Location: UK: Leeds, Edinburgh, London
Opportunity: 6-month returnship
Start Date: September 2023
Apply by: 25 June 2023
*Applications have now closed*
Are you looking for intellectually challenging, meaningful work with the possibility to work flexibly?
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is looking for a number Senior Associates to join their Specialist Supervision department. This program is for professionals looking to restart their careers after two or more years absence from the workforce and/or the financial services sector. This is a paid 6-month programme offering you the opportunity to work in a role that will strengthen your technical skills, explore new career paths, and experience the vast network of resources. Whether you have taken time out for caring responsibilities, relocation or other reasons, they are keen to hear from you!
About the role
Successful applicants to this programme will join their Specialist Directorate in the Supervision, Policy and Competition Division. The FCA regulate 60,000 firms which they have broadly categorised into 43 different sectors. The specialist departments cut across the sectors of regulated firms, supporting supervisors.
Roles are available in the following departments
- The Financial Resilience Department (FRD) – FRD’s mission is to provide high quality financial analysis of the firms they regulate. They assess the financial resilience of firms by comparing the financial resources and controls in firms to the risks inherent in their business models. This includes visiting firms and intervening where needed. This ensures that firms have appropriate resources to provide financial services, or, if they need to wind down, do so in a way which avoids harm to consumers and the markets
- The Financial Crime Department (FCD) – FCD’s mission is to help the FCA meet its financial crime responsibilities. They deal with issues involving money laundering, financial sanctions, bribery and corruption, and fraud or dishonesty. They focus on the effectiveness of firms’ financial crime systems and controls. This is done through a range of supervisory work including assessments, visits, and interventions of regulated firms. They work closely with front line supervision to assess firms’ compliance with relevant rules, law and guidance, as well as with several other stakeholders
- Resolution Strategy and CASS (RESOC) – Their teams of client assets (CASS) specialists are right at the heart of the FCA’s drive continually improve the protection afforded to client assets. They take assertive and focussed regulatory action to minimise harm arising from firms having inadequate client assets arrangements, which would cause losses or delay in returning client assets to customers in the event of firm failure
- The Technology Resilience and Cyber Department (TRC) – At a time of rapid technology change, new regulation to improve operational resilience, and increasing cyber threats, they work to understand firms’ current and planned use of technology, identify and assess potential harm and risk to the market and promote good practice by clarifying their expectations and acting when necessary. They work on technology and cyber resilience related matters across regulated firms within financial services, providing technical expertise and advice to frontline FCA supervisors. Bringing together people with different expertise – whether they are experienced cyber specialists or third-party management experts – to help make a difference to millions of consumers
Senior Associates in the department are responsible for:
- Leading and supporting assessments and/or analyses of FCA regulated firms. FCA firms represent a wide variety of business models across a wide array of financial products and services
- Role modelling Judgement, Engagement, Delivery and Self-Management and the FCA values
- Dealing with queries from firms and supervisors
- Providing coaching and support to other associates in the department
What will I get from the role?
This is an incredibly interesting time to join the FCA’s team of experts. You will get the opportunity to:
- Help shape the post-Covid, post-Brexit regulatory and supervisory framework for financial services firms in the UK
- Contribute to a challenging and varied portfolio of work, working on high-profile issues, in an intellectually stimulating environment where creative thinking and problem solving are essential
- Work with and influence a range of industry professionals both within and outside the FCA
- Work in a stretching environment, to grow your expertise at Europe’s largest prudential regulator
About You
This is a great opportunity to refresh your knowledge and skills in areas including financial analysis and prudential risk assessment, the assessment of client assets and financial crime. You will have the opportunity to work with a wide range of experts, gaining new experiences and building your confidence in the workplace.
Whilst they cannot guarantee you a permanent position at the end of the programme, you will be invited to apply as an internal candidate to any vacancies available across the FCA.
What they are looking for:
Minimum:
Previous experience in at least one of the following areas:
- Analysing risks inherent in the business models of financial services firms including prudential risks and risks to financial resilience
- Working within financial crime (for example, a relevant supervision, compliance or anti-money laundering role within a regulatory body, law enforcement, financial services or consultancy firm); or
- Experience within client assets or safeguarding of customer funds (for example, a relevant supervision or compliance role within a regulatory body, financial services or consultancy firm)
- Experience in analysing complex information and identifying and presenting recommendations in relation to technology and/or cyber resilience capabilities
- Excellent written communication skills
Essential:
- The ability to make logical and timely decisions, cutting through complexity and seeing the big picture
- Ability to interact effectively with individuals at firms whilst maintaining the integrity of messages that may need to be conveyed and ensuring consistency of outcomes
- Ability to communicate complex issues succinctly and with clarity to both internal and external audiences, orally and in writing
- Ability to prioritise effectively and deliver results on time with minimal supervision
- A good team player demonstrating respect for others and the impact and influence to generate shared goals for the department
- The ability to identify and manage key stakeholders, build rapport and constructive relationships. Ability to make strong personal impact, persuading with well-reasoned arguments and challenging where appropriate
About the FCA
At the FCA, they are creating a fair and more resilient financial system. They are establishing more transparent relationships between financial services and their customers, building trust in financial markets and protecting vulnerable consumers.
They are currently on an exciting journey as they drive forward significant organisational, people, process, and technology transformation to become a more forward-thinking, proactive regulator. They will use data more effectively to drive better regulatory decisions and build greater cohesion across their broad financial services remit. Significant improvements in digital enablement, business intelligence, market data and information management maturity will maintain their position as a world leader in financial services regulation.
What’s in it for you
- Coaching support from Women Returners to help you transition successfully back into the workplace
- Mentoring – you will be assigned a buddy when you start, to support your transition and help with any questions you might have throughout the programme
- Building a new network both internally and externally, whilst boosting your confidence in the workplace
- Regular 1-2-1s with your manager and/or mentor
- The base salary range for this role is between £49,700 and £70,000 plus an additional flexible allowance. Their competitive flexible benefits scheme gives you the opportunity to create a personalised benefits package, tailored to suit your lifecycle. You can use this allowance to purchase additional benefits such as dental or cycle to work or you have the option top up your base salary by taking this as cash
Core benefits that you will receive as standard are:
- 25 days holiday per year
- Private medical for yourself
- Pension contributions 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
They welcome applications from candidates who are looking for flexible arrangements. Many of their staff work flexibly including working from home, staggered hours and job shares. They can’t promise to give you exactly what you want but they won’t judge you for asking.
Hybrid working
The FCA supports hybrid working which means you will be able to work from home up to 60% of the time over a month with the remainder of your time in one of their three office locations.
How to Apply
To apply please click Here
Closing date for applications is 25 June 2023
If you have any questions, please contact Linda Bradley
Please tell the FCA that you found out about the opportunity from Women Returners.