Consumer Investments Authorisations Manager
Division: Authorisations
Department: Consumer Investment & Appointed Representatives
1. Salary: National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £72,100 to £82,100 and London from £79,300 to £89,300 (salary offered will be based on skills and experience)
2. This role is graded as: Manager - Regulatory
3. Your recruitment contact is Cameron Nunn via k. 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.
The Authorisations Division serves as the initial point of contact for firms and individuals seeking to provide regulated financial services in the UK, making authorisation decisions to ensure applicants meet the FCA’s standards.
The Consumer Investments and Appointed Representatives Department in Authorisations (CIARA), is responsible for assessing applications and notifications from firms and individuals operating within the Consumer Investments portfolios, as well as from Principal firms across all market sectors.
Role Responsibilities
4. Form clear regulatory views and deliver high‑quality decisions, engaging with firms and colleagues across the FCA to pinpoint the most significant risks and harms, assess their impact on consumers and markets, and shape proportionate, effective regulatory responses that improve outcomes
5. Scan the regulatory horizon, working closely with Supervision teams to monitor developments, emerging risks and opportunities in the Consumer Investments landscape, ensuring Authorisations remains forward‑looking, responsive and grounded in robust evidence
6. Lead and develop people, providing line management to Lead and Senior Associates and indirect leadership to Associates, creating an inclusive, supportive environment where colleagues receive coaching, are empowered, and are equipped to deliver high‑quality assessments while developing their careers
7. Oversee Authorisations strategy across a Consumer Investments portfolio, coordinating work across multiple firm types—such as Wealth Managers, Financial Advisers, Investment Crowdfunders, Peer‑to‑Peer firms, Trading Platforms and SIPP operators—to enable consistent, outcomes‑focused and risk‑based decision‑making
8. Build effective internal partnerships, establishing effective working relationships with financial crime, legal, Supervision, Intelligence, Enforcement and Policy teams to ensure joined‑up regulatory action and credible decision‑making
9. Contribute to senior leadership across CIARA and Authorisations, collaborating with the wider management team to enhance ways of working, improve team capability, shape culture, and support delivery of cross‑Directorate priorities
10. Recruit and performance‑manage an effective, diverse team, setting clear objectives, providing constructive feedback, and enabling development opportunities, while role‑modelling inclusive leadership behaviours that reflect FCA values
11. You will also have opportunities to contribute to cross‑divisional work as we continue to deliver Authorisations’ contribution to delivering the FCA Strategy
Skills Required
Minimum:
12. Prior experience of leadership and people management with experience of developing, motivating and leading a team to perform at its best
13. Demonstrable experience and knowledge of the regulation of UK financial services
Essential:
14. An in depth understanding of the Consumer Investments sector, or experience in working in one of the specific portfolios
15. Evidence of leading, training, supporting and assisting colleagues with technical issues and enhancing their learning and development
16. Self-motivated approach to work including the ability to use your own initiative to identify potential issues
17. Collaborative colleague with the ability to adjust and able to adapt to changing circumstances and ambiguity, positively adopting new approaches
18. Effective verbal and written communication skills demonstrable through project management including the ability to perform quality control ensuring high standards of delivery and the writing of papers and / or presentation at committees
Benefits
19. 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
20. 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)
21. Non-contributory pension (8–12% depending on age) and life assurance at eight times your salary
22. Private healthcare with Bupa, income protection, and 24/7 Employee Assistance
23. 35 hours of paid volunteering annually
24. 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
25. Advert Closing: Sunday 8th March (midnight)
26. CV Review/Shortlist: Tuesday 10th March
27. Interviews start after: W/C 16th March
28. Hays Assessment: End March
29. Final Interview: Start April
30. 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.