New initiative connects experienced professionals seeking flexible careers with businesses needing temporary and specialist finance talent

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 November 2026 – A career in accountancy no longer needs to mean working full time for the same employer throughout one's professional life.

At different stages of life, professionals may have different priorities. Some may be raising young families or caring for loved ones. Others may want to pursue further studies, explore new career interests or take on project-based assignments while continuing to contribute their professional expertise.

Recognising these changing career needs, the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) is piloting FlexConnect, a flexible hiring initiative that connects experienced accountancy professionals seeking alternative work arrangements with businesses that need finance talent for specific periods or assignments.

The initiative offers employers access to professionals for contract, fractional and temporary roles, including support for project needs, peak workloads and employees taking extended leave.

Rather than viewing flexible work as a compromise, ISCA hopes to make it a viable career choice that allows professionals to remain active in the workforce while meeting their changing personal and professional priorities.

Rethinking careers and workplace flexibility

This initiative comes as an ISCA study highlights the challenges accountancy professionals face in balancing career and family responsibilities and the importance of rethinking how workplaces support career and family needs.

81% of accountancy professionals surveyed feel pressured to be visible or present at work to demonstrate their commitment, while close to 70% were concerned that taking time away for parenting or caregiving could affect their career progression. Only 35% felt they could use flexible work arrangements without facing negative judgement or scrutiny.

ISCA also held a focus group discussion with members of its Young Professionals Advisory Committee where younger members of the profession acknowledged existing support for marriage and parenthood, while highlighting the need to make such measures more accessible and workable in practice, particularly in managing workloads, supporting colleagues on leave and ensuring that family responsibilities do not come at the expense of career progression.

The findings point to a need for greater flexibility in how careers and work are organised. They also highlight the practical challenges employers face in maintaining operations as supporting employees' time away also means finding ways to cover their responsibilities.

Through FlexConnect, ISCA hopes to address both sides of the equation by helping employers manage staffing gaps with access to experienced professionals while creating new opportunities for those seeking more flexible careers.

Connecting experienced accountants with businesses seeking flexible talent

Since the pilot began in September 2026, more than 100 accountancy professionals have registered their interest to explore flexible work opportunities.

Among them is Jennifer, a Chartered Accountant of Singapore with close to 20 years of experience in finance, accounting and corporate management, secured her first fractional Chief Financial Officer (CFO) role with a local small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) through this pilot. After a career primarily in full-time finance leadership, she is now exploring alternate work opportunities beyond traditional employment.

Jennifer said: "With ISCA's support, I was able to explore and secure my first Fractional CFO role with a local SME, where I can contribute my finance expertise and experience in a more flexible working arrangement. This marks an exciting new chapter in my career, allowing me to apply my skills and experience in a different capacity while supporting a growing business in strengthening its financial management and driving business growth."

The pilot initiative has also drawn support from employers across industries, including public and private sector organisations.

Mr Daniel Tan, Director, Group Enterprise Risk Management & Compliance, NUHS said: "We support ISCA's efforts to expand flexible work opportunities for experienced accountancy professionals. Initiatives such as FlexConnect can help employers address temporary staffing needs and maintain business continuity, while providing professionals with opportunities to apply their expertise through flexible work arrangements."

Mr Lee Boon Teck, President of ISCA, said: "A strong profession should offer more than one way to build a successful career. As professionals move through different stages of life, their interests and priorities may change, but the experience and expertise they have developed remain valuable. At the same time, businesses need greater flexibility in how they access talent, whether to support a specific project, manage peak workloads or cover temporary staffing gaps. Through ISCA FlexConnect, we hope to bring these needs together and create more opportunities for professionals to remain engaged in the workforce. Our ambition is to make accountancy a profession where people can continue to grow and contribute throughout their careers."

Building a more flexible accountancy workforce

ISCA will use feedback from participating professionals and employers to refine the pilot, including the types of roles offered, working arrangements and support needed for successful placements.

The initiative forms part of ISCA's broader efforts to support sustainable accountancy careers, retain experienced talent and help employers adapt to changing workforce needs.

The programme and findings from ISCA's marriage and parenthood study were shared at ISCA Conference 2026, held on 11 November.

About the study

Conducted in June and July 2026, the study comprised a sensing survey of 585 respondents and a focus group discussion with ISCA's Young Professionals Advisory Committee. 70% of respondents were early and mid-career accountancy professionals aged 35 to 45. The study provides insights into respondents' experiences and perceptions of career and family responsibilities. The findings should not be interpreted as statistically representative of all accountancy professionals in Singapore. See here for more information on the findings.

About ISCA FlexConnect

ISCA FlexConnect is a pilot initiative open to all employers and ISCA members, aimed at connecting finance and accounting professionals with flexible work opportunities, including part-time, contract and project-based roles. By facilitating alternative work arrangements, the initiative seeks to support professionals through evolving career and life priorities while helping employers address talent needs and build more resilient, supportive workplaces.

Expression of interests can be submitted via the website link below:
Marriage and Parenthood Among Young Professionals
Hashtag: #ISCA #CharteredAccountants #DifferenceMakers #Accounting #Accountancy #FlexConnect

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Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA)

The Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) is the national accountancy body of Singapore. Established in 1963, ISCA administers the Singapore Chartered Accountant Qualification programme and is the designated entity by the Singapore Ministry of Finance to confer the Chartered Accountant of Singapore [CA (Singapore)] designation.

ISCA supports over 46,000 members across industries in Singapore and globally, with members in more than 40 countries. With a growing international presence, ISCA has 12 overseas chapters, 7 offices across 10 countries and a network of over 150 strategic partners, strengthening professional connections and opportunities across borders. ISCA is also a member of Chartered Accountants Worldwide, a global network representing more than 2 million Chartered Accountants and students across over 190 countries.

ISCA advances professional development and lifelong learning through ISCA Academy, its training arm and drives community impact through ISCA Cares, its charity arm.

For more information, visit www.isca.org.sg.