The UK energy storage market is no longer a "side bet" for renewable developers. As we move through 2026, it’s a $40 billion global industry, and the UK is its most complex, "merchant-rich" proving ground.

But here is what I’m seeing in the market right now: The talent that built your solar and wind portfolios isn't necessarily the talent that will optimise your BESS assets.

Here is why the entire finance stack might need a rethink.

The CFO – From Yield Manager to "Revenue Engineer”

In solar, the CFO manages a passive asset. It’s weather-dependent and PPA-backed. It’s linear.

BESS is a dynamic trading instrument. Your CFO now needs to be a technical-financial hybrid.

• The reality: In the UK, they are managing a "Revenue Stack"; balancing the Balancing Mechanism (BM), wholesale arbitrage, and ancillary services.
• The advice: Stop looking for "Infrastructure CFOs." I’m finding the best success headhunting from Commodity Trading desks - people who are comfortable with sub-hourly volatility and "commercial nimbleness".

The Financial Controller – The Guardian of Multi-Market Complexity

A BESS Controller does more than just close the books. They are the ones navigating the integrity of an electrochemical system that performs thousands of cycles.

• They aren’t just looking at O&M costs. They have to audit Augmentation CAPEX - the mid-life cost of module replacement (often 15–25% of the original build) that can make or break a project's IRR.
• The advice: Look for Controllers with Fintech or SaaS backgrounds. They are used to high-volume, platform-based revenue models and "build-operate-transition" environments.

The Analyst – The Engine Room Needs an Upgrade

If your Analyst’s Excel model is "technology agnostic," your forecasts are fiction.

• The shift:We’ve moved past static P50/P90 models. Today’s BESS Analysts must model Levelised Cost of Storage (LCOS) while factoring in battery physics like Depth of Discharge (DoD) and Round-Trip Efficiency (RTE).
• The advice: We are prioritising candidates with Python or SQL proficiency. You need people who can bridge the gap between "Digital Twin" operational data and financial performance. Consider profiles from TS teams who may have brokered deals involving BESS assets.

The 2026 Salary Reality Check (London/UK)

The talent crunch is real, while with unemployment on rise, profiles with genuine BESS experience is still very limited. If you want the top 1%, you have to move at market speed.

Recruitment Tip: The best talent is off the market in under 21 days. If your interview process takes six weeks, you’ve already lost.

My Advice – Precision over Growth

You can't solve this by just "adding bodies." You need to solve it with precision hiring, identifying key skillsets rather than focusing on renewable energy experience.

1. Pivot your sourcing:Look at power trading, infrastructure PE, and advanced manufacturing.
2. Technical Fluency is non-negotiable:Your finance team must understand battery chemistry and grid physics to protect the P&L.
3. Data Operationalisation:Ensure your data teams report to finance, not just ops. From meeting many BESS CFOs over the past 12 months it’s clear that being able to manipulate and model quite specific industry data and still understand the fundamentals of finance is key.

Final thought:

This is high growth and competitive market place with a limited pool of profiles with genuine BESS experience, therefore an openness to skillsets and mindsets are key. Looking at other players in the renewable energy space, won’t necessarily deliver the skillsets you need.

I specialise in finding the 1% who actually understand the BESS stack. If you’re building a technical-finance powerhouse, let’s talk.

Tom Harrington - Practice Lead | Energy, Renewables & Infrastructure

e: tomharrington@srmrecruitment.com

m: 07777 156692