EPM Market Update: October 2026

Cautious optimism, backed by real momentum

At Catch, we’re positive about the EPM market heading into Q4. That view doesn’t come from ignoring the wider economy; it comes from what we’re seeing on the ground. Here’s the good news, the caveats and what both mean for hiring managers and candidates.

The wider picture: the market is turning

After four tough years, UK hiring is starting to recover. According to the KPMG and REC Report on Jobs, permanent placements rose in August for the first time since late 2022, and temporary billings grew for the fifth month running. Recruiters attributed the rise to stronger confidence and some employers expanding capacity, although economic and policy uncertainty is still holding growth back.

Overall demand for staff has fallen for 34 consecutive months, though at one of the slowest rates in nearly two years. Candidate supply is also rising as redundancies continue.

EPM is running ahead of that picture. Finance transformation tends to stay funded even when budgets are tight, and the push towards AI across every major platform is creating new work.

Platform by platform

OneStream: a new owner and a new chapter

The biggest news of the year is that Hg completed its acquisition of OneStream on 1 April, valuing it at around $6.4 billion and taking it private, with Tom Shea remaining as CEO. The business more than doubled its AI customer base in 2025. At Splash in May, it launched Developer Studio and an Agentic Finance Toolkit.

In our view, OneStream consultants with strong consolidation and close experience remain the hardest profiles to find. One thing to watch is that private equity ownership often brings a sharper focus on costs, which can affect partner and vendor hiring more than end-user demand. OneStream consultant rates are £600–£850 per day, with a typical time to hire of 2–4 weeks.

Pigment: the challenger winning big

Pigment is the standout growth story. It is approaching $100 million in annual recurring revenue after doubling revenue for the third year running. More than half of its new customers last year moved from a legacy vendor, and a planning agent is due later this year.

Demand most clearly outstrips supply here, and experienced Pigment modellers command a premium in both permanent and contract roles. Many hires come from Anaplan backgrounds, so we encourage clients to prioritise strong modelling ability over years of Pigment-specific experience. We’ve also seen significant candidate interest in cross-training opportunities.

The software alone, however, is rarely enough to persuade candidates to move. Clients with a polished, well-organised recruitment process and clear development plans are securing the strongest candidates.

Anaplan: a leaner business with an AI-focused roadmap

Anaplan has pushed hard on AI this year. It released CoModeler, Custom Analyst and Agent Studio in March, alongside 12 new applications, and plans to deliver a full set of CFO-focused agents in October. It was also named a Leader in IDC’s 2026 MarketScape for planning, budgeting and forecasting.

Anaplan still has the largest installed base and talent pool of the four, making it the steadiest source of permanent and contract work. It is being displaced in some deals, while tools such as CoModeler may change what junior model builders do day to day. Senior Solution Architects and Master Anaplanners remain in strong demand. We’ve helped many candidates cross-train into other platforms, but many are also keen to stay and see how Anaplan’s new products are received.

Abacum: a rising mid-market specialist

Abacum has built a clear niche in AI-native FP&A for high-growth mid-market companies. Its $60 million Series B in 2025 took total funding past $90 million, and its customers include CoreWeave, Strava and Replit.

Abacum roles are fewer but highly targeted. They are usually with SaaS scale-ups hiring hands-on FP&A professionals who can own the platform, rather than dedicated systems consultants. Because Abacum does not handle statutory consolidation, it often sits alongside other tools. It’s early days, but we continue to monitor the market and expect growth in recruitment opportunities.

Summary

The EPM sector is in good shape. Every major platform is investing heavily in AI, challengers are winning market share and creating migration work, and finance teams continue to prioritise planning and consolidation. We’re planning to expand our team significantly and are seeing strong crossover with clients served by our ERP desk.

Hiring OneStream, Pigment, Anaplan or Abacum talent, or exploring your next move? Get in touch with the Catch team.