Senior Financial Specialist

Job Title: Senior Financial Specialist
Division: Authorisations
Department: Wholesale

• Salary: National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £52,400 to £71,200 and London £57,700 to £78,300 (salary offered will be based on skills and experience) 

• This role is graded as: Senior Associate– Regulatory

• Your recruitment contact is Steve Christopher via [email protected]. Applications must be submitted through our online portal. Applications sent via social media or email will not be accepted. 

About the FCA and team

We regulate financial services firms in the UK, to keep financial markets fair, thriving and effective. By joining us, you’ll play a key part in protecting consumers, driving economic growth and shaping the future of UK finance services.   

The Authorisations Division serves as the initial point of contact for firms and individuals seeking to provide regulated financial services in the UK, making authorisation decisions to ensure applicants meet the FCA’s standards. Sitting within the Authorisations Division, the Wholesale Department brings together a collaborative and supportive team of ten specialists who provide insightful financial analysis, prudential resources and data analysis. The department partners closely with colleagues across the division, creating an inclusive environment where shared learning, openness and collective problem-solving are highly valued.

 
Role responsibilities 

• Analyse financial information including past financial accounts, forecasts about the projected performance of the proposed business or distilled throughout an application form and other public documents of  firms seeking FCA approval, supporting decisions that protect market integrity and consumers across the UK

• Work collaboratively with a team of highly experienced accountants and financial analysts to translate complex financial and data insights into clear, risk‑focused conclusions

• Provide clear, supportive advice to colleagues across the division, helping them form a view on which risks, and harms matter most, and how a firm might mitigate

• Build positive, trusted relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including applicant firms

• Help build financial and data capability across Authorisations, contributing to a culture of shared learning and professional growth

• Contribute to work that directly improves outcomes for millions of UK consumers by ensuring only responsible firms enter the financial market

Skills required 

Minimum: 

• Trained at graduate level in accounting or financial analysis or data analysis and with relevant professional qualification (or close to obtaining such a professional qualification)

• Demonstrable experience working in a role involving accounting, financial analysis or data analysis

Essential:  

• Bring curiosity and an investigative approach to analysing information and exploring issues in depth

• Effectively prioritise tasks and manage deadlines while maintaining a calm, organised approach

• Communicate clearly in writing and in person, with the ability to contribute to well structured reports

• Work collaboratively as part of an inclusive, supportive team that delivers results together

• Adapt positively to change, welcoming new ideas and innovative ways of working

• Prior experience within a regulatory agency or the financial services sector

Benefits 

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays 

• Hybrid model where employees work a minimum of 40% in the office each month (expectation of 50% for senior leaders). Changing from September to a minimum of 50% in the office each month (expectation of 60% for Directors and Executive Directors)

• Non-contributory pension (8–12% depending on age) and life assurance at eight times your salary 

• Private healthcare with Bupa, income protection and 24/7 Employee Assistance 

• 35 hours of paid volunteering annually 

• A flexible benefits scheme designed around your lifestyle 

For a full list of our benefits and our recruitment process as a whole visit our benefits page. 

Our values and culture

Our colleagues are the key to our success as a regulator. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture: one that’s free from discrimination and bias, celebrates difference and supports colleagues to deliver at their best. 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. 

 
If you require any adjustments due to a disability or condition, your recruiter is here to help - reach out for tailored support. 

 
We welcome diverse working styles and aim to find flexible solutions that suit both the role and individual needs, including options like part-time and job sharing where applicable. 
 

Disability confident: our hiring approach 
 
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. 
 

Useful information and timelines 

Timeline:  

• Job advert close: 9th March 2026 at Midnight  

• CV Review/Shortlist: 11th March 2026

• Case Study Assessment & Interviews: 20th March 2026

• 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.