Director, Wholesale and Unauthorised Business Investigations, Enforcement and Market Oversight
About the FCA
At the FCA, we’re creating a fair and more resilient financialsystem. We’reestablishing more transparent relationships between financial services and customers, building trust in financial markets and protecting vulnerable consumers.
We’re currently 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, market data and information management maturity are all being pursued to maintain our 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, purposeful and 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 lives by 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 who seek to 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.
Background
Wearelooking to appoint aDirector ofWholesale and Unauthorised Business Investigations(WUBI).WUBI is a core function within ourEnforcementand Market Oversight Division, focused onmarket misconduct, policing theperimeter,and providing investigation services. WUBI actions help tofight financial crime, toprotect the interests of consumers,andensure that markets work well andoperatewith integrity.
WUBI conducts forensic investigations into regulatory breaches and criminal offences by firms and individualsoperatingin the wholesale arena, as well as those carrying on regulated activities without authorisation, in breach of the general prohibition. Typical WUBI cases include insider dealing, market manipulation, systems and controls failings,fraud/scamsandorganised crime activity linked to the financial services sector.The portfolio includes both regulatory and criminal operations.The FCA’sProceeds of Crime teamalso sits within WUBI.
WUBI collaborates closely with the wider FCA and other regulatory bodies and law enforcement agencies, both within the UK and abroad, to ensure an effective and co-ordinated approach to tackling issues affecting UK markets and consumers.
The Role
Reporting toExecutive Directorof Enforcement and Market Oversight,the Director of Wholesale and Unauthorised Business Investigations willbe responsible forthe development and delivery of the enforcement strategy for all wholesaleand unauthorised businesscases, and accountable overall for case outcomes and external engagement on those outcomes.The role holderwillalso play a key role in driving forward the FCA’swideractivity todisruptfinancial crime.
As such, this is a critical appointment for a creative thought leader with strong relationship building skills who can lead from the front.
Youwill be a member of EMO’sDirector Team, and specificallyresponsible for leading a team ofover200 staff throughthe Heads of Department who sit on the WUBI leadership team.
Key responsibilities:
5. Managing complex portfolios of wholesale and unauthorised business investigations and resulting criminal, civil and regulatory enforcement action
6. Being theSettlementDecision Maker on Enforcement Operations
7. Role model for the whole ofFCA/EMOwitha commitment to continuous improvement through delivery of the impactful deterrence agenda
8. Developing and delivering a long-term strategy for the directorate, aligned to broader divisional and organisationalstrategies
9. Leading on performance,capabilityand culture within the directorate, with a strong focus on operational excellence
10. Delivering through others by relying on coaching,influencingand negotiating skills with a range of internal and external stakeholders
11. Building a strong and inclusive directorate that attracts and develops diversetalent
12. Working effectively across organisational boundaries to achieve outcomes, particularly in relation to financial crime
13. Operational responsibility for the running of the team (and the wider Division as partof the EMO Director Team) in terms of budgeting, forecasting,resourcing,and external costs
What will the candidate get from the role?
14. Leading a directorate of talented and committed people through significant projects whilst also delivering on business-as-usualobjectives
15. Exposure to strategic issues and key players in the world of finance, both nationally and internationally
Skills/ExperienceRequired
We’reproud to be a Disability Confident Employer, and therefore, people or individuals with disabilities and long-term conditions who best meet theminimumcriteria for a role will go through to the next stage of the recruitment process. In cases of high applicationvolumeswe may progress applicants whose experience most closely matches the role’s key requirements. (To learn more about the Disability Confident Scheme Click Here)
Minimum
Significant experienceof:
16. Managing and influencing key stakeholders, including senior decision makersinternallyandexternally(both domestically andinternationally)
17. Conducting and overseeing a wide range of complexinvestigations, not necessarily gained in the financial servicessector
18. Working across organisational boundaries, with proven delivery of cross-organisational projects
19. Effectivelyleadingalargebusiness area made up ofmulti-disciplinary teams
Essential
20. The ability to deal with competing priorities and workstreamsand to balance immediate, high priority, sometimes politically sensitive issues with longer term strategicthinking
21. A high levelof personal resilience – you should be able to manage challenging situations and work across organisationalboundaries
22. Strong judgement and ability to take well-informed, bold,forward-thinkingdecisions
23. An excellent leader of people who improves capability, leads through change, builds a diverse and inclusiveteamandexhibitsan engaging and adaptable style that connects with people at alllevels
24. Ability to quickly develop a technical understanding of the FCA’s powers and risk-based approach in relation to investigation and enforcementactivity
25. Understanding of the role of intelligence in fighting serious crime
26. Good technical understanding of the overall regulatory and legal framework in the UK and the FCA’s place within it
27. Understanding of the international dimension within which the FCA operates
28. Understanding of the financial services market in the UK and how firmsoperatewithinitisdesirable
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 the public and our decisions directly affect the wellbeing of people, businesses and the UK economy. So, our values matter. They represent the culture we aspire to every day, guiding our judgements, building trust and 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.
Application Support
We want to remove any possible barriers and are committed to providing a 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 your 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 to purchaseadditional benefits 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:
29. 30 days holiday per year plus bank holidays
30. Private healthcare with Bupa
31. 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)
32. Life assurance of eight times your basic salary
33. 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
34. The closing date for this role is 23:55 on 22ndFebruary2026
35. Selection will be via a two-stage interview and psychometric assessment.
36. If successful, you will be required to obtain and retain SC Clearance.
37. This role can be London, Edinburgh or Leeds based. If the successful applicant is based in Edinburgh or Leeds,frequenttravel to the London office will be required.
38. We currently operate a hybrid working model, working a minimum of 40% in the office each month (50% for senior leaders). This way of working applies in our Stratford, Leeds and Edinburgh offices. From September 2026, FCA employees will be required to spend a minimum of 50% of their working time in the office. Our Executive Directors and Directors will be expected to be in a minimum of 60% per month.
39. The salary range for the role is London £200,000-£260,000and National £180,000-£234,000
To apply, pleasesubmityour CV and cover letter via the FCA careers page (workday). Please note we are unable to accept applications by email.
For further information about the role, please contact RoyBingcang, Executive Recruiter on Rk