Has finance outgrown its traditional function?

Finance is being asked to do more. It is expected to support strategy, guide decision-making, and contribute directly to business growth, all while keeping in check the same level of control, accuracy, and compliance it has always been responsible for. The expectation has clearly changed, but the structure it operates within, pretty much hasn’t.

Traditionally, finance was built for stability. It was built around clear processes, defined roles, and strong governance. That model worked when organisations didn’t move at the pace we move at today, decisions followed more straight-cut, and functions operated in their silos. Finance could sit with the business, consolidating, validating, and reporting on what had already happened.



Well do we have news for you. Today, decisions are made faster, data moves across teams, and value is created through collaboration rather than handovers between functions. In this environment, finance doesn’t just operate at the end of a process. It needs to be intertwined in it.

Finance Recruitment consultant Lee-Ann Sasman notes that this is especially evident at a senior level. “There’s a strong focus on the strategic side of finance, and a clear desire from candidates to remain in that space rather than moving back into purely operational roles.”

Here’s the other thing; cost constraints have resulted in a few organisations reducing headcount, even while expectations are rising. Wouldn’t this create some kind of tension around sustainability within the current model?

Finance Recruitment consultant Corne Jonker elaborates on how this tension plays out internally. “Many senior leaders are still heavily involved in day-to-day operations, when they should be focusing more on long-term strategy and sustainability. At the same time, teams aren’t always empowered to operate at the level they were hired for. In some cases, leadership styles or a lack of delegation limit that. So while organisations are asking for more strategic capability, they’re not always enabling it.”

In hiring these shifts are starting to reveal itself.

Businesses are now looking for technically strong accountants or finance professionals who can function within traditionally defined structures and can interpret information in real time and contribute to outcome-based decisions. In contrast, the CVs and job descriptions are yet to keep up.

This is also why the roles feel harder to fill than they should. On paper, there are candidates with the right qualifications and experience. In practice, far fewer can demonstrate the level of judgement, commercial awareness, and cross-functional thinking that the role demands.

Finance Recruitment consultant Hayley Mulder explains how this complexity shows up in hiring. “Clients are asking for finance managers who are both operational and strategic. That combination is difficult to define and even harder to match. It’s not just about skills and qualifications, there’s a personality element that plays a significant role in whether someone can truly deliver in the role.”

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