About the FCA
At the FCA,we’recreating a fair and more resilient financial system.We’reestablishingmore transparent relationships between financial services and customers, building trust in financialmarketsand protecting vulnerable consumers.
We’recurrently on an exciting journey as we drive forward significant organisational, people, process, and technology transformation to become a more forward-thinking, proactive regulator. We will use data more effectively to drive better regulatory decisions and build greater cohesion across our broad financial services remit.
Significant improvements in digital enablement, business intelligence, marketdataand information management maturity are all being pursued tomaintainour position as a world leader in financial services regulation.
In March 2025, the FCA launched a new 5-year strategy to deepen trust, rebalance risk, support growth and improve lives. The FCA will focus on four priorities:
1. Be a smarter regulator; predictable,purposefuland proportionate. The FCA will improve its processes and embrace technology to become more efficient and effective.
2. Support sustained economic growth, by enabling investment, innovation and ensuring the continued competitiveness of the UK’s world-leading financial services.
3. Help consumers navigate their financial livesby working with industry to boost trust, product innovation and ensuring the right information and support is available for people to take financial decisions.
4. Fight financial crime, focusing on those whoseekto use the fact they are regulated to do harm. It will go further to disrupt criminals and support firms to be an effective line of defence.
The Role
We’relooking for a talented and influential Head of Department to lead and play a key leadership role as we transform into a more innovative,adaptiveand assertive regulator.
The Wholesale Buy-sideDirectorateis responsible forthe regulation of the UK’s vibrant and important asset management sector, including supervision of firms managing and their funds, authorising new UK funds, and setting policy that leads to successful markets, provides protection to consumers, and promotes competition.
Within the directorate, thisHoDwill lead on the supervision of firms and their funds and the authorisation of funds, focusing on those asset managers thatcan serve retail investors. This will involve setting specific strategies for the strategies for the largest fundmanagers in the market, analysingrisksanddeterminingdata-led strategies foridentifyingareas of harm. The department willtakeaction to preventharm occurring or stop harm where it has beenidentified, making effective use of a wide range of tools and powers.
The successful candidate will be empowered, and expected, to take strategic decisions in the interest of the market, department, and FCA, including in respect of design of supervision,strategyand risk appetite.
The role will report toWholesale Buy-Side Director and is a key role within the wider Wholesale senior leadership team.You will work alongside theHoDPrivate Markets Asset Management andHoDWholesale Buyside Policy.
What will the candidate get from the role?
5. Joining the Senior Leadership Team at the FCA during an exciting and challenging time ofgreat changein financial services and its regulation
6. Leading a department of talented and committed people through significant projects whilst also delivering on business-as-usual objectives
7. Exposure to strategic issues and key players in finance, both nationally and internationally
Key responsibilities:
8. Building on and delivering a long-term supervisory strategy for the retail-facingasset management sector, including developing anddemonstratingmeasures of success.
9. Developing and deliveringappropriate structures,processesand strategies for the department, aligning to broader divisional and organisational strategies, in areas such as funds, model portfolios, and firm supervision.
10. Setting risk appetite,identifyingconnections with other areas of the asset management value chain and wholesale markets, and ensuring that supervisors have the confidence and support to intervene using the full range of FCA tools.
11. Leading on performance, capability, and culture within the department, with a strong focus on operational excellence.
12. Consistent with the FCA’s Transformation, the department has an opportunity to invest in data and technology, particularly in the relation to the systems and processes for fund authorisations. The successful candidate will playan important rolein delivering that project, ensuring that it delivers benefits to regulatory outcomes and the change process is a positive experience for the team.
13. Buildingand managinga strong and inclusive department that attracts and developsdiverse talent.The department currentlyhas approximately 40 team members.
Skills/Experience Required
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. (To learn more about the Disability Confident Scheme Click Here)
Minimum
14. Experience and exposure to the regulation and risks in the asset management and related services sector
15. Proventrack recordin leading,organisingand delivering on a broad portfolio of complex and politically sensitive work on highly topical issues
16. Ability to drive change and process efficiency/improvements, delivering value for money and innovation, and encouraging capacity building and continuous improvement
17. Experience managing large teams
18. Demonstratedunderstanding of asset management products, business processes (including compliance, sales,operationsand investments), service providers, and drivers of business performance
Essential
19. Experience with dealing with industry groupsand both small and large asset managementfirmsin the UK
20. Knowledge and awareness of the FCA supervisoryand policy approaches.
21. Ability toidentifyand manage stakeholders at CEO level in supervised firms, building rapport and constructive relationships, and to be an influential representative for the FCA
22. Excellent communication, verbal and written, including use of evidence and data
23. Collaborative and flexible approach
24. Resilience in the face of challenge, with an ability to adjust course in the light of evidence to make balanced decisions/judgements
25. Ability to deal with a wide range of issues and manage competing priorities effectively
26. Experience and desire to support the development of department colleagues, and tackle any performance issues, to build a high performing department
27. The ability to inclusively lead a group of talented individuals with a wide variety of professionalexpertise, experience, and backgrounds
Desirable
28. Strong understanding of the FCA’s regulatory powers, responsibilities, operations, and supervisory frameworks
29. Strongproficiencywith data management and visualisation tools such as Tableau and Excel
30. Experience setting strategy for asignificant function
31. Understanding of the financial services market in the UK and how firmsoperatewithin it
The FCA’s Values & Diversity
Our ambition is to create a diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects the society we serve, helping us to be a better regulator. We serve thepublicand our decisions directly affect the wellbeing of people,businessesand the UK economy. So, ourvaluesmatter. Theyrepresentthe culture we aspire to every day, guiding our judgements, buildingtrustand helping us to be ‘At our best’.
The FCA is committed to achieving greater diversity across all levels of our organisation. Given this,we particularly welcome applications from women, disabled, and minority ethnic candidates, as under-represented groups.
As an inclusive employer, we are open to considering flexible working arrangements, including job shares. Please inform your recruiter if you wish to apply for this role on a flexible basis.
As part of the FCA’s on-going commitment to develop our national presence, most of our vacancies are now open to working in our Edinburgh,Leedsor London offices. This means that as part of the application process you will be able to select your preference of which office location you would like to work from.
Application Support
We want to remove anypossible barriersand are committed toprovidinga wide range of reasonable adjustments so that you can keep the focus on your conversations and be at your best.
If you have an accessibility requirement, disability, or condition that means you might require changes to the recruitment process, please contact your recruiter to discuss this further. Our aim is to make you application as easy as possible, and your recruiter will be happy to work with you to make any necessary arrangements where possible.
Benefits
Our competitive benefits scheme gives you the opportunity to create a personalised benefits package, tailored to suit your lifecycle. You can use this allowance topurchaseadditionalbenefits such as dental or cycle to work, or you have the option to top up your base salary by taking this as cash.
Core benefits that you will receive as standard are:
32. 30 days holiday per year plus bank holidays
33. Private healthcare with Bupa
34. 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)
35. Life assurance of eight times your basic salary
36. Income protection
Conflicts of interest
All applicants to the FCAare required todemonstratethat they do not have other interests likely to conflict with their responsibilities as an employee of the FCA. You should declare any potential conflict of interest as early as possible in the selection process,and alsodiscloseinformation or personal connections that, if appointed, might be open to misperception.
Anypotential conflicts of interestwill not prevent candidates going forward to interview but may, ifappropriate, be explored during the interview toestablishhow the candidate would address the issue(s) should they be successful in their application.
Useful information
37. The closing date for this role is 23:55 onWednesday 21 January.
38. Selectionwill be via a two-stage interview and psychometric assessment
39. If successful, you willbe requiredto obtain andretainSC Clearance.
40. Weoperatea hybrid working policy with an expectationthat senior leaders spend a minimum of 50% of their working time each month in the office.
41. The salary range for the role isLondon £130,000-£165,000 and National £118,000-£148,500
42. To apply pleasesubmityour CV and cover letter.
For further information about the role, please contactk