Senior Policy Advisor

Job Title: Senior Policy Advisor

Division: Supervision, Policy and Competition (SPC)

Department: Markets

• Salary: National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £52,400 to £65,500 and London from £57,700 to £72,000 (salary offered will be based on skills and experience)

• This role is graded as:

• Your recruitment contact is Riley Fox 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. 

SPC oversees firms and individuals (supervision), creates and reviews the rules by which they operate (policy) and identifies and remedies ineffective competition in markets (competition).

The team’s work includes developing a crypto asset custody regime, introducing a payments safeguarding regime, producing guidance for insolvency practitioners appointed to FCA regulated firms (FG 21/4) and expansion of the Dormant Assets Scheme.

Role responsibilities

• Helping to lead policy and strategy projects on client assets and resolution matters, including assessing causes of harm to consumers and markets, planning responses, working with policymakers, supervisors and other specialists across the FCA

• Drafting proposals, committee papers, guidance and other policy papers

• Building productive relationships and managing internal and external stakeholders

• Providing policy input on CASS-related queries and rule modifications/waivers

• Preparing presentations for colleagues across the FCA and externally

• Applying and continually enhancing learning

• Becoming a specialist in the field of client assets and resolution

Skills required 

Minimum:

• Prior experience with Policy or strategy projects, including assessing strategic issues and managing large programmes of work to demanding timescales and in complex stakeholder environments

• Prior experience of writing papers, briefings and presenting to stakeholders, including an ability to distil complex issues into succinct messages and present confidently and concisely to a variety of internal and external stakeholders

• Proven experience and knowledge of client assets, safeguarding and/or resolution

Essential:

• Experience of leading projects (or aspects of projects) and supporting others

• Solid analytical skills, including ability to analyse complex quantitative and qualitative data, draw reasoned and logical inferences, and reach robust and practical conclusions within tight deadlines

• Interest in policymaking and developing regulation that protects client assets and reduces harm in firm failures

• Collaborative colleague who works inclusively and shares knowledge

• Experience of delivering a variety of competing high profile tasks with challenging targets under tight deadlines, prioritising appropriately and escalating where necessary

• An ability to identify and manage key stakeholders, build rapport and constructive relationships, and be a credible representative for the FCA

• Understanding of the financial services market in the UK and how firms operate within it

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 & 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 timeline

• Advert Closing: 24th March

• CV Review/Shortlist: 26th March

• Interviews: w/c 30th March

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.