Head ofDepartment– Controls, Capabilities and Frameworks Directorate
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 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 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 influentialpermanentHead of Department to play a key leadership role as we transform into a more innovative,adaptiveand assertive regulator.
The Controls, Capabilities and Frameworks Directorate (CCF) is at the heart of theSupervision,Policyand Competition Division (SPC). CCF drives excellence within the operational frameworks of SPC, the FCA’s largest front-line operational division. We also act as the single point of contact for central FCA functions. By doing this, we enable our 3 Executive Directors, 13 Directors and more than 1300 colleagues work consistently and efficiently to deliver the FCA’s strategic outcomes and regulatory obligations.
In particular,CCF acts as custodians of our operational frameworks, the capabilities,assuranceand risk management activitiesrequiredto ensure these are working effectively, and the operational grip(resources, finances, technology)of the whole SPC Division working in collaboration with central functions and front-line areas.
This role reports to the Director of Controls, Capabilities & Framework and is a key role within ourbroadersenior leadership team.
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 the world of finance, both nationally and internationally
8. Gain insights into how a world class regulator uses innovation andgreat changemanagement to drive operational excellence and efficiency in partnership with others
9. Deepen your knowledge about how the FCA’s front line business divisions interface with key central operational and technology functions to deliver – in partnership – business requirements
10. The chance to develop and broaden your networks across the FCA and advise the Executive Committee and the FCA Board on the evolution of business-led ownership
Key responsibilities:
11. Lead the strategic directionfor our ongoing improvement of processes and controlswithin Supervision,Policyand Competition (SPC) in the FCA. Work alongside the CCF Director, SPC Directorates and FCA operations colleagues to deliver operational excellence and embed strategic business outcomes across SPC.
12. Build and sustain the capabilities,knowledgeand culture within SPC to enable it to achieve its strategic outcomes.
13. Deliver excellence in the adoption and embedding of our operatingframeworks anddrive a culture of continuous improvement.
14. Leading on performance,capabilityand culture within the directorate, with a strong focus on operational excellence
15. Delivering through others by relying on coaching,influencingand negotiating skills with a range of internal and external stakeholders.
16. Building a strong and inclusive directorate that attracts and develop diverse talent
Skills/Experience Required
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
17. Strong experience of Financial Services markets and their regulation.
18. Strong experience of running operational functions.
19. Strong experience ofleading teams through ambiguity and in achieving ‘continuous improvement’.
20. Proven experience delivering complex,crossorganisationalprogrammes or workstreams.
21. Strongtrack recordof building andmaintainingcredible relationships withExecutive Directors,Directors and other senior leaders.
22. Ability tooperatewith agility,paceand resilience in an environment with competing deliverables and high scrutiny.
Essential
23. Experience leading with vision,structureand direction, in times of ambiguity and uncertainty.
24. Able toidentify, scope and improve ways of working with a continuous improvement and problem-solving approach.
25. Ability to analyse, investigate and evaluate information and data, to make evidenced judgments.
26. Strong stakeholder management skills to develop networks across FCA and ‘join dots’ to build sense of common purpose,maintainingconsensus behind an agreed plan.
27. Strong personal resilience, gained through experience in working under pressure from competing (and potentially conflicting) demands.
28. Strategic mindset with the ability to translate organisational strategy into clear, deliverable actions for SPC.
Desirable
29. Able to clearlyshowhow experience inworking infront-line regulatory environments, together withstrong operational background,combine tomake you well equipped to both challenge and support colleagues in front-line roles.
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,businessesand the UK economy. So, our values matter. 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 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 topurchaseadditionalbenefits such as dental or cycle to work, or you have the option to top up your base salary by taking this as cash.
30. Core benefits that you will receive as standard are:
31. 30 days holiday per year plus bank holidays
32. Private healthcare with Bupa
33. 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)
34. Life assurance of eight times your basic salary
35. 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.
Any potential conflicts of interest will 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
36. The closing date for this role is 23:55 onSunday 15thFebruary 2026
37. Selectionwill be via a two-stage interview and psychometric assessment
38. If successful, you willbe requiredto obtain andretainSC Clearance.
39. We currentlyoperatea 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,Leedsand Edinburgh offices. From September 2026, FCA employees willbe requiredto spend a minimum of 50% of their working time in the office. Our Executive Director and Directors will be expected to be in a minimum of 60% per month.
40. The salary range for the role isLondon£130,000 to £165,000,National £118,000 to £148,000.
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 contactRoy Bingcang at k