FCA

Senior Policy Advisor (12-month Fixed Term Contract)

London Full time

Job title: Senior Policy Advisor (12-month Fixed Term Contract)
Division: Supervision, Policy and Competition
Department: Market Analysis & Policy

  • Salary: National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £53,800 to £62,733 and London £59,200 to £69,000 per annum (Salary offered will be based on skills and experience)

  • This role is graded as: Senior Associate, Regulatory

  • Your recruitment contact is Shafika via Shafika.shaikh@fca.org.uk  Applications must be submitted through our online portal. Applications sent via social media or email will not be accepted.

  • For internal applications, this is a 12 month Acting Up/Secondment Opportunity

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. 

SPC oversees firms and individuals (supervision), creates and reviews the rules by which they operate (policy) and identifies and remedies ineffective competition in markets (competition). Sitting in the Consumer Investments (CI) directorate, the CI Market Analysis and Policy (MAP) department leads policy, strategy, and risk identification across the consumer investments market through four specialist teams focused on market insights, market analysis, advice policy, and distribution policy.

This role sits within the Consumer Investments Advice Policy Team. We are a friendly, collaborative team that works closely with stakeholders across the FCA and wider industry to shape investment advice policy that delivers good outcomes for consumers.

Role responsibilities

  • Use evidence and analysis to craft policies that directly support the FCA’s strategic commitments, ensuring markets work well for consumers and firms

  • Produce clear documents, including briefings, policy papers and slides to support effective policy development

  • Manage and oversee complex projects with effective governance and project management techniques

  • Build and nurture relationships with key stakeholders internally and externally, including Government, industry leaders, and consumer groups, to ensure policies are informed, inclusive, and widely supported

  • Provide practical policy advice and share insights to guide supervisors, firms, and consumer bodies, helping them navigate regulatory expectations with confidence

  • Contribute to a positive, supportive team culture, adjusting your approach to help colleagues perform well and deliver on shared objectives

Skills required

Minimum:

  • Prior experience of policymaking in a regulator, government department, firm or other relevant organisation

  • Prior experience in analysing complex information and experience of making judgements based on data and evidence

Essential:

  • Experience of identifying key risks to consumers and markets, as well as the mitigations available to address these

  • Ability to manage own workload effectively and to prioritise and escalate issues appropriately

  • Experience of working to deliver complex projects to tight deadlines, and ability to exercise a high degree of initiative in response to changing circumstances

  • Inclusive approach- respects the diversity of backgrounds across the FCA and are motivated to collaborate with others, contributing to an inclusive environment which enables problem solving and reflective policymaking

  • Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distil complex information for varied audiences and build effective relationships with internal colleagues and external

Benefits

  • 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

  • Non-contributory pension (8–12% depending on age) and life assurance at eight times your salary

  • Private healthcare with Bupa, income protection, and 24/7 Employee Assistance

  • 35 hours of paid volunteering annually

  • 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) 

  • 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 and 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 timelines

  • Advert Close Date: 8th May 2026

  • CV Review/Shortlist:  12th May 2026

  • First Interview and Case Study: W/C 18th May 2026

  • 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.