Senior Strategy and Engagement Associate

Job Title: Senior Strategy & Engagement Associate
Division: Supervision, Policy, Competition (SPC)
Department: Appointed Representatives

• Salary: National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £53,800 to £62,000 and London from£59,000 to £69,000 (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.   

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).

Sitting within the Insurance Directorate, the Appointed Representatives (AR) department leads the FCA’s work to reduce harm in the AR regime by strengthening oversight of principal firms and driving higher conduct standards across the financial services sector. This role offers a wide‑ranging and engaging opportunity to help drive and co‑ordinate the FCA’s strategic work on the AR regime, providing unique insight into how the regime operates and how different business models function across multiple markets.

You will be involved in the government’s plans to reform the legislative framework for Appointed Representatives and will assess the appropriateness of AR conduct when carrying out regulated activities on behalf of their principals, despite ARs not being directly regulated themselves. The department supervises principals across a range of markets and works closely with colleagues across the FCA, senior stakeholders, and external partners. You will join a friendly, motivated team of experienced and highly skilled professionals, with exposure to a wide network of colleagues across the organisation.

Role responsibilities:

• You will contribute to ongoing strategic workplans, which includes a focus on external engagement with firms, trade associations, other regulators and market participants.

• Oversee the delivery of the AR Strategy, bringing teams from across the FCA together to focus on work that reduces harm and improves consumer safeguards

• Use data, insight and intelligence to guide proactive oversight of higher‑risk principals and ARs, shaping actions that build a safer, more trusted market

• Manage multi-firm and cross-department initiatives that spot emerging risks early, implement improvements and enhance market integrity

• Draft and co-ordinate clear, accessible communications and engagement activities that help internal and external audiences understand key risks, expectations and priorities

• Build strong, collaborative relationships with senior stakeholders, guiding conversations that support well-informed, effective regulatory decisions

• Support and empower junior colleagues, sharing knowledge and building a team culture that grows capability, confidence and future leaders

Skills required:  

Minimum:

• Prior experience of working in a regulated financial services setting (which could be gained from a firm or a regulatory, government, professional services, consultancy or related environment)

• Proven experience of drafting briefings, speeches and website content to engage and influence a range of stakeholders

• Demonstrable experience of building and managing effective working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders to deliver outcomes, including senior leaders

Essential:

• Prior experience of leading, prioritising and delivering projects end to end, including through others to successful and timely conclusions

• Strong written, oral and in-person communications, with the ability to explain complex issues to a wide range of audiences

• Demonstrated ability to evaluate complex information, pinpoint major risks of harm and apply sound, risk-based regulatory judgment

• Ability to exercise judgement in stressful situations, prioritising effectively to focus on work with the greatest strategic value and impact

• Effective at persuading stakeholders and creating alignment, prepared to deliver constructive observations and inform senior leadership direction

• Ability to work collaboratively within a team, supporting others’ development while continuing to build your own capability

Benefits:

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.

• Hybrid model with up to 60% remote work.

• 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 

Timeline: 

• Job Advert Closes: 22nd April at 23:59

• CV Review/Shortlist: 24th April

• Case Study Assessment & Interview: w/c 27th April