Are you an accountancy professional in Oxfordshire, Berkshire or Buckinghamshire wondering if now is the time to make a move?
Whether you're slogging through exams as a part-qualified accountant, freshly newly qualified, or already a Senior/Manager in practice, the stars have aligned in mid-2025.
The job market is brimming with opportunities that make this an ideal moment to level up your career. In this blog, I break down why now is the perfect time to consider a move within practice firms in these regions.
Unprecedented Demand for Accountants in “The Shires”
It’s a candidate’s market out there - big time. The accountancy practice sector remains one of the most candidate-driven industries, with demand for talent far outpacing supply. In plain English: good accountants are hot property. While other sectors may be cautious, firms in practice are hiring aggressively to keep up with workload. In fact, a recent CFO survey revealed open finance and accounting roles surged by 150% in the past year, and over 87% of finance leaders acknowledge a talent shortage at levels never seen.
What about this neck of the woods?
Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire are thriving economically, hosting thousands of growing businesses in tech, science, finance and beyond. Accountancy firms in these areas are scrambling to recruit - job boards show dozens of practice vacancies from Oxford to Reading to High Wycombe. National trends confirm this hiring frenzy: 58% of finance hiring managers plan to expand their teams in mid 2025, and 69% of finance employers are recruiting in the year ahead, up from 60% the year before.
In short, talented accountants in the Thames Valley are fielding more calls from recruiters than an HMRC hotline in January.
Why the demand spike?
Businesses have emerged from recent economic turbulence needing extra financial guidance. Regulatory changes, audits, and new projects can’t be put off - and firms need people now. The result is a widening gap between available roles and qualified professionals. If you have the skills, multiple employers likely have you on their wish list (perhaps even fighting over you like seagulls over hot chips).
Hiring Trends in Audit, Accounts, Tax, and Outsourcing (All Practice Areas are Busy)
All core practice areas are experiencing robust hiring, though each has its own trends in 2025. Here’s a quick tour of what’s happening in audit, accounts, tax, and outsourcing.
Audit & Assurance: Audit has arguably the biggest talent crunch. Firms large and small are short on auditors, which has made experienced audit professionals especially sought-after. Salaries in audit have jumped by ~10% on average - the highest increase of any accounting specialty - reflecting how much firms value (and need) audit skills. Even part-qualified audit juniors are in demand to feed the pipeline. One survey noted audit and senior finance skills remain in tight supply even when overall hiring cooled. If you’re in audit and feeling overworked, you’re not alone - and you might leverage this demand for a better role or promotion.
Accounts: In 2025, demand for Accounts staff is rocketing – firms aren't just hunting bean-counters; they're seeking candidates with “strong communication and tech-savviness” who can reconcile a ledger in the cloud by morning and discuss strategy with a smile by the afternoon. Automation and AI are taking the drudgery out of number-crunching, meaning accountants now “pivot from number crunching to providing strategic insights” (much to the relief of anyone who's ever dreaded a day of data entry). Clients, for their part, are upping the ante - they now expect accountants to wear multiple hats, from financial consultant to business coach. Being able to deliver insights (and maybe a bit of hand-holding) has become just as important as balancing the books. The upside? Career progression has never looked better: with mid-level talent in short supply, a solid accounts professional with a few years under their belt can level up or cash in on their experience, often fast-tracked to senior roles. Across Oxon, Berks, and Bucks, local firms echo these trends - embracing flexible hybrid work setups, offering training on the latest software, and rolling out the welcome mat for well-rounded accounts gurus ready to help clients thrive.
Tax Specialists: Tax accountants are equally in demand, driven by constant rule changes and the push for digitalisation. The digitisation of tax (e.g. Making Tax Digital) and new reporting requirements mean firms seek tax professionals who are not only technically strong but also digitally savvy. From R&D tax credits to international tax compliance, specialist knowledge is highly marketable. With HMRC keeping everyone on their toes, many firms are bulking up their tax teams to offer year-round advisory, not just crunching numbers at year-end. The expectation now is that tax advisors also leverage tech tools and provide strategic insights - not exactly the stereotypical quiet back-office job anymore! The upshot: if you’re a tax guru (or aspiring to be one), local firms are ready to court you.
Client Accounting & Outsourcing: Outsourcing and client accounting services (the teams that handle bookkeeping, management accounts and payroll for clients) continue to grow. More SMEs are opting to outsource their finance function to practice firms, fuelling hiring in these departments. Simultaneously, many practices are offshoring routine tasks to overseas teams, which shifts UK-based roles toward review and advisory work. In other words, your client accounting job is likely to involve higher-value consulting (interpreting the numbers, advising clients) while overseas colleagues handle data entry. This trend is good news for your career development - those in outsourcing roles are becoming true business advisors. If you enjoy variety and working closely with clients, the outsourcing/business services teams in Oxon, Berks, and Bucks are busier than ever and often on the lookout for talent.
Rising Salaries and Better Packages (Show Me the Money!)
Let’s talk about everyone’s favourite topic: pay. One sure sign of a hot job market is rising salaries - and that’s exactly what we’re seeing in accountancy practice. The vast majority of accounting firms have boosted salaries in the past year (88% of employers, according to one survey), and 87% plan further pay raises in 2025. This is well above the norm for UK industries. In fact, accounting salaries grew about 3.6% on average vs 2.4% across the UK last year - on top of a hefty 5.6% average rise the year before. These aren’t just statistics; they mean your payslip is likely to thank you if you switch roles now.
Crucially, the biggest raises have been for those early in their careers. Part-qualified accountants saw roughly a 5.8% jump in salary on average, leading the pack in percentage increases. Why? Firms are desperate to attract and retain the next generation of talent, so they’re sweetening the deal for up-and-comers. Newly qualified auditors and tax associates are also commanding premium offers (remember that ~10% bump in audit pay mentioned earlier).
It’s not only about base salary either. Firms know they need to put together better overall packages to win candidates who might have multiple offers. The result is improved perks and benefits across the board. Employers are having to improve their offerings to attract and retain top talent, which can include things like: higher pension contributions, bigger bonuses, additional annual leave, wellness programs, and of course funding for training and qualifications. We’re even hearing of sign-on bonuses becoming more common at some firms - perks that were rarer a few years ago. Translation: if you make a move in 2025, you’re likely to land not just a higher salary but a better all-round deal. In a tight market, multiple firms may bid for you, and candidates (that’s you) have the upper hand to negotiate. I’ve said this in previous LinkedIn posts, but it’s almost like being a highly sought free agent in sports - time to draft your wish list!
Flexible and Hybrid Working - Now Standard Practice
Remember the days when working in an accounting firm meant being chained to the office desk from 9 to 5 (or 8 to 8 during busy season)? Those days are fading fast. Flexible/hybrid working has become the norm in practice - and in mid-2025 it’s clear that any firm not offering flexibility is going to lose out on talent. One industry survey found 100% of accounting employers surveyed have either maintained or further expanded their flexible working arrangements post-pandemic. In short, flexibility is no longer a “nice to have”; it’s a must-have. Most firms in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire now advertise their roles as hybrid (e.g. 2-3 days from home per week).
In fact, 70% of finance employers across the UK offer hybrid work, and well over half of candidates say they’d refuse a job that didn’t. No wonder firms have embraced remote work days - it’s become critical for attracting staff. What does this mean for you? If you join a new firm now, you can expect a level of flexibility by default - whether that’s working from home a few days, flexible hours around the school run, or options to adjust schedules when life happens.
Companies are also getting creative: some smaller practices might not have had formal flex policies before, but now they’re open to things like compressed hours or the entire office closing at 2pm on a Friday. Flexible working arrangements remain a non-negotiable expectation for many professionals, and employers are listening. The widespread adoption of hybrid work in Oxon, Berks, Bucks means you truly can have the best of both worlds - the career growth opportunities of a regional firm and the time to actually enjoy the region’s lovely villages, schools, and maybe even a 5pm gym class on your WFH days.
One thing to note - if you're currently studying or training, most firms do still prefer you to spend the majority of your time in the office. The pandemic showed what happens when trainees are left in isolation at home with no one to mentor them - you miss out on learning through osmosis, quick questions, and the kind of support that simply doesn’t translate well over Teams. It pays to be realistic: in the early stages of your career, choosing work/life balance over hands-on development might cost you more in the long run.
Thriving Local Firms and Market Confidence
Worried about jumping ship in uncertain times? Here’s some reassurance: the accountancy practice market is remarkably resilient and confident in 2025. Despite economic chatter about inflation or wariness, firms in our region are largely in growth mode. Consider this: the UK’s Top 75 accounting firms just hit a record £15.75 billion in fee income - a >5% growth in the last year alone. Many mid-tier and smaller firms are also reporting solid growth in revenues and client work. In other words, the pie is getting bigger, not smaller, and firms need more hands on deck to serve clients. Locally, we see this confidence in action. Regional accountancy firms are expanding offices and investing for the future. For example, Crowe UK (a mid-tier firm) recently doubled its business in the Reading area and opened a new larger Thames Valley office to accommodate growth. Their CEO pointed to Reading as “an economic powerhouse of the South East” - a hotspot with a highly educated talent pool and thriving businesses. This kind of expansion is happening across Oxon, Berks, and Bucks: firms are hiring graduates and experienced staff, launching new service lines, and even moving into shiny new offices to make room for growth.
Perhaps the biggest vote of confidence in the market: in May 2025, MHA went public in a £271m IPO - the largest of its kind in years. Why does that matter? It shows a firm so confident in its future that it raised £98m to invest in technology and acquisitions, with the explicit goal of attracting more talent at both senior and entry levels. Going public also means offering equity to staff down the line, effectively betting that recruiting and keeping good people will fuel even more growth. If that’s not a sign of market optimism, what is? For you as a candidate, a growing firm means a great environment to join - there will be new clients to service, new teams to build, and likely faster promotions (more on that next). It also means better job security; firms that are expanding are less likely to be making cuts. Instead, they’re focused on winning talent.
Despite broader economic concerns, the practice job market has stayed resilient. The confidence and growth in local firms indicate that making a move now isn’t stepping onto a sinking ship - it’s boarding a train that’s gaining speed.
Faster Career Progression and Growth Opportunities
Perhaps one of the most compelling reasons to consider a move now: the opportunity to turbo-charge your career progression. When firms are understaffed and business is booming, they need good people to step up - quickly. This has opened doors for part-qualified, newly qualified, and senior accountants to climb the ladder faster than in years past. If you feel like you’ve been waiting patiently for a promotion that’s still (at least) a couple of years away, switching firms could accelerate that timeline. Many practices are offering clear, structured progression paths as a selling point to attract candidates. (It’s not uncommon to see job ads touting “clear progression to management” to lure talent.) The talent shortage has created a bit of a vacuum at certain levels - for instance, a shortage of newly-qualifieds means those available might step into Senior roles sooner; a shortage of Seniors means promotion to Manager can come around quicker than usual for high performers. If you’re sitting on a few years of solid practice experience, 2025 could be your year to level up - or cash in. In other words, don’t underestimate your market value and ability to take on a bigger role.
Firms are much more willing now to hire slightly less experienced candidates and train them up, rather than hold out for the “perfect” CV. They’re also investing heavily in staff development to build loyalty: companies are pouring money into upskilling programs, mentorship, and professional qualification support to nurture their next generation of leaders. If you join a new firm at the part-qual or newly-qualified stage, chances are they will sponsor further qualifications, send you on courses, and map out your path to Senior or Manager as part of your offer. For those already at Senior or Manager level, opportunities are likewise abundant. Many practices are expanding service lines, which means new manager roles and even Associate Director positions are cropping up.
Lateral moves in The Shires can come with a title bump; for example, an Audit Senior in a Top-20 firm might jump to Assistant Manager at a Top-100, or a Manager in one firm might be brought in as a Senior Manager in another that’s growing its team. This phenomenon appears to be unique to the Oxon, Bucks, Bucks bubble – my London colleagues tell me promotional hires seem to have cooled off in the capital. With local firms actively competing for experienced hires, you might find a move gets you that instant promotion you’ve been craving (without having to wait for someone above you to vacate a spot).
In short, the career ladder in accountancy is currently on an express lift. By taking advantage of the current market, you can position yourself a rung or two higher and set yourself up for future success. Why slowly climb when you can take the express lift?
Conclusion: Opportunity Knocks (Loudly) - Should You Answer?
To wrap it all up, mid-2025 offers a rare alignment of factors making it an ideal time to consider moving within accountancy practice in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire.
High demand and talent shortages mean you’re in the driver’s seat with plentiful job options. Hiring trends across audit, accounts, tax, and outsourcing show that whatever your specialty, your skills are wanted - and likely at a higher salary than you’re earning now. Firms are rolling out the red carpet with better pay, bonuses, and flexibility, acknowledging that attracting you requires meeting your expectations on work-life balance.
The local market is buzzing with growth and confidence, so jumping to a new role is more “career rocket fuel” than risk at this point. Of course, every individual’s situation is different. It’s wise to consider your own career goals, the culture of any prospective firm, and the support you’ll get (for exams, development, etc.). But the overarching trend is clear: 2025 is a job seeker’s market for accountants in practice.
If you’ve been feeling itchy for a new challenge or simply suspect you could do better, the current climate strongly favours making a move. In true accountant fashion, you might weigh the pros and cons like a balance sheet. On the assets side: higher salary, faster progression, flexible working, new experiences, perhaps a signing bonus or a step up in title. On the liabilities side: the usual stresses of changing jobs (which are temporary) and maybe a few more Teams interviews. For most, the balance will tip towards making the leap.
So, if you’re in Oxford, Reading, Banbury, High Wycombe, Aylesbury - or anywhere in between - consider this your friendly nudge. The market is shouting “Carpe diem!” (or maybe “Carpe per diem” for the Latin-inclined accountants). Opportunity is knocking louder than it ever has - it might be time to open the door. Good luck, and may your next role be everything you’re looking for and more. And if you’re wondering where to start or just want to sense-check your next move, send me a message - I’ll help you make it count.
