Let me start with a question: after a hybrid team meeting ends and the screen goes blank, what happens in the room if you’re in the office with your colleagues?

You chat. You walk out of the meeting room, brainstorming on how to tweak the proposal you just went through in the meeting, talking about your weekend plans, or chatting about the soccer game that happened last night.

Those few minutes before and after meetings are highly valuable for building relationships and for influencing decision-making. These simple social interactions create chemistry, strengthen relationships and deepen trust. Relationships can be maintained online, but they cannot be built to the same level in a virtual environment.

Opportunities for Learning

We learn by osmosis. Being present and engaged in office life enables us to pick up small nuggets of information all the time, and this wisdom compounds over time. One small new learning this week doesn’t feel like much. Still, new learning every week for five or ten years amounts to in-depth insights into an organisation, ways of working, technical knowledge, and interpersonal skills.

Learning doesn’t always come from the top down. Often, emerging technologies are better understood by grads and younger people, allowing senior leaders to collect their weekly nuggets of information from their junior colleagues.

Purposeful Presence

Presenteeism is not the goal. Employees should not be in the office if their core team isn’t there or if there is no real value in doing so. Mandating presence for the sake of it is counterproductive. There must be a purpose and value to being in the office, and a critical mass of people should be present to enable meaningful, dynamic interaction. If one person goes into the office on a Friday and nobody else is there, the value is lost. Similarly, if an employee is sitting alone in a meeting room for eight hours to write a report, they may as well be working from home. Being in the office should provide opportunities for interaction, learning, and collaboration.

Takeaway

In-person presence matters when it creates connection, learning, and collaboration. Time in the office should be purposeful, not just procedural.

Padraig Ryan (LinkedIn>>>) is the Managing Director of Navitise Consulting. Navitise is a boutique consulting firm that combines big-firm expertise with a personalised approach, delivering strategy, operational excellence and transformation solutions.

We’re delighted to be partnering with a leading multinational organisation as they look to hire an AR / Credit Control Specialist to join their growing finance team.

This is a key, visible role within a business known for its positive culture, supportive team environment and strong focus on employee development. You’ll be joining a collaborative, friendly finance function where people are encouraged to grow, learn and progress.

German language fluency (native or near-native) is essential for this position, as you’ll be working closely with German-speaking customers and stakeholders.

The role offers excellent exposure within a well-structured multinational, ongoing learning opportunities and the chance to build a long-term career in a stable, people-focused organisation.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

• Manage a portfolio of customer accounts.
• Calls / emails / correspondence
• Review accounts daily and meet team collections targets.
• Follow up on any queries, missing invoices, invoice discrepancies and disputes.
• Resolve discrepancies through liaising with key internal stakeholders (credit team, sales team)
• Escalate when necessary.
• Responsible for preparing Aged Debt reports.
• Analyse customer credit profiles and exposure, compare against policy to make risk driven credit decisions and balancing business benefit with risk.
• Responsible for credit analysis
• Maintain reports & document outcomes & achievements.
• Share knowledge, get involved with process improvements & make suggestions on ways to make collections more efficient.
• Support operations by updating, maintaining, and analysing master data, and key data within the organisation.
• Ensures master data integrity in key systems as well as maintaining the processes to support the data quality.
• Creation & amendment of customers, vendors, purchase agreements, & pricing.

ABOUT THE PERSON:

• AR/ Credit and Collections Experience OR Strong Customer Service experience coupled with German
• Experience working in a multi-national fast paced environment (an advantage)
• Exceptional problem-solving skills
• Be an outgoing, personable individual with strong communication skills.
• Have the capacity to problem solve and build and maintain relationships.
• Be social – this role will involve interacting with people key to making this company successful both internally and externally.

Are you an ambitious Financial Controller who is looking to use your expertise to support and strengthen a business?

We are delighted to be partnering exclusively with a successful medium sized business in Kerry to identify a Financial Controller to join their team. The business has celebrated significant growth over the last 30 years and has built an excellent reputation as leaders in their field.

Leading a team of 5, the Financial Controller will report to an impressive CEO who promotes a positive culture on the team. This is a broad role which involves overseeing the day-to-day Finance activities, delivering high quality financial reporting, and ensuring strong financial governance across the organisation. This will suit someone who is technically strong, with a great energy to bring to the team.

Please get in touch for more information (caroline.frawely@barden.ie), or my colleague Denis Galvin (denis.galvin@barden.ie).

ABOUT THE ROLE

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Responsibility for monthly and year-end reporting, providing analysis and recommendations to assist the management team in understanding business performance and decision making.
• Take the lead role in the preparation of statutory accounts and management of the external audit.
• Promote and maintain an effective internal control environment.
• Provide strong balance sheet and working capital management.
• Provide day-to-day leadership, direction, and coaching to the Finance Team.
• Ad hoc duties and projects to support the growing needs of the business.

“The ideal candidate is someone who is willing to be hands on with operational elements of Finance as well as the strategic aspects of the role. We value the experience and knowledge a strong Finance professional can bring to the table” – CEO

ABOUT THE PERSON

• Professional Accountancy qualification with 5+ years PQE.
• Ambitious with proven ability to manage and coach the finance team.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with attention to detail.
• Organized and efficient with ability to prioritize workload and follow through on tasks.
• Strong technical skills.
• Positive ‘can do’ attitude.

Barden and CASSC are delighted to bring you the not-to-be-missed FAE Careers Evening taking place on Thursday, 26th February 2026.

What is the event all about?

The Barden & CASSC FAE Careers Evening 2026 is designed specifically for FAE students to answer any questions they might have about their professional futures. The evening has been structured to ensure CASSC members get access to the right information at the right time so that when they qualify, they can make informed decisions about their professional future.

Those who attend will also have the opportunity to ask any questions they might have about their professional future and visit a variety of Barden information stands to speak directly to Barden’s expert newly qualified careers team.

Who is it for?

This event is for those who have passed FAEs and are approaching the end of their training contract. It is also open to recently qualified accountants. The event is free of charge, but registration is required. Get your tickets here>>>>

On the night, you’ll gain insights from:

• Michael Sheehan | Chief Financial Officer | The Irish Times
• Martin O’Reilly | Manager | Xeinadin
• Avril O Callaghan | RTR Accountant | FMC
• David Collins | CASSC Chair 2024/25 | Audit Senior | EY Ireland
• Maighread Meehan | Financial Accountant | Musgrave
• Conor Murphy ACA | Consultant | Recently Qualified Accountants | Barden Munster
• Siobhán Sexton ACA | Associate Director | Recently Qualified Accountants | Barden Munster

Michael Sheehan | Chief Financial Officer | The Irish Times

Mikie is from Glanworth in North Cork. He went to secondary school in St. Colman’s College, Fermoy and studied Accounting in UCC. From there, he began his career at Deloitte, where he qualified as a chartered accountant and worked in the areas of audit, corporate finance and corporate recovery, while also completing various international secondments in Australia, the Channel Islands and the UK. He moved to the Examiner Group in 2013 following an industry secondment from Deloitte.

Following the acquisition of the Group by The Irish Times in 2018, he held various roles within the finance department before becoming Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in October 2020. In the intervening period, he has also held interim roles as Managing Director of The Examiner Group for 18 months, Group Chief Information Officer for 12 months, and, more recently, Group Managing Director for 4 months. He is also a member of The Irish Times DAC’s board of directors.

Martin O’Reilly | Manager | Xeinadin

Martin O’Reilly is a Manager at Xeinadin, based in the Blackpool office, where he is responsible for managing a diverse portfolio of clients across a wide range of industries and geographic locations. He provides a comprehensive suite of professional services, including accounts preparation, audit, and advisory support, alongside ongoing compliance and company secretarial services.

Prior to joining Xeinadin, Martin gained valuable experience at PwC in Cork, where he trained within the audit department. During his time at PwC, he worked with a variety of clients, developing strong technical expertise, commercial awareness, and a client-focused approach to delivering high-quality professional services.

Avril O Callaghan | RTR Accountant | FMC

Avril is a qualified chartered accountant from Cork. She studied Accounting at UCC and began her career with Deloitte (Audit) in the graduate programme, qualifying in 2023. Following her graduate contract, she moved to Australia for six months, where she worked as a finance lead for a start-up construction company.

She returned to Cork in December 2023, where she navigated the job market with Barden’s support and became a Financial Accountant at MSL, a mechanical engineering company. She spent 1.5 years there, gaining in-depth experience across a multitude of business areas.

After working in SMEs since leaving Deloitte, Avril was keen to grow her business knowledge, particularly in a multinational environment. As a result, she began looking for a new role, again with Barden’s help. She has been working at FMC as an RTR accountant for the past 7 months.

David Collins | CASSC Chair 2024/25 | Audit Senior | EY Ireland

David Collins is the 2025/26 chair of the CASSC and an Audit Associate at EY, specialising in Wealth and Asset Management. He graduated from UCC in 2021 with a first-class honours in the BSc Government and Political Science programme. David’s achievements include receiving the Breifne O’Callaghan award for youth leadership and being named the Department of Government and Politics 2021 graduate of the year.

Maighread Meehan | Financial Accountant | Musgrave

Originally from Waterford, Maighread completed an undergraduate degree in Accounting at the University of Limerick. After graduating, she joined EY, where she completed her training contract in Audit. After qualifying in 2023, she travelled and settled in both Australia and New Zealand, using the opportunity to work across different industries in short-term roles to broaden her experience and perspective, while also enjoying the chance to explore new countries. Maighread returned to Ireland in Q4 2025 and is now working with Musgrave as a Financial Accountant in their Group Finance team.

Conor Murphy ACA | Consultant | Recently Qualified Accountants | Barden Munster

Conor Murphy ACA is a Consultant in the Recently Qualified Accountants practice of Barden’s talent advisory and recruitment firm in Munster.

Conor holds a degree in Economics from UCC and an MSc in Corporate Finance. He began his career at KPMG in Cork, working in audit and completing his ACA exams. After qualifying, he spent four years in Australia as an accountant for a ski resort while living in Melbourne. Post-COVID, Conor relocated to London and transitioned from finance to recruitment.

Conor joined the Barden team in May 2024 to support Jonathan Olden in developing the emerging practices division and transitioned into the Recently Qualified team in November 2025. His background in Big 4 and industry accounting positions him perfectly to transition into this new role and advise recently qualified accountants on their next career steps. Connect with Conor on LinkedIn>>>>

Siobhán Sexton ACA | Associate Director | Recently Qualified Accountants | Barden Munster

Siobhán Sexton ACA is the Associate Director of the Recently Qualified Accountants practice of Barden’s talent advisory and recruitment firm in Munster.

Siobhán began her career by training with KPMG’s tax department, achieving her ACA qualification in 2017. Following her time at KPMG, she transitioned into the realm of recruitment, joining Barden’s Recently Qualified Accountants team in Dublin in March 2017.

In July 2018, her career took an adventurous turn when she embarked on an 18-month sabbatical to work and live in Canada. There, she gained invaluable international recruitment experience and also travelled to Southeast Asia and South America. Upon her return to Ireland in April 2020, Siobhán rejoined the Barden team, this time in Munster, where she has since progressed to the position of Associate Director, supporting recently qualified accountants. Connect with Siobhán on LinkedIn>>>

We are delighted to be partnering with a well-established organisation in the Energy sector in their search for a Finance Administrator to join their growing Finance team.

Reporting directly to the Senior Financial Accountant, this role forms a key part of the Finance Administration function. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring supplier invoices are processed accurately and efficiently, supporting payments, reconciliations and month-end activities.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with strong Accounts Payable experience who enjoys working in a fast-paced, innovative environment.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

• Accurate and timely processing of high volumes of purchase invoices
• Matching invoices to supporting documentation (POs, GRNs, approvals) and resolving discrepancies
• Monitoring shared finance mailboxes and responding to queries
• Liaising with suppliers and internal stakeholders to resolve issues efficiently
• Completing supplier statement reconciliations and investigating variances
• Supporting bank and control account reconciliations
• Assisting with supplier payment runs and preparation of bank payment files
• Supporting month-end close activities related to Accounts Payable
• Contributing to continuous improvement initiatives within the AP function
• Providing ad hoc finance and administrative support to the wider finance team

ABOUT THE PERSON:

• Proven experience in Accounts Payable or high-volume invoice processing
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Excel
• Experience with accounting systems; Oracle experience is advantageous (training and support provided)
• Confident communicator with suppliers and internal stakeholders
• Highly organised and able to work efficiently under time pressure
• Strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills

Barden has been engaged by a well-established and highly successful Irish business to identify an ambitious Finance Business Partner to join their Finance team. It is a multifaceted position, with a strong emphasis on analysis, executive reporting and business partnering.

The ideal candidate will possess a high energy, positive attitude with strong analytical skills. There will regular exposure to senior leaders including the CFO and this will suit someone who has a natural skill in translating Finance data into meaningful insights for the business.

This opportunity has a lot to offer, working with an exceptional Head of FP&A in a progressive organization where flexibility is promoted with a strong precedent for progression opportunities.

For more details about this exciting opportunity, please contact me (caroline.frawley@barden.ie) or Denis Galvin (denis.galvin@barden.ie).

ABOUT THE ROLE

• Take a lead role in the forecasting and budgeting setting process for Group functions
• Serve as a key business partner to senior divisional finance leaders, to ensure timely and accurate reporting
• Perform detailed financial analysis, becoming subject matter expert with the ability to provide meaningful insights to business stakeholders
• Review and challenge divisional budgets, ensuring alignment with strategic plans
• Contribution to the establishment of a continuous improvement culture
• Engage in ad-hoc projects as required by the wider business

ABOUT THE PERSON

• Qualified accountant, with 5+ years PQE
• Possess excellent analytical skills
• Ability to influence across all levels
• Demonstrate strong proficiency in Excel and systems
• Exhibit excellent interpersonal and communication skills, functioning as a strong team player
• Express a desire to work in a fast-paced and collaborative environment

Barden are proud to be partnering with a leading well known Group to introduce a high calibre Head of FP&A to their team in Dublin City Centre (Hybrid working).

Role Overview

This is a standout financial planning and analysis leadership role at the heart of a global commercial organisation. You’ll play a pivotal role in shaping strategy, accelerating growth and improving performance across a diverse, international portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive high-quality performance reporting, planning and forecasting, turning numbers into clear, actionable insight for executive, board and group audiences.
• Shape and evolve budgeting, forecasting and sales and operations planning cycles, challenging assumptions and keeping the business focused on what matters most.
• Partner closely with marketing, innovation, strategy and operations, acting as a trusted finance voice on growth initiatives, investment decisions and strategic priorities.
• Represent finance in senior forums, influencing direction through compelling insight and confident commercial challenge.

Who they are looking for:

• Qualified accountant with 6 years PQE in a similar commercial role.
• Experience in planning and forecasting, with a solid grasp of cost drivers, demand and margin performance.
• Effective business partner, able to influence stakeholders and support strategic decision-making.
• Analytical and collaborative, comfortable with advanced tools and working across international teams.
• Experience in a large corporate environment, or within a Plc or a FMCG or Manufacturing company.

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.

Are you passionate about tax strategy? We’re excited to partner with this collaborative and innovative Irish Group to support an excellent commercial tax opportunity.

As Tax Accountant, you will be a key player in supporting various tax planning initiatives while ensuring adherence to compliance requirements.

This role will sit in the Group Tax Function, reporting to the Head of Tax, with plenty of exposure to key stakeholders, including the CFO.

Ideally this will suit a qualified tax professional with 3 – 5 years’ experience in a corporate tax driven role.

ABOUT THE ROLE

• Support tax planning initiatives across M&A, reorganisations, Pillar II, new market expansion.
• Manage the corporate tax and indirect tax compliance process.
• Prepare the tax provisions and related notes for relevant entities.
• Prepare and maintain transfer pricing documentation.
• Ensure adherence to internal control procedures.
• Suggest process improvements to enhance efficiencies.

ABOUT THE PERSON

• At least three years’ experience in corporate tax.
• Chartered Tax Advisor.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to interact confidently with various stakeholders.
• Ability to adapt to a fast paced and dynamic environment.

I recently posted a poll asking the question:
Is your company planning to increase headcount in 2026?

60% of respondents said yes, while 40% said no.

As a reference point, a recent Ibec study showed that 37% of companies plan to increase headcount in 2026, down from 41% in 2025 and 45% in 2024. Our poll suggests sentiment around headcount increases is slightly more positive than the 37% reported by Ibec.

Over the last three years, there has been an obvious dampening in hiring sentiment. While some companies are considering increasing headcount, other factors, like talent movement, are shaping the market.

Back in 2022, the job market was incredibly robust, with a material percentage of individuals changing roles during the post-COVID boom. Now, more than three years on, people are becoming a little more restless in their roles and are more likely to look externally if their career needs and ambitions aren’t being met internally.

There’s a phenomenon called the domino effect in a normalised market. It’s not directly related to job creation but occurs when someone leaves a role, prompting a chain of external hires to replace them. For example, if Mary leaves Company A for Company B, Company A hires Jimmy from Company C, and Company C now needs to replace Jimmy, and so on. This domino effect drives movement in the market even when headcount isn’t increasing.

While the domino effect exists in normal markets, we haven’t had a truly normal market for some time. Macro risk factors in recent years have made individuals more risk-averse; they often stick with what they know rather than moving externally. However, we are beginning to see more requests for advisory calls from talent, suggesting restlessness and the potential for the domino effect to become a bigger factor in 2026.

Other factors are also influencing the market. For example, tech sector redundancies in 2024 and early 2025 affected sentiment, but that issue has largely subsided. Some graduate hiring has reduced, driven by factors such as private equity pressures on professional services firms and cost-cutting measures, not solely by AI. While AI is being discussed in relation to jobs and productivity, its real-world impact on employment to date has been limited, and the extent to which it will accelerate this year remains uncertain.

In short, headcount increases might remain muted in 2026, but attrition and the domino effect of professionals moving roles could have a bigger impact on the employment market than outright growth. Leaders need to be aware of this dynamic and plan for talent retention as much as they plan for recruitment.

At Barden, our advisory team works with clients on a case-by-case basis to develop controls tailored to their specific processes and needs. If this would be helpful, reach out to me at ed.heffernan@barden.ie

*Sources: Ibec Publishes its HR Update – Pay and Resourcing Forecast Report 2025