs. offers – “Some clients want top-tier talent but aren’t aligning with market rates. Candidates notice this quickly.”
  • Return-to-office requirements – “Many professionals are willing to do two days in the office, but three or four is a dealbreaker. Lack of flexibility means losing great candidates.”

4) Candidate Expectations: Compensation & Flexibility

  • Competitive total packages are increasingly expected
  • Stock options are a key perk in startups and scale-ups
  • Fully remote or maximum two days in-office are often dealbreakers

Recommendations for Companies & Candidates

For Hiring Companies: Transparency & Speed

“Be transparent on salary, process, expectations, and flexibility. Avoid lengthy hiring cycles—four or five stages means you’ll likely lose talent to faster-moving competitors. Don’t lowball offers; starting negotiations far below expectations damages trust.”For Candidates: Clear Goals & Measurable Impact

  • Set actionable career goals for H2—upskilling, promotion, or pivoting to a new niche
  • In Finance, full ACCA, CIMA, or ICAEW qualifications remain highly valued
  • In Compliance, formal certifications help, but hands-on experience still counts
  • Include measurable achievements on CVs—numeric results demonstrate impact  
“Many commercial candidates still omit numeric wins, and that’s a missed opportunity.”

Lisa also emphasises that both companies and candidates should respect the recruitment process:

  • Delays or ghosting damage employer brands
  • Candidates should only enter processes if truly ready to accept an offer

About the Report

This interview is part of the PaymentGenes Salary & Hiring Trends Report 2025 in collaboration with MPE, combining salary benchmarks with recruiter insights. The report helps companies and candidates understand real market dynamics and prepare for H2 2025.

👉 Download the full report here

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