North American CFOs Grapple with Finance Talent Shortages
Across North America, CFOs are facing an uncomfortable reality: the supply of experienced finance and accounting professionals is shrinking at the same time expectations for the function are expanding. Traditional pipelines are under pressure, competition for skilled people is intense, and many teams already feel stretched.
Recent survey data suggests finance leaders are responding with a mix of new sourcing strategies, broader skill profiles, and more personal involvement in hiring, but there’s no quick fix on the horizon.
Looking Beyond Traditional Finance Pipelines
Most finance teams have already digitized basic workflows. The next wave is about using data and AI to make better decisions faster, not just moving spreadsheets into the cloud.
Leading CFOs in our community are:
- Prioritizing a small number of high-impact use cases (forecasting, working-capital visibility, close acceleration) rather than chasing every AI trend.
- Pushing for clean, connected data across finance, operations, and commercial teams so analytics and AI can actually be trusted.
- Setting guardrails with IT and risk so experimentation with AI is encouraged, but done safely and ethically.
The shift is from “collect more data” to “turn data into better, faster decisions.”
CFOs Taking a More Hands-On Role in Hiring
Another noticeable trend: many CFOs are stepping more directly into the hiring process.
Roughly one‑third of survey respondents said they are taking a larger personal role in recruitment and selection for finance roles. That makes sense:
CFOs have a front‑row view of what the function truly needs, today and three years from now.
They’re better positioned to evaluate candidates not just for technical skills, but for curiosity, adaptability, and comfort with technology and change.
In practice, this often looks like:
- CFOs personally interviewing finalist candidates.
- Spending more time shaping job profiles and success criteria.
- Partnering closely with HR but not fully delegating key finance hires.
As the finance talent pipeline tightens, CFOs are rethinking where they hire from, how they develop people, and which work really needs deep accounting expertise.
Benefits, Expectations, and a Tough Talent Market
Even when finance leaders find strong candidates, closing the deal can be difficult in a market where talent often has the upper hand.
Surveys show CFOs believe candidates are placing high value on:
- Retirement plans (401(k), pensions)
- Health and life insurance
- Broader benefits as part of the total package
At the same time, many organizations are under pressure to manage rising employee costs, and a significant share of CFOs indicate they expect to adjust or shift some benefit costs to employees in order to keep budgets in line.
That tension, between what candidates want and what companies can sustainably offer, adds another layer of complexity to the finance talent challenge.
Navigating a Prolonged Talent Shortage
Most signs suggest this shortage will not resolve quickly. Fewer new accountants entering the field, experienced professionals nearing retirement, and expanding expectations around analytics and technology all point to a longer‑term structural issue, not a brief cycle.
CFOs are responding by:
Re‑examining which work truly requires deep accounting expertise, and where skills from other disciplines can add value.
Investing in training and upskilling to develop internal talent rather than waiting for “perfect” external hires.
Looking to automation to remove low‑value manual work, freeing existing staff to focus on higher‑impact activities.
Being more deliberate about culture, flexibility, and leadership development to improve retention.
What This Means for FEI Dallas Members
For finance leaders in North Texas, the talent conversation is no longer a side topic—it’s central to the ability to deliver on strategy, transformation, and day‑to‑day performance.
Within the FEI Dallas community, members are:
- Comparing approaches to recruiting from non‑traditional backgrounds.
- Sharing how they’re using automation and process redesign to reduce burnout.
- Discussing what’s actually working in terms of benefits, flexibility, and career paths for today’s finance professionals.
In a market where no one has all the answers, peer dialogue can be as valuable as any report.
Want to Learn More?
If talent is one of your biggest challenges:
- Join an upcoming FEI Dallas event to hear how other finance leaders are building and retaining strong teams → /events
- Explore membership to connect with peers navigating the same talent, technology, and transformation questions → /join
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