The Hardest Risk Roles to Hire in the US in 2025: What Employers Need to Know

The US risk talent market remains highly competitive, and several roles are proving particularly difficult to hire for. These positions often require a rare combination of technical fluency, regulatory understanding, and emerging skill sets, making them especially scarce.

Download the 2025 US Risk Management Talent Report for a full overview of high-demand roles, hiring trends, and salary benchmarks.

Hardest risk roles to fill in the US

Several risk positions continue to challenge even the most prepared hiring teams:

Model Risk Analysts and Quants
These roles require deep technical skills in Python, R, and statistical modeling, combined with fluency in regulatory expectations such as SR 11-7. Strong candidates are in short supply and often have multiple offers in hand.

Operational and Cyber Risk Specialists
As firms enhance their resilience strategies, demand is rising for professionals who understand both risk frameworks and digital architecture, particularly around automation, data protection, and AI governance.

ESG and Sustainability Risk Experts
With increased focus on climate-related financial disclosures, there is high demand for candidates who can embed ESG risk into existing frameworks. This is a newer area with limited experienced talent available.

Hybrid Risk Roles
Professionals who can bridge regulatory knowledge with commercial insight and technical ability are increasingly sought after. These hybrid profiles are hard to find but essential for cross-functional teams.

Why are these roles hard to fill?

Several underlying issues are contributing to persistent hiring difficulty:

• Specialized Skill Sets with Limited Supply
  Many firms are targeting the same small pool of candidates, especially in model risk, ESG, and cyber. Few professionals meet the full range of requirements.
  
  
• Long Hiring Timelines Lead to Missed Hires
  Delayed interview processes, lack of internal alignment, or unclear job specs often result in losing candidates to faster-moving competitors.
  
  
• Candidate Expectations Are Rising
  Compensation is only part of the decision-making process. Growth potential, hybrid flexibility, and organizational culture now play a larger role in offer acceptance.

View US compensation benchmarks for risk professionals

How employers can address these hiring challenges 

How Employers Can Address These Hiring Challenges
To compete effectively for hard-to-fill risk roles, employers should focus on three key areas:

Clarify and Elevate Role Messaging
Define expectations clearly and outline how the role contributes to strategic business goals. Candidates want visibility and impact.

Accelerate the Hiring Process
Streamline approvals, reduce interview stages, and ensure internal alignment to minimize delays that can cost top talent.

Use Specialist Hiring Support
Partnering with talent experts who understand niche risk markets can help expand reach and engage candidates not active on the open market.

Request a call back with our consultants to discuss your strategy for hiring hard-to-fill risk roles in the US.

Submit your open roles today to start your search for top US risk talent.

Discover our risk management expertise and learn more about our US hiring support.

Opportunities for risk professionals 

These high-demand roles also represent strong career opportunities for professionals looking to make their next move, especially those with technical depth and regulatory fluency.

Looking for risk roles in the US? Browse risk management jobs to explore open positions.

In a market where top risk talent is scarce and timelines matter, acting early, with a clear and strategic hiring process, can be the difference between a successful hire and a missed opportunity.

Download the full 2025 US Risk Management Talent Report for detailed insights on the hardest-to-fill roles and hiring trends.