Lead Market Access Policy Advisor

at  Financial Conduct Authority

Lead Market Access Policy Advisor
Are you interested in joining a team that advises and delivers on the FCA’s approach to international market access?
The team/ department
The FCA is a leading global regulator, supporting open markets through shaping the international regulatory agenda. The International Division helps the FCA achieve this by leading on our relationships with overseas regulators, governments, and other institutions; working collectively to shape international policy.
The Market Access team is responsible for developing the FCA’s approach on issues related to overseas market access, trade agreements, equivalence and deference advice to HMG. We also lead on international elements of the Future Regulatory Framework, which sets out new responsibilities for the FCA post EU withdrawal, including the introduction of the new secondary objective for international competitiveness and growth.
We are recruiting for talented individual to shape and lead the delivery of complex, high-profile and fast-moving market access workstreams in an often-uncertain policy environment.
What you will be doing (the role)
This is an exciting time to join the International Division. You will support the manager in taking forward the FCA’s overall strategy and advocacy approach on deference and equivalence based arrangements in financial services.

Core aspects of the role will involve:

• Line management and active mentoring of junior members with the equivalence and deference side of the team, including providing coaching and development guidance for c. 3 individuals
• Driving the FCA’s policy approach on recognition and equivalence arrangements, becoming the FCA’s subject-matter expert on financial services market access arrangements
• Oversight of internal and external engagement strategy. This includes developing the relationship strategy with stakeholders, including HM Treasury and the Bank of England, to ensure the FCA can engage robustly and strategically to influence issues related to market access and deference in financial services
• Oversight and coordination of high-quality briefings to FCA leadership at International Committees and working groups, ensuring members are fully supported
• Representing the FCA’s International Division on international policy working groups as necessary

What you will get from the role
The work of the Market Access Team is high-profile, fast-paced and important to the delivery of the FCA’s new secondary international competitiveness objective.
You’ll get exposure to a broad range of issues and will be a part of, and contribute to, helping to shape and influence the organisation’s post-Brexit international strategy on market access and openness to international firms. You will also gain a view from the centre of how the organisation responds to the challenges and opportunities of global markets, EU withdrawal and other key developments in the international landscape.

The successful candidate will get the opportunity to:

• Drive the FCA’s strategic approach and prioritisation of complex issues of market access, understanding how they impact the FCA, the UK markets and consumers and global markets more widely
• Take on a varied, wide-ranging and interesting role which helps to drive the FCA’s international agenda
• Be creative, problem-solve, and enhance your influencing, engagement and communication skills
• Engage in regulatory policy debates, and comparison of UK and international regulatory landscapes

Core benefits that you will receive as standard are:

• 25 days holiday per year plus bank holidays
• Private healthcare with Bupa
• 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)
• Life assurance of eight times your basic salary
• Income protection

We support 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 our three office locations.
The skills and experience you will have
Minimum

We are a signatory to the Government’s Disability Confident scheme. This means that we will offer an interview to disabled candidates entering under the scheme, should they meet the minimum criteria for a role.

• Experience of driving multiplex work, within a policymaking, analytical or coordination/advisory role
• Experience of UK and/or international financial regulatory issues OR experience of trade, market access, equivalence and deference issues, particularly in relation to services and/or regulation
• Proven experience of influencing and persuading stakeholders with authority and credibility

Essential

• Evidence of analysing multiple pieces of information, identify relevant issues and making links to other work. Ability to clarify the nature of a problem and its scope, providing focus for consequent analysis
• Strong project management capability to help plan, prioritise and allocate work within the team whilst driving delivery at pace and respond to external time pressures
• Ability to work alone using sound judgement, including being prepared to make reasoned decisions in circumstances of limited or inconclusive information. Ability to escalate issues appropriately
• Clear and confident communication style, including an ability to communicate effectively in person, and write succinctly, even where issues are complex
• Ability to identify and manage key stakeholders, including building and maintaining relationship with FCA senior management, as well as counterparts at Bank of England and HM Treasury
• Collaborative and inclusive approach. Being able to understand others’ needs and perspectives while persuasively presenting your own views, finding mutually beneficial solutions
• Experience of managing team members, including providing coaching, support and guidance on their development

About the FCA
The FCA regulates the conduct of 50,000 firms in the UK to ensure our financial markets are honest, fair and competitive. We do this to make sure markets work well for individuals, businesses and the economy as a whole. For more information on what we do, our three-year strategy can be found
here.
The FCA’s Values & Diversity
Our ambition is to cultivate a culture of inclusion for all employees that respects their individual strengths, views, and experiences. 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.
We particularly welcome applications from women, disabled, and minority ethnic candidates, as under-represented groups.
Flexible working
We welcome applications from candidates who are looking for flexible arrangements. Many of our staff work flexibly including working part-time, staggered hours, and job shares. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want but we won’t judge you for asking.
Multi-location
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, Leeds, or 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.
Useful information
Applications for this role close at midnight on Wednesday 10th April 2024.
This role is graded as Lead Associate – Regulatory.
Got a question?
If you are interested in learning more about the role, please contact Melanie Dubock at
Melanie.Dubock@fca.org.uk
What to expect from our interview process
The interview will comprise of technical/competency-based questions with potential follow up interview.
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 and comfortable as possible, and your recruiter will be happy to work with you to make any necessary arrangements where possible

Core aspects of the role will involve:

• Line management and active mentoring of junior members with the equivalence and deference side of the team, including providing coaching and development guidance for c. 3 individuals
• Driving the FCA’s policy approach on recognition and equivalence arrangements, becoming the FCA’s subject-matter expert on financial services market access arrangements
• Oversight of internal and external engagement strategy. This includes developing the relationship strategy with stakeholders, including HM Treasury and the Bank of England, to ensure the FCA can engage robustly and strategically to influence issues related to market access and deference in financial services
• Oversight and coordination of high-quality briefings to FCA leadership at International Committees and working groups, ensuring members are fully supported
• Representing the FCA’s International Division on international policy working groups as necessar

We are a signatory to the Government’s Disability Confident scheme. This means that we will offer an interview to disabled candidates entering under the scheme, should they meet the minimum criteria for a role.

• Experience of driving multiplex work, within a policymaking, analytical or coordination/advisory role
• Experience of UK and/or international financial regulatory issues OR experience of trade, market access, equivalence and deference issues, particularly in relation to services and/or regulation
• Proven experience of influencing and persuading stakeholders with authority and credibilit