Lead Wholesale Market Associate

Lead Wholesale Market Associate

Department - Market Infrastructure Trading Venues Department

Division - Supervision, Policy and Competition (SPC)

Salary - London £64,900- £80,000 pro rata (salary offered will be based on skills and experience) 

About the FCA  

The FCA regulates the conduct of 45,000 firms in the UK to ensure our financial markets are honest, fair and competitive. Follow this link to find out more About the FCA.

We’re looking for a collaborative and insightful Lead Associate Supervisor to join the Market Infrastructure Trading Venues Department on a permanent basis.

This team plays a vital role in maintaining the integrity, fairness, and resilience of UK financial markets by supervising key infrastructure such as Recognised Investment Exchanges (RIEs), Recognised Overseas Investment Exchanges (ROIEs), Multilateral Trading Facilities (MTFs), and Organised Trading Facilities (OTFs).

The Market Infrastructure Trading Venues Department is responsible for supervising key parts of the UK’s financial ecosystem, including:

• Investment exchanges offering equities, derivatives, and commodities—such as the London Stock Exchange, ICE Futures Europe, and London Metal Exchange—as well as an increasing number of overseas exchanges.

• Multilateral and Organised Trading Facilities, covering authorisation and ongoing supervision to ensure markets remain fair, orderly, and resilient.

We use a broad toolkit—from direct firm engagement to market-wide thematic work—to promote integrity and trust in wholesale markets.

What will you be doing? 

• Lead supervision of a Recognised Investment Exchange, nurturing strong senior relationships, understanding firm-specific issues, and identifying current and emerging risks with clarity and care

• Support and guide colleagues, with task management responsibility for 1–2 supervisors, helping shape and deliver a forward-thinking, collaborative supervision strategy

• Champion a proactive approach, focusing on business models, culture, and governance to align with the FCA’s broader goals for safer and fairer markets

• Tackle complex challenges independently, applying sound regulatory judgment while remaining open to consultation and team insight

• Build trusted connections across the FCA and externally working with UK/EU regulators, Enforcement, Markets Policy, Financial Crime, and other internal teams to ensure consistent, well-informed supervision

• Contribute to policy development and communications, drafting clear, thoughtful messages for internal and external audiences and helping evolve the regulatory framework that supports Trading Venues

What you will get from the role 

• Be part of a transformative period at the FCA, as we invest in technology, data, and culture to make markets work better and reduce harm

• Play a key role in shaping and influencing the future of wholesale markets and Trading Venues during a time of significant regulatory evolution

• Gain in-depth exposure to how the financial sector operates, enhancing your understanding of market infrastructure and its regulatory landscape

• Contribute meaningfully to the FCA’s public interest objectives through high-impact supervision and policy work

• Work in a supportive, learning-focused environment that values collaboration, inclusion, and professional growth

• Engage with key issues at the heart of UK financial markets, making a visible and valuable difference

Which skills are required? 

We are a Disability Confident Employer; therefore, disabled people or individuals with long-term conditions who best meet the minimum criteria for a role will go through to the next stage of the recruitment process (to learn more about the Disability Confident Scheme Click Here). 

Minimum  

• Experience in Trading Venues’ operations, business models, and regulatory frameworks, gained through direct industry or wholesale markets experience

• Prior experience in leading or managing tasks/projects, supporting effective delivery through others

• Prior experience producing written documentation, with the ability to clearly explain complex issues across equity, derivative, or commodity markets

Essential

• Ability to make sound insightful reflection and judgment by making clear, timely thoughtful choices and recommendations based on appropriate stakeholder input, data, and intelligence, escalating when necessary

• Strategic and outcomes-focused mindset, identifying current and emerging risks and formulating effective, practical solutions to achieve desired outcomes

• Experience in delivering a wide range of documents to a high standard and explaining complex issues succinctly

• Assured yet approachable engagement with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders, with the presence and influence to impact senior levels

• Ability to challenge others’ views constructively while maintaining positive relationships

• Strong organizational skills, balancing multiple tasks and priorities effectively

• Collaborative team player, supporting junior colleagues, with previous experience in mentorship and guidance

• Knowledge of EU financial services legislation and its impact on wholesale markets and the competitive landscape for wholesale services

Our Values & Diversity 

We are proud to be an inclusive employer and our ambition is to cultivate a culture for all employees that respects their individual strengths, views and experiences. We believe that our differences and similarities enable us to be a better organisation – one that makes better decisions, drives innovation and delivers better regulation. 

Within the workplace you will have access to various employee resource groups which aim to promote and achieve a healthy work / life balance and support our diversity ambitions. 

Did you know? 50% of our Executive Committee were the first in their family to attend university. 

Benefits of working at the FCA  

• 25 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

We also have a competitive flexible benefits scheme which gives you the opportunity to create a personalised benefits package, tailored to suit your lifestyle. 

We welcome applications from candidates who are looking for flexible arrangements.  Many of our staff work flexibly including working part-time, staggered hours and job shares. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want but we can explore what might work best for both sides. 

Follow this link to see what life is like at the FCA - Life at the FCA 

Application Support  

We are dedicated to removing barriers and ensuring our application process is accessible to everyone. We offer a range of adjustments to make your application experience as comfortable and straightforward as possible. 

If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition requiring changes to the recruitment process, please contact your recruiter using the details below and they will be happy to discuss this further with you. 

Useful Information and Timeline

• This role is graded as: Lead Associate – Regulatory

• Advert Closing Date: Thursday 26th June 2025 (Midnight) 

• CV Review/Shortlist: 30th June 2025

• 1st Stage Interview: w/c 3rd July 2025

• 2nd Stage Case Study Assessment: w/c 7th July 2025

When submitting your application, please tailor your CV to highlight how you meet the minimum and essential requirements above

Your Recruiter will discuss the process in detail with you during screening for the role, therefore, please make them aware if you are going to be unavailable for any date during this time.  

Got a question? 

If you are interested in learning more about the role, please contact Steve Christopher on [email protected] 

Applications must be submitted through our online portal. Applications sent via email will not be accepted.