Barden are delighted to be partnering with a leading global organisation to recruit a Director of International Payroll (6-Month FTC).

This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced payroll leader to join a dynamic and innovative company during an exciting period of international growth.

The successful person will play a key role in shaping and leading a world-class global payroll function, ensuring operational excellence and scalability across multiple regions.

Location: Dublin (Hybrid)

Type: Full-time, 6-Month Fixed Term Contract

The Opportunity

Working closely with senior finance and HR leadership, this person will:

• Develop and deliver the international payroll strategy to support ongoing global expansion.
• Oversee end-to-end payroll operations across multiple countries, ensuring compliance, accuracy, and efficiency.
• Build and mentor a high-performing international payroll team based in Dublin.
• Partner cross-functionally with HR, Finance, and Legal to align payroll processes with business objectives.
• Manage relationships with external payroll providers and ensure robust controls and reporting frameworks.
• Lead payroll transformation initiatives, including system integrations and process automation.
• Ensure compliance with global tax and regulatory requirements, including equity-related payroll considerations.

About You

• 10+ years’ experience in payroll operations, with at least 5 years in an international leadership role.
• Deep understanding of global payroll, tax, and compliance across EMEA and APAC regions.
• Proven success managing complex, multi-country payroll operations and transformation projects.
• Strong technical knowledge of payroll systems and HRIS integrations (e.g., Workday or similar).
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experienced in fast-paced, high-growth environments with evolving global structures.
• Strategic mindset with a hands-on approach and strong attention to detail.

This is a career-defining contract opportunity for a senior payroll professional to make a real impact in a globally recognised organisation known for collaboration, innovation, and excellence.

For more information, please contact Phonsie Irwin (phonsie.irwin@barden.ie) or apply via the link below.

Barden are delighted to be supporting a successful PLC in Dublin to hire a Corporate Finance Manager. Strong package, hybrid working and an opportunity to work directly with senior leadership.

About the Role:

• Financial and Scenario Modelling;
• Fundraising;
• Investor Relations;
• Strategy Formation;
• Ad-hoc Projects with C-suite leadership.

About the Person:

• Qualified Accountant(at least 2 years PQE) or CFA Qualified;
• Corporate Finance, Transaction Services or Deals experience;
• Strong Financial Modelling experience;
• A self-starter;
• Strong communication skills.

Are you about to finish your training contract and are considering your options overseas?

Here Siobhán Sexton ACA, Business Lead and expert in recently qualified accounting careers and recruitment, gives a market update about the current landscape and opportunities for those about to come out of training contract.

2020 and 2021 were undeniably challenging, as the pandemic changed the professional landscape for everyone, including newly qualified accountants. By March 2020, most newly qualified accountants had to look at local options, often working remotely.

2024 – A More Open and Dynamic Market

Fast forward to 2024, and the landscape has evolved significantly. The pent-up desire among accountants who qualified during the pandemic years to move abroad has been well and truly followed through, with up to 60% of newly qualified accountants across Ireland taking the leap, exploring opportunities in traditional hotspots like Australia, London, and Canada, but also expanding to emerging markets like the Middle East and Asia.

For those coming out of contract in 2025, the number of options has stabilised compared to previous years. Industries that are hiring are varied, if not at the same level. Additionally, new sectors such as fintech are offering roles that didn’t exist just a few years ago. This opens up new possibilities for newly qualified accountants to diversify their career paths.

However, we have also seen accountants moving abroad find it a little trickier to secure a longer-term role, as companies abroad have a strong supply of similar profiles.

What This Means for You as a Newly Qualified Accountant in 2025

Here are some key trends for newly qualified accountants this year:

1. Supply and Demand: While many newly qualified accountants have ventured overseas in 2023 and 2024, demand remains high for talent in Ireland. Companies are increasingly competing to attract and retain talent. For those who choose to stay in Ireland, this means more leverage when negotiating salary packages and benefits, particularly for those seeking roles in Dublin, Cork, and Galway.
2. Global Opportunities: If you’re considering moving abroad, key markets like Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Canada have seen a huge influx of newly qualified Irish accountants. This has resulted in accountants moving abroad finding it a little trickier to secure a longer-term role, as companies abroad have a strong supply of newly qualified accountant profiles. The Middle East, particularly Dubai, continues to be a popular destination, with attractive tax-free salary packages and opportunities in multinational corporations.
3. Remote Working: Post-pandemic, remote working has become a lasting trend, with most companies offering some kind of hybrid working option. However, more and more companies are asking people to work onsite for a minimum of 3 or 4 days per week, with fully remote roles becoming less common. Working onsite offers valuable opportunities for newly qualified accountants, as it allows you to learn directly from experienced colleagues and benefit from a collaborative environment, which can greatly enhance your professional development.
4. Return of Overseas Talent: Another trend to watch for is the return of Irish accountants who have spent time abroad. Many professionals who moved overseas in the past few years are now returning, often bringing with them international experience that further enriches the local talent pool. This could create more competition for roles at the senior level but also give businesses access to top-tier talent, keeping Ireland a vibrant market.

We have also seen people returning home from abroad sooner than originally planned in 2024, given the difficulty of finding longer-term opportunities abroad.

Conclusion

For newly qualified accountants in Ireland in 2025 there are opportunities both domestically and internationally. Companies across a range of sectors are seeking strong talent, offering attractive packages, flexible working arrangements, and the chance to work in dynamic and growing industries.

If you need advice, feel free to connect with our teams in Leinster and Munster. We have a wealth of experience, both in placing accountants across Ireland and helping professionals make the move abroad, through our trusted network of global recruitment partners. Whether it’s Australia, London, Canada, UAE, or further afield, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Finishing your training contract in 2025? Do you want to make sure you make the very best first step after qualifying? Do you want a coffee meeting with an expert talent advisor; someone who is a qualified accountant, just like you (meet our Leinster team here>>> and our  Munster team here>>>)? Do you want a little help to create your very own best financial future? No problem. Just drop us a line today on hello@barden.ie and we will take it from there. Simple.

Barden’s Financial Accounting Talent Strategies & Insights is a quarterly report focused exclusively on the Accountancy profession within Ireland’s private sector. It examines the trends shaping talent dynamics, with data covering the entire qualified accounting market in Ireland. The data is sourced from LinkedIn, proprietary Barden data, and other third-party sources.

This report aims to offer actionable insights to help Finance leaders make informed decisions about attracting, retaining, and developing this cohort of talent in a rapidly evolving market.

1.1 Demographics

There are approximately 55,000 qualified accountants (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CPA etc.) in Ireland (source here and here) – this is an ever-evolving figure given the annual churn caused by retirements, new accountants qualifying and the effects of immigration/emigration.

Chartered Accountants Ireland’s membership (Ireland’s largest professional accountancy membership body) had a net increase of 6,132 in 2024 (source here) and this growth is expected to continue in 2025, showing the profession in Ireland is still expanding despite changes in Technology.

The graph above shows the distribution of qualified accountants in Ireland by years’ qualified.

Depending on the level of experience you are looking to hire for, there are certain things to consider when looking for talent:

• 0 to 5 years (28% of the qualified population) – This cohort will be less experienced, so it is important to be flexible on the exact experience you are looking for and to consider other factors like potential, academics, openness to travel etc. This is also the most transient cohort of accountants and will be more open minded to exploring new opportunities.
• 8 to 20 years (51% of the qualified population) – This will be more experienced but less likely to consider moving.
• 20 years+ (20% of the qualified population) – Most experienced but least likely to consider moving.

It is important to note that the more post-qualified experience (PQE) accountants have, the less relevant the “PQE years” becomes, and the focus increasingly shifts towards the specific nature of their experience. From 5 years PQE, this becomes very noticeable, and by 10 years PQE, employers generally stop considering it altogether.

For the purposes of this report, we will be focusing on the 0 to 5 years’ PQE (Recently Qualified) and the 6 to 10 years’ PQE (Senior Qualified) cohorts of the population as these are the levels that are targeted most by employers. 90% of roles fall at these levels, with Finance Director and CFO roles being in the minority. For more information on statistics at that level, feel free to reach out to Elaine Brady – Managing Partner for Barden Leinster (elaine.brady@barden.ie)

1.2 Job-Seeking & Medium Tenure

The median tenure for accounting professionals currently stands at 1.8 years, which is slightly higher than the national average of 1.6 years, as reported in Barden’s National Talent Monitor, showing it is a relatively stable profession.

“Job seeking behaviour” is derived from LinkedIn and represents people who actively applying for roles/have shared a profile update/recently uploaded a CV or work at company that may be experiencing layoffs. For accountants in Ireland, this is currently at 28% which is slightly higher than the national average of 26.1%. This shows there is an appetite in the market for exploring new roles and is likely related to the decline in job postings, which is covered below.

1.3 Observations

1. It’s important to note that the median tenure is not limited to a change of employer but also incorporates changes of role within the same business i.e. promotions, change in job titles etc.
2. The median tenure for recently qualified (0 to 5 years PQE), will be shorter in comparison to more experienced accountants due to higher rates of emigration/travel, faster promotion cycles and a desire to try different specialisms and industries at that level.
3. It will be higher at the more experienced level, as people stay longer in their roles for a multitude of reasons (family, less inclined to emigrate).
4. A large number of Accountants will also move roles shortly after qualifying i.e. leaving practice to explore industry, which again impacts the overall median tenure.

2.1 Job Posting Trends

Online job posts for Q3 2025 are 16% lower than Q3 2024, however, LinkedIn data shows that the despite the decline in job postings, the rate of decline in Ireland is easing as outlined in the graph below.

Decreasing jobs posts isn’t a surprise given the increased uncertainty in the economy, arising from the on-going US tariff affair as well as the market normalising after the increased demand for talent experienced in the 24 months post-covid.

As there has been an overall drop in both unemployment and job vacancy rates, reflecting historically low unemployment levels and ongoing significant demand for talent. This positioning suggests that despite the decrease in job postings, the overall job market remains competitive and is expected to remain so for the remainder of the year and into 2026.

3.1 Gender Balance

Workforce participation in the accounting profession is 56% female and 44% male. This shows that the profession boasts a 13% higher female participation than the national figure of 43%.

However, disparities do still exist across specialisms and seniority levels.

3.2 Hybrid policies

The graphs below are based on a material sample of the Financial Accounting population in Ireland and as you can see, the most common WFH policies vary depending on the level.

It is no surprise that early career accountants (0–5 years PQE) are required to be in office more often than their more experienced peers.  They require On-the-job training, closer supervision and live feedback. Being physically present allows for faster learning through osmosis, shadowing senior colleagues, and immediate support during complex tasks.

The increased flexibility in hybrid policies for the 6–10 years PQE cohort is also unsurprising, given the roles are more autonomous and less reliant on daily oversight, making remote or hybrid work more feasible.

It is important to note that the working arrangements change depending on seniority, the sector and the specialism in finance. Certain specialisms like Corporate Finance, Corporate Development, Finance Business Partnering and senior management positions are more likely to be office based regardless of wider company policies as they can require more face-to-face engagement. Sectors like Construction, Commercial Property, Family Offices also tend to be more office based.

The overall of 52% having 3 days a week in office policy, is consistent with the national average (circa 46.1% of all private workplaces adhering to a 3-day model).

Where there has been a notable shift to more officed based working over the last 18 months and although this is expected to continue, there is no expectation for fundamental changes to what we see in the graphs above.

IrishJobs research shows that nearly half of all job seekers would be happy to turn down a role that does not offer hybrid working arrangements (here).  This is consistent with what we have seen in the market – where hybrid working arrangements are as important for some people as salary, location and the role itself. Where possible, offering a flexible WFH policy gives access to a much larger pool when looking to attract new talent.

3.3 Benefits

Using the same population sample as for the WFH data above, below is an outline of the common benefits seen at both the recently qualified level and senior qualified levels.

Annual Leave:

Other benefits are not always guaranteed but the legal minimum annual leave allowance an employer can offer in Ireland is 20 days per annum.

An annual leave policy of 25 days per annum appears to be the most common policy within the accounting profession as per the above (61% of instances). Offering competitive leave policies acts as a strong incentive for attracting new talent and helps retain existing talent.

Some employers offer an increase in annual leave based on years of service i.e. starting with 20/21 days and increasing by a day per year of service to a limit of 25/26.

“Unlimited” annual leave policies are popular within the tech sector but are spreading to other sectors. There is no cap on the annual leave an employee can take but it must be approved by management. This can be an effective arrangement within finance where busy times are cyclical. Management knows in advance when full team engagement is required and can be flexible in quieter times.

Other Benefits:

The graph above outlines the mode for other benefits across both levels. As you can see, other than bonus, the offerings remain consistent. Employer pension contributions are usually based on off the voluntary contribution, therefore will vary person to person.

4.1 What companies can do to attract and retain talent?

To attract and retain top talent, companies need to offer more than just competitive salaries. Good office culture, benefits, and workplace flexibility are crucial considerations as well as offering structured career growth pathways so talent can see long-term opportunities within the organisation.

• Invest in internal skill development to upskill talent and enhance career progression, rather than relying solely on external hiring.
• Facilitate internal moves where possible for people who are looking to explore different areas of finance. E.g. Moves from Group Finance to FP&A and vice versa to avoid team members looking externally.
• Provide examples of staff who’ve progressed internally, have had the opportunity to explore different sub teams within finance and facilitate this as much as possible to avoid losing existing talent.
• As some companies shift back to on-site work, maintaining hybrid or remote options (where possible) can provide a competitive edge in attracting and retaining talent.
• Some businesses won’t consider talent who require sponsorship or don’t have local experience – there is a significant pool of qualified accountants, with strong overseas experience. Keeping an open mind to this experience and exploring the requirements to provide sponsorship will give access to a largely untapped talent pool.

This is where Barden can help you. We offer over 20 profession-specific talent monitors, such as for early-career accountants or data analysts, that provide real-time, quarter-by-quarter insights. While some of this data is publicly available here>>>, bespoke analysis remains key to effectively shaping your talent strategy.

*For more detailed insights, peer comparisons, company-specific turnover data, performance benchmarks, or gender diversity trends by profession and level, contact Elaine Brady at elaine.brady@barden.ie for bespoke insights to help shape your talent strategy.

ROLE:                                Transformation Manager – Systems Risk & Controls

LOCATION:                      Dublin or London (Hybrid)

Barden are delighted to act on behalf of a global technology company to lead the appointment of a ‘Transformation Manager – Systems Risk & Controls’ as they look to enhance their global finance environment. The business needs to make it sustainable for the rapidly growing organisation to comply with US accounting and reporting rules and regulations including SOX.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

What you’ll do

The Systems Risk & Controls team operate between the first and second lines of defence to facilitate a strong controls environment across the Finance Technology tech stack, and lead IT controls implementation, assurance, remediation and transformation.

 This role will lead the team managing various projects relating to IT Controls implementation, process improvement or more substantial transformation. They will be responsible for leading and managing Finance Tech IT Controls transformation projects on existing systems, as well as working alongside the Internal Controls Transformation team on remediation work and implementing ITGCs for new systems under the global finance transformation programme.

 Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage projects to transform existing controls processes or implement our controls framework for as-is systems.
• Lead and manage activities relating to objectives of security or finance transformation programmes.
• Collaborate with the various teams in the Finance Transformation Programme to operationalise our controls assurance framework for systems implemented as part of the transformation programme
• Support technical teams on controls assurance improvements and maintenance of controls documentation.
• Identify, where possible, efficiencies, streamlining, and standardisation of processes.
• Build and manage relationships with teams relating to control activities.
• Drive work across the team on generating and maintaining high standard quality controls documentation.

 ABOUT THE PERSON:

Skills & Experience:

• 2 years project management experience in a corporate environment, ideally in an audit or governance role.
• 2+ years risk advisory experience, specifically in IT controls management.
• Internal Controls or IT audit experience with knowledge of SOX controls, specifically ITGCs is a nice to have.
• Organised and have the ability to prioritise: there will be a lot of moving pieces of work due to the systems in scope.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to succinctly report and update management.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint.
• Ability to build positive working relationships within the business.

Core Competencies:

• Strong communicator and a great team player.
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced environment, and able to prioritise work.
• Critical thinker that can think outside of the box, and question processes seeing gaps and potential for improvement.
• Highly self-motivated self-starter that is able to work on own initiative; but knows when to ask for help.
• Strong analytical and technical skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to develop and establish strong positive working relationships with the business.
• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to delivering quality results.
• Ability to influence change at all levels of management.
• Ability to communicate (both written and verbal) to all levels of management and write meaningful reports and presentations.

Here in Barden, we are proud to be partnering with a global business to identify an ambitious and smart Senior Financial Accountant (Stat reporting) to join their well-established and highly collaborative finance team.

The successful candidate will work closely with the Senior Finance Manager on a range of tasks including month-end reporting, statutory reporting and tax work. This person will get broad exposure across the global business while liaising with multiple teams across finance and beyond on a daily basis.

“This person will join our growing Finance team and this would be a great step for someone ambitious looking to progress in their career in the Finance & Accounting space. A fantastic opportunity for someone to expand their skillset for the long-term” – Hiring Manager

Responsibilities include:

• Statutory reporting preparation for your assigned entities;
• Responsible for supporting and preparation of the Statutory Accounting Activities for your assigned entities;
• Liaise with internal and external auditors and support the audit process by providing timely and accurate information and data;
• Support with Corporate tax responsibilities;
• The development of strong relationships with key stakeholders across the business both locally and globally;
• Ad-hoc projects as required.

About the person:

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA) with 2/3 years’ PQE;
• Experience in a multinational environment is a strong advantage;
• Strong Excel and systems experience;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
• Strong team player with the ability to interact with stakeholders at all levels of the organisation.

Interested? Feel free to get in touch with Siobhán Sexton in Barden (siobhan.sexton@barden.ie) for more information.

Here in Barden, we are proud to be working with a global manufacturing and technology leader to identify an ambitious and analytical Senior FP&A Analyst to join their well-established and highly collaborative finance team.

The successful candidate will work closely with senior leadership and play a key role in financial planning and analysis for the corporate function. This role offers broad exposure across the international business and the opportunity to collaborate with multiple teams within finance and beyond.

“The business is growing and we are looking for someone with strong FP&A experience, who is ambitious and wants to work as part of a high-calibre team” – FP&A Manager

ABOUT THE ROLE:

As a strategic partner to business leaders, you’ll drive financial insights, own budget and forecast cycles, and deliver reporting that informs key decisions. This role blends hands-on analysis with high-level business impact in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead budgeting and quarterly forecasting for your assigned part of the business
• Analyse and explain revenue, margin and expense variances
• Support strategic decision-making through data-driven insights
• Prepare financial reports and KPI dashboards
• Identify and implement process improvements

ABOUT THE PERSON:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance or Accounting
• 3/4+ years’ experience in financial planning & analysis is essential
• Strong Excel skills; SAP/SAC experience is a plus
• Excellent communicator with strong attention to detail
• Comfortable working independently and cross-functionally
• Prior experience supporting global teams is an advantage

If you’re looking to grow your finance career in a high-impact role within a global tech-driven organisation, we’d love to hear from you.

Feel free to get in touch with Siobhán Sexton in Barden (siobhan.sexton@barden.ie) for more information.

A well-established and hugely successful Irish business have engaged Barden to identify an ambitious Management Accountant to join their Finance team. This role has arisen due to the company’s continued expansion. It is very much a broad analysis and business partnering role and the successful person will have full remit to make it their own with opportunities to progress within the finance team in time.

“We have one of the top finance teams in Ireland. We pride ourselves on our culture and we’re now looking for someone who can be a future leader in our organisation” – FP&A Manager

This person will gain exposure to the wider business and key stakeholders on a daily basis, while supporting the future growth and success of the business by providing key data and insights.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

Responsibilities include:

• Assist with preparation of the Group’s Budget and Forecast process on a weekly and monthly basis;
• Act as a key Business Partner with senior stakeholders across the business to ensure reporting is timely and accurate;
• Analysis of financial trends which will support key decision making for the business;
• Responsible for preparation of variances and related analysis and reporting for the Group;
• Ad-hoc projects as required by the wider business.

ABOUT THE PERSON:

• Qualified accountant with 2+ years’ accounting experience;
• Excellent analytical skills;
• Strong Excel and systems experience;
• Hardworking, detailed oriented and results focused;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and strong team player;
• Desire to work in a fast-paced and collaborative environment.

Interested in finding out more? Please get in touch with Siobhán Sexton in Barden (siobhan.sexton@barden.ie) for a confidential chat.

Barden have been asked to act on behalf of the CFO of a Dublin North based company, in fast growing Tech, to identify an ambitious GFC to join their team in a newly created role.

“We are seeking to appoint a high-calibre and ambitious individual to the role of Group Financial Controller at what is a particularly exciting time for the Company, as we embark on the next stage of the company’s growth. We are looking for someone that is curious, practical and happy to get stuck in and can see a better way of doing things. With your experience and talents, you’ll be able to support, lead and mentor a team of talented professionals to support the business and its growth objectives.” – CFO

ABOUT THE ROLE

You will be responsible for overseeing local entity controllers worldwide, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant consolidated reporting that supports strategic decision-making at the executive and board levels. This is a pivotal opportunity to shape the Company’s financial governance as it scales internationally.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead global month-end close and group consolidation.
• Manage and mentor regional financial controllers.
• Ensure IFRS and local GAAP compliance.
• Drive financial systems improvements and automation.
• Provide strategic financial insights to senior leadership.

ABOUT THE PERSON

• The successful person will be a Big 4/Top 10 qualified accountant (or equivalent) with a minimum of 8+ years experience
• Proven track record in group reporting and international finance.
• Strong IFRS knowledge and ERP system experience.
• Excellent leadership, analytical, and communication skills.
• Willingness to travel regularly to global locations.

Working across all business types, but exclusively within the accounting, finance & tax community, Barden exists to share bespoke advice, guidance and support to professionals along each step of their career journey.

Barden are excited to be working with a well known Company, to identify a strong FP&A Senior Manager to join their best in class team in a newly created role. This is a hands-on, delivery-focused role — you will build frameworks, simplify reporting, and convert data into insight that drives commercial decisions across the group.

“This is a rare chance to build a Group FP&A function from scratch, shape how the business makes decisions, and position yourself as a future Finance leader ” CFO

ABOUT THE ROLE

This is a broad role covering key areas including Financial Analysis, Budgeting and Forecasting, Corporate Finance, M&A, and Investor Relations. It will be up to you to put your own stamp and rigour to the team.

Key responsibilities:

• Build and lead a central FP&A / Financial Data & Analysis function from scratch.
• Own budgeting, forecasting, scenario planning and management reporting for the Group.
• Deliver concise, insightful board & management packs and simplify existing management reporting.
• Play an active role in M&A finance (due diligence & integration).
• Business partner senior stakeholders.
• Leverage analytics & BI tools (Power BI mandatory) to lift reporting quality and speed.

ABOUT THE PERSON

• Qualified accountant with 10+ years’ post qualification experience within FP&A, with strong academic credentials operating at a similar level in industry.
• A self-starter and comfortable working on their own initiative.
• Proven experience building reporting, KPI frameworks and delivering board-quality insight.
• Power BI expertise essential (must bring practical experience and the ability to upskill the team).
• Comfortable in a lean, decentralised environment
• Experience of a plc environment is desirable.

Why apply?

• Build something meaningful from the ground up — real ownership, visible impact.
• Fast access to senior leadership and Board-level exposure.
• Clear long-term career pathway.
• Work with a focused, pragmatic team at a pivotal moment in the business’ growth.

Working across all business types, but exclusively within the accounting, finance & tax community, Barden exists to share bespoke advice, guidance and support to professionals along each step of their career journey.