Director, Communications

Director, Communications 

About the FCA  

At the FCA, we’re creating a fair and more resilient financial system. We’re establishing more transparent relationships between financial services and customers, building trust in financial markets and protecting vulnerable consumers.  

We’re currently on an exciting journey as we drive forward significant organisational, people, process, and technology transformation to become a more forward-thinking, proactive regulator. We will use data more effectively to drive better regulatory decisions and build greater cohesion across our broad financial services remit.   

Significant improvements in digital enablement, business intelligence, market data and information management maturity are all being pursued to maintain our position as a world leader in financial services regulation.  

In March 2025, the FCA launched a new 5-year strategy to deepen trust, rebalance risk, support growth and improve lives. The FCA will focus on four priorities:  

• Be a smarter regulator; predictable, purposeful and proportionate. The FCA will improve its processes and embrace technology to become more efficient and effective.  

• Support sustained economic growth, by enabling investment, innovation and ensuring the continued competitiveness of the UK’s world-leading financial services.  

• Help consumers navigate their financial lives by working with industry to boost trust, product innovation and ensuring the right information and support is available for people to take financial decisions.  

• Fight financial crime, focusing on those who seek to use the fact they are regulated to do harm. It will go further to disrupt criminals and support firms to be an effective line of defence. 

What will the candidate get from the role?  

• Joining the Director and Senior Leadership Team at the FCA during an exciting and challenging time of great change in financial services and its regulation and a fast-changing geopolitical context  

• Leading a directorate of talented and committed people with major operational responsibilities as well as a steady stream of significant projects  

• Exposure to strategic issues and key players in the world of finance, both nationally and internationally  

• An opportunity to shape the deployment technology, data and AI in one of the most demanding and wide ranging communications roles in UK finance and regulation. 

Key responsibilities:  

Strategic Advice and Senior Stakeholder Engagement 

• Provide trusted counsel to the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive, Board and senior leadership on communications, reputation and stakeholder strategy. 

• Support senior leadership in navigating parliamentary, governmental and wider stakeholder scrutiny, including engagement with accountability bodies, industry stakeholders and consumer groups. 

• Ensure timely, well-judged positioning and messaging on complex and high-profile issues. 

External Reputation and Narrative 

• Shape and deliver a clear and compelling narrative for the FCA as a modern, forward-looking and effective regulator that operates across the UK and influences internationally. 

• Lead engagement across media, public affairs, industry and consumer audiences. 

• Ensure complex regulatory priorities are communicated with clarity, consistency and impact. 

• Oversee the effective management of issues, crises and other high-profile communications activity. 

• Oversee the teams responding to freedom of information requests and subject access requests 

Enterprise Leadership and Strategic Evolution  

• Lead the internal communications at the FCA as a role model who inspires and engages colleagues, working closely with the Chief People Officer. 

• Contribute beyond the communications function to the FCA’s broader organisational leadership and decision-making 

• Support the delivery of the FCA’s strategy, ensuring communications effectively enable its priorities and direction.  This includes driving the FCA’s strategy internally, in particular its focus on becoming a smarter regulator 

• Help position the FCA externally as a credible, authoritative and forward-looking regulator 

• Align internal and external communications to support organisational priorities and evolving ways of working 

Leadership of the Communications Function 

• Lead a directorate of approximately 120 professionals across multiple locations, including London, Leeds and Edinburgh. 

• Work through a strong senior team to deliver high-quality outcomes across media relations, internal communications, digital content, public affairs and stakeholder engagement. 

• Build capability in insight-led, data-informed and digitally enabled communications. 

• Foster an inclusive, high-performing and collaborative culture.  

Skills/Experience Required   

We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, and therefore, people or individuals with disabilities and long-term conditions who best meet the minimum criteria for a role will go through to the next stage of the recruitment process. In cases of high application volumes we may progress applicants whose experience most closely matches the role’s key requirements. (To learn more about the Disability Confident Scheme Click Here) 

Minimum   

• Significant experience of managing and influencing key stakeholders, including senior decision makers internally and externally 

• Established communications professional, with experience of leading communications teams in fast-paced and high-profile environments and good market and business awareness 

• Strategic decision-making skills and judgment, including the ability to analyse complex data quickly, identify salient issues and agree the actions needed to deal with them 

• Proven array of experience and skills to influence a variety of senior stakeholders such as executive committees and boards, including communication skills (both written and verbal) 

• Role model strong leadership behaviours in line with the FCA values and capabilities 

Essential   

• Experience of role modelling strong leadership behaviours in line with organisational values. 

• Ability to secure confidence of senior stakeholders, both internal and external 

• Proven track-record of implementing insight-led, outcome-driven communications strategies, and an ability to evaluate the effectiveness of communication to identify future areas of improvement 

• Track record of creating a culture of innovation and continuous improvement in capability to reflect the changing communications landscape 

• Evidence of strong political awareness and professional judgement 

• Experience of providing clear and balanced advice up to Board level 

• Outstanding stakeholder management and influencing skills with the ability to collaborate and engage with a wide range of senior stakeholders across both public and private sectors 

• High level of personal resilience, with prior experience of managing media relations in a high profile, politically sensitive environment 

• An excellent leader of people who improves capability, leads through change, builds a diverse and inclusive team and exhibits an engaging and adaptable style that connects with people at all levels 

• Ability to successfully navigate complex environments and deliver through effective and collaborative partnerships. 

Highly Desirable  

• Understanding of financial services, and the different approaches and tools used by the FCA in a regulatory context. 

• Enthusiasm for embracing innovation, including deployment of new technology and data tools in internal and external communications. 

The FCA’s Values & Diversity   

Our ambition is to create a diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects the society we serve, helping us to be a better regulator. We serve the public and our decisions directly affect the wellbeing of people, businesses and the UK economy.  So, our values matter. They represent the culture we aspire to every day, guiding our judgements, building trust and helping us to be ‘At our best’. 

The FCA is committed to achieving greater diversity across all levels of our organisation. Given this, we particularly welcome applications from women, disabled, and minority ethnic candidates, as under-represented groups. 

As an inclusive employer, we are open to considering flexible working arrangements, including job shares. Please inform your recruiter if you wish to apply for this role on a flexible basis. 

As part of the FCA’s on-going commitment to develop our national presence, most of our vacancies are now open to working in our Edinburgh, Leeds or London offices. This means that as part of the application process you will be able to select your preference of which office location you would like to work from. 

Application Support 

We want to remove any possible barriers and are committed to providing a wide range of reasonable adjustments so that you can keep the focus on your conversations and be at your best.  

If you have an accessibility requirement, disability, or condition that means you might require changes to the recruitment process, please contact your recruiter to discuss this further. Our aim is to make you application as easy as possible, and your recruiter will be happy to work with you to make any necessary arrangements where possible. 

Benefits  

Our competitive benefits scheme gives you the opportunity to create a personalised benefits package, tailored to suit your lifecycle. You can this this allowance to purchase additional benefits such as dental or cycle to work, or you have the option to top up your base salary by taking this as cash. 

Core benefits that you will receive as standard are: 

• 30 days holiday per year plus bank holidays  

• Private healthcare with Bupa 

• A non-contributory Pension of at least 8% of basic salary each month (there are several contribution levels that increase depending on your age- up to 12% a month once you reach age 35) 

• Life assurance of eight times your basic salary 

• Income protection 

Conflicts of interest  

All applicants to the FCA are required to demonstrate that they do not have other interests likely to conflict with their responsibilities as an employee of the FCA. You should declare any potential conflict of interest as early as possible in the selection process, and also disclose information or personal connections that, if appointed, might be open to misperception.   

Any potential conflicts of interest will not prevent candidates going forward to interview but may, if appropriate, be explored during the interview to establish how the candidate would address the issue(s) should they be successful in their application.   

Useful information  

• The closing date for this role is 23:55 on 12th May 2026. 

• Selection will be via a two-stage interview and psychometric assessment   

• If successful, you will be required to obtain and retain SC Clearance.   

• We currently operate a hybrid working model, working a minimum of 40% in the office each month (50% for senior leaders). This way of working applies in our Stratford, Leeds and Edinburgh offices.  From September 2026, FCA employees will be required to spend a minimum of 50% of their working time in the office. Our Executive Director and Directors will be expected to be in a minimum of 60% per month. 

• The salary range for the role is £200,000 to £250,000 for London, and £180,000 to £225,000 nationally.  

• To apply please submit your CV and cover letter. 

The FCA has retained Russell Reynolds to advise on this appointment.

To apply please submit your CV and cover letter using this link  - https://www.russellreynolds.com/en/executive-opportunities#financial  

For a conversation in confidence, please contact:   Lorcan Lennon - [email protected]