Fortune · 23 Oct, 06:00 · Finance briefing

Companies risk a CFO talent crisis by automating junior finance roles

Recent reporting indicates that corporate reliance on automation for entry-level finance positions is creating a significant pipeline problem for future Chief Financial Officers.

What it means for you ↓ Courses for this story

28%average pay gap between certified and uncertified finance staff

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The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

Recent reporting indicates that corporate reliance on automation for entry-level finance positions is creating a significant pipeline problem for future Chief Financial Officers. By streamlining or eliminating junior roles through technology, organisations are inadvertently removing the traditional training ground where aspiring finance leaders develop essential practical skills. This shift threatens to leave a critical talent gap in the upper echelons of financial management, as fewer professionals gain the foundational experience required to advance into strategic executive positions within the sector.

Employer demand for Financial Modeling skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

Every headline redistributes opportunity. Here is who this one rewards — and how to be on the right side of it.

You must adapt your career strategy immediately. Traditional accounting skills are depreciating, while strategic interpretation of automated data is surging in value. You should focus on developing high-level analytical capabilities and business acumen rather than manual processing. Professionals in finance must pivot towards roles that leverage technology for decision-making. Invest in learning how to interpret complex financial models and drive strategic initiatives. Prioritise upskilling in areas like financial modelling and risk assessment. You need to position yourself as a strategic partner who can translate data into actionable business insights, ensuring you remain indispensable despite widespread automation in your industry.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are Financial Modeling, AI in Accounting, Risk Management Strategies and Finance and Accounting — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.

Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

Matched to this story

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to benefit.

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